Gabrielle moves from Hatti to New York to live with her aunt, uncle and their family until her parents can get to the United States. During her time she meets a witch and uses magic to help her fit in better in this new country at the expense of herself and her culture. It would be a great book for upper elementary or lower middles grades. It has the excitement of magic and shows the importance of ones own culture. I left thinking about how you don't have to change yourself to be a value to society.

The Year I Flew Away blends magical realism with Haitian tradition in a kid-friendly adventure about immigration, trying to fit in, the benefits and limits of 1980s America, and the value of diversity. It's a highly readable book that would do well as a traditionally read or read-aloud novel. It gets a bit on-the-nose at the end, but overall is very enjoyable.

Link to my book talk: https://youtu.be/nXpSEGjpi9I

Ten-year-old Gabrielle moves from Haiti to Brooklyn. While she's trying hard and adjusting to the new life in America, she's losing her root, her identity, and even her first language. When Gabrielle meets a witch called Lady Lydia, she can make three wishes and in exchange, she has to eat the magical mangos and pay a "small cost". Will Gabrille get her identity back and find out who she really is? I really like the incorporation of magic and witch in the story. I speak multiple languages and my family celebrates different cultures and traditions. I appreciate the underlying message of the book and it is an important one. It will be very helpful for a lot of middle graders.

Love this story! So many benefits for young readers. Would highly recommend and will read when it is released.

The Year I Flew Away reads just like a fairy tale complete with a magical evil witch and a quirky sidekick! I got Little Mermaid and Aladdin vibes especially when Gabrielle begins getting her wishes granted at the expense of other aspects of her identity. The book really opens the door for discussion about cultural assimilation. Several of my fourth grade students are first generation or immigrants themselves and could relate to what Gabrielle experiences when coming to America. I hope to instill in my students the importance of preserving and holding onto their roots while also opening themselves up to new experiences. Too often parents and their children wish to abandon their first language in order to learn English, but this book really shows what a shame that truly would be and instead the goal should be to promote bilingualism rather than completing shifting to English only. The book ends with adventure and a strong message of acceptance and celebrating diversity.