La niña que llegó del mar

Gr 4-7–Mariana, a curious girl who lives in Puerto Rico with her family and her yellow kitten, has grown accustomed to hearing helicopters around her neighborhood, which sometimes scare her. One night, awakened by these helicopters, Mariana’s father explains that people from Haiti and the Dominican Republic sometimes arrive on the nearby beach. They are immigrating to Puerto Rico for a better life for their families. Unfortunately, the helicopters carry police who search for these refugees to send them back to their home country. One day, when she arrives from school, Mariana discovers a girl hiding in her house. The girl speaks a different language, and her name is Sophie, but Mariana calls her the girl who came from the sea. What follows is a moving story in which Mariana and Sophie create a touching friendship while Sophie hides from those who want to get her out of the island. Mariana learns the challenging and sad realities of Sophie’s life. The difficult but realistic ending points to the strength of enduring friendship.