Author Spotlight: Marie Arnold (Haitian Middle Grade and YA Writer)

Marie Arnold is an author who writes across genres and ages, so she has something for everyone. Originally from Haiti, she came to the US at the age of seven and grew up in Brooklyn, NY. 

Her debut middle grade novel, The Year I Flew Away, is about a young girl who immigrates to the US from Haiti (similar to Arnold's own experiences). As she struggles with fitting in, learning the language, and bullying, she receives the help of a "witch" to become the perfect American. But soon, she realizes that she doesn't want to lose what her who she is and partners up with two new ones (one a talking rat) to reverse the spell. 

Her newest work, Split the Sky is a haunting YA Contemporary Fiction about family, legacy, and sacrifice, as a young Black girl living in a Texas sundown town must find the courage to stand up for what’s right even when it means facing impossible choices. 

You can find both The Year I Flew and Split the Sky at Tuma's Books. Marie Arnold's other books can be found on our Bookshop.org.

I Rise

Fourteen-year-old Ayo who has to decide whether to take on her mother’s activist role when her mom is shot by police. As she tries to find answers, Ayo looks to the wisdom of her ancestors and her Harlem community for guidance.

I Was Told There Would Be Romance

For fans of Never Have I Ever and To All the Boys I've Loved Before comes a hilarious and heartfelt novel about a young Haitian girl navigating high school, friendship, and crushes.

A Place to Shine

Ten-year-old Sunny Williams is resilient—she knows this because it’s what her beloved grandma, Nanna, always tells her. So when Nanna is put into a care home after her memory loss issues get worse and social workers intend to put Sunny and her seven-year-old brother, Miles, into a foster home, she takes charge and hatches a plan for them to avoid getting split up.

Which titles are you adding to your TBR?