The Waking Star — Jenny Jaeckel

Beautiful and moving, this historical novella is told from the perspective of a girl held as a slave on the Isle of Martinique in the 1800s. The poetic narrative digs into grief’s fertile ground, sprouting a strange and wonderful fruit. And the black and white illustrations included provide a visual power behind the narrative. The language, imagery, and attention to detail plunges the reader into memorable lives, soaking us in tales of adventure, courage, love, and loss.