Marie Arnold – författare

“A love letter to Harlem and hope. I Rise is smart and funny and full of heart.*”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.Ayo's mother founded the biggest civil rights movement to hit New York City in decades. It’s called ‘See Us’ and it tackles police brutality and racial profiling in Harlem. Ayo has spent her entire life being an activist and now, she wants out. She wants to get her first real kiss, have a boyfriend, and just be a normal teen.When her mom is put into a coma after a riot breaks out between protesters and police, protestors want Ayo to become the face of See Us and fight for justice for her mother who can no longer fight for herself. While she deals with her grief and anger, Ayo must also discover if she has the strength to take over where her mother left off.This impactful and unforgettable novel takes on the important issues of inequality, systemic racism, police violence, and social justice.*Kwame Alexander, New York Times bestselling authorWhen your mother’s fight becomes your own, where do you find the strength to rise?Reluctant Activist: Fourteen-year-old Ayo never wanted to be a leader; she just wanted to be a normal teen. But when her mother is shot, she’s the only one who can step up for the ‘See Us’ movement.A Powerful Mother-Daughter Story: Rosalie Bosia has been a civil rights icon her whole life, but to Ayo, she’s just Mom. Their relationship is tested and transformed in the wake of tragedy.Community and Ancestors: Facing an impossible choice, Ayo draws on the wisdom of her Harlem neighborhood and the ancestors who walked its streets before her.A Timely Social Justice Novel: Perfect for teens, parents, and educators, this novel tackles the urgent issues of systemic racism and inequality with honesty and heart.

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.Fifteen-year-old Fancy Augustine is a Haitian American girl with simple desires. She'd like to trade in her floppy, oversize boobs for cute, perky ones. She'd love a boyfriend. And she's desperate for an invite to the biggest event of the school year: Imani Park's birthday party. When Fancy learns her BFF, Tilly, has received a coveted invite and has a secret boyfriend, she is (understandably) devastated and wholeheartedly determined to do whatever it takes to get her own happily ever after.So what if she makes a deal with the devil (Imani) that guarantees her an invite-but only if she can bring a boyfriend? And what's so bad about letting her crush, Rahim, believe that she can create a voodoo potion for him in exchange for him posing as her boyfriend? And, yeah, maybe she's destroying her friendship with Tilly and falling hopelessly behind in her schoolwork, but Fancy knows it'll all be worth it in the end. Plus, it's not like Fancy's parents would really make good on their threats of sending her back to Haiti...right?

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.Fifteen-year-old Fancy Augustine is a Haitian American girl with three simple desires. She'd like to trade in her floppy, oversize boobs for cute, perky ones. She'd love a boyfriend. And she is desperate for an invite to the biggest event of the school year: Imani Park's birthday party. When Fancy learns her BFF, Tilly, has received a coveted invite and has a secret boyfriend, she is (understandably) devastated and wholeheartedly determined to do whatever it takes to get her own happily ever after.So what if she makes a deal with the devil (Imani) that guarantees her an invite-but only if she can bring a boyfriend? And what's so bad about letting her crush, Rahim, believe that she can create a voodoo potion for him in exchange for him posing as her boyfriend? And, yeah, maybe she's destroying her friendship with Tilly and falling hopelessly behind in her schoolwork, but Fancy knows it'll all be worth it in the end. Plus, it's not like Fancy's parents would really make good on their threats of sending her back to Haiti...right?

In this haunting story about family, legacy, and sacrifice, 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-perfect for fans of Dear Martin and The Hate U Give.Fifteen-year-old Lala Russell is doing a bad job at being a Black girl. She has social justice fatigue, and she doesn't want to join the Black Alliance Club at her school (even though she agrees with them). A gifted cellist, she's focused on leaving her small town and accomplishing her goals and dreams. But Lala has also inherited another gift, her grandmother Sadie's gift of foresight. She has visions of the future-and they always come true. In Davey, the Texas sundown town she lives in, there is growing tension, as a Black organization attempts to diversify the nearly all-white part of town. Amidst violent protests, Lala has a vision. In it, a Black teenage boy is shot in the chest by a white homeowner. Now Lala has a mission: find the boy and save him.But Grandma Sadie has a vision too. After the boy's murder, a wave of protests breaks out. And the outrage over the casual and frequent slaying of unarmed Black children will result in unprecedented change. Change that won't happen if the vision is altered. Lala is faced with an existential question-can she allow herself to sacrifice one life to, in turn, save many? And if so, whose life will she choose?

In this magical middle grade novel, ten-year-old Gabrielle finds out that America isnt the perfect place she imagined when she moves from Haiti to Brooklyn. With the help of a clever witch, Gabrielle becomes the perfect Americanbut will she lose herself in the process? Perfect for fans of Hurricane Child and Front Desk.Its 1985 and ten-year-old Gabrielleis excited to be moving from Haiti to America. Unfortunately, her parentswont be able to join her yet and shell be living in a place called Brooklyn, New York, with relatives she has never met.She promises her parents that she will behave, but life proves to be difficult in the United States, from learning the language toalways feeling like she doesnt fit in tobeing bullied. So when a witch offersher a chance to speak English perfectly and be American, she makes the deal.But soon she realizes how much she has given up bytrying to fit in and, along with her two new friends (one of them a talking rat), takes on the witch in an epic battle to try to reverse the spell.Gabrielle is a funny and engaging heroine you wont soon forget in this sweet and lyrical novel thats perfect for fans of Hurricane Child and Front Desk.

A love letter to Harlem and hope. I Rise is smart and funny and full of heart.*Fourteen-year-old Ayo who has to decide whether to take on her mothers 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.Ayo's mother founded the biggest civil rights movement to hit New York City in decades. Its called See Us and it tackles police brutality and racial profiling in Harlem. Ayo has spent her entire life being an activist and now, she wants out. She wants to get her first real kiss, have a boyfriend, and just be a normal teen.When her mom is put into a coma after a riot breaks out between protesters and police, protestors want Ayo to become the face of See Us and fight for justice for her mother who can no longer fight for herself. While she deals with her grief and anger, Ayo must also discover if she has the strength to take over where her mother left off.This impactful and unforgettable novel takes on the important issues of inequality, systemic racism, police violence, and social justice.*Kwame Alexander, New York Timesbestselling author