A novel in verse about a queer tween and her found family, with a light touch of magical realism.
Twelve-year-old Murray O’Shea has always had a special bond with the ocean, the only place where she really feels free. She can even control the flow of the water, a magical connection that makes her fingers tingle. But when her family’s Jersey Shore home is devastated by a hurricane, Murray and her older sister are sent to live with their aunt and uncle far inland, where Murray seems to lose her magic.
But her aunt and uncle, and their teen who is coming out as nonbinary, welcome Murray into their home with more acceptance than her demanding and narrow-minded mother ever showed her and more attention than her work-focused dad ever provided. She now understands why her older brother, who is gay, had left home to stay here. She also begins to realize why she never had crushes on boys like other girls her age, and why the frilly, feminine clothes her mom forced her to wear never felt right.
As she tries to settle in to her new school, she also befriends Dylan, who has been bullied for being gay, but who has a magic of his own. They become friends and Murray agrees to partner with him for a youth drag rollerama competition, held at Dylan’s uncle’s roller rink, while Dylan helps Murray try to get her magic back.
This is a warm and beautifully told story of found family (including extended family who become central) and of queer young people finding the self-confidence to be who they are, in the company of other queer youth and supportive allies. There is some indication that Murray is nonbinary, too, although she is still exploring this. Author Taylor Tracy also delightfully weaves in the names of numerous other LGBTQ-inclusive middle grade books—both homage and suggestions.
A lovely and empowering recommended read.
Murray and her family are White.
