Dear Haiti, Love Alaine by Maike Moulite and Maritza Moulite

Dear Haiti, Love Alaine by Maika Moulite
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin TEEN and Inkyard Press for the advance reader copy of Dear Haiti, Love Alaine by debut authors and sisters, Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite. Teens will love this action-packed story, narrated by fearless, sassy Alaine, daughter of a psychiatrist and a famous talk show host mom, who finds herself punished for a school joke by being sent to her parents’ home of Haiti. There was so much to love about this story; the rich past and present history of Haiti, a family curse, strong female characters, and a plot that includes lists, emails, letters, transcripts. This is such a diverse, authentic, multi-faceted book with rich storytelling by the Moulite sisters; I loved the cover, Alaine, her aunts, the beauty and poverty of Haiti and all who work tirelessly for Haiti’s survival. Highly recommended!

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Haiti On My Mind; Stories By Haitian American Teens

Haiti On My Mind by Dana K. Vincent

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Wow, for such a skinny book of stories, Haiti On My Mind, was compelling heavy reading. I was captivated by the Haitian teens writing for Teen Communication telling their stories of hope and fear, joy and despair. With a moving foreword by Edwidge Danticat, Haiti's history, traditions and heritage is chronicled by teens who now live in the United States. The message is clear; since the 2010 earthquake, Haiti will need our understanding in order to rise above the chaos that decimated much of their country. The essays speak about the refugee experience and also about the many challenges of teen life. Teens reading this book will learn about prejudice, triumphs, failures and alienation, but they will also see the proud resilience of the Haitian American immigrant.



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Behind the Mountains by Edwidge Danticat

What a wonderful, poignant story about a Haitian family whose father, Papa, now lives in New York, toiling for years to bring his family to live with him. Told in first person by Celiane in entries to her notebook, we meet her family who has remained in Haiti, Celiane's mother, Manman, her older, artistic brother, Moy and the many relatives who provide support as they wait for approval to make the move. There is government turmoil and Celiane and her mother are injured in a pipe bomb attack in Haiti. It is a wonderful Christmas present to move to New York to finally be with their father. Once there, Moy and Celiane go to school, which is difficult because of the language barrier, strange surroundings and no friends. We see through Celiane's eyes the joy, sorrow and harshness of being in a new land. We see the beauty of Celiane's house on a mountain and New York through a child's eyes. This is a great multicultural story of how families remain close during separation and make a new life in a new land.