The Year I Flew Away: Haitian voices of magical realism

 The Year I Flew Away is a middle grade historical fiction novel by Marie Arnold.  In it the reader meets 10 year old Gabrielle who lives in Haiti with her family but she is sent to Brooklyn to start a new life with her uncle's family until hers can join them in the U.S.  Life is hard for Gabrielle in New York.  She faces bullying for not speaking English.When a witch offers her a deal to make her fit in, Gabrielle's desperation wins.  The witch's agreement has a cost and before she takes everything from Gabrielle, a team of people and even a rat, need to put that witch in her place!  A story of identity, racism, family, friendship and new beginnings.   

I enjoyed this story because it is unique to the Haitian culture and experience immigrating to the U.S.  The folklore of the witch and the talking animals, like the rat, are reminiscent of authentic stories from the author's upbringing.  It is also a relatable story to so many readers because they have either been the new kid or have had new kids in their classes at school.  This can help readers empathize with how those students may be feeling and be better equipped with ways to welcome them into school and the community. Teachers and families who want to use this book with their middle grade readers can use the vast amount of resources offered on the  Teaching Books website.