Murray Out of Water

March 15, 2024
A magical preteen explores her identity in the wake of a life-changing storm. Twelve-year-old Murray feels a deep connection to the ocean, which manifests as the ability to control small amounts of water: "It swirls / around my ankles, / moving in circular currents / that match the / twirl / of / my hand." After a hurricane hits her New Jersey town, badly damaging her beachfront home, Murray and her older sister go to live with their aunt and uncle in upstate New York. There, Murray feels her "ocean magic" slip away. On the bright side, she bonds with Blake, her cousin who uses they/them pronouns; Patrick, her formerly estranged older brother; and Dylan, a new friend who's bullied at school for being gay. Through books, roller skating, and drag, Murray starts to realize that she might like girls and be nonbinary and that family can be chosen, all while trying to get her magic back. This lovely, moving novel in verse combines beautiful language ("Sometimes, when I'm swimming, / I don't know where Murray ends / and Ocean begins") with emotional honesty to create a resonant story of identity and growing up. With everything Murray and her family are juggling, the magical element almost feels superfluous, although it does create some charming scenes between Murray and Dylan, who has powers of his own. Major characters read white. A heartfelt examination of queer identity through the lens of one lovable kid. (author's note) (Verse fiction. 9-12)

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April 15, 2024
Grades 5-8 After a hurricane hits her beloved ocean-side home, 12-year-old Murray is out of water in more ways than one. Living with her aunt, uncle, and nonbinary cousin, she's far away from the magic pull of the ocean and thrust into a new environment, new school, and new opportunities to escape her religious mother's strict expectations. As Murray and her best friend, Dylan, seek ways to recover Murray's magical connection to the ocean and prepare for the roller derby drag show, found family becomes an even more critical part of Murray's support network. Told in verse that flows like the waves in the ocean, this coming-of-age story captures Murray's discomfort in the constraints of her world, while giving readers a glimpse of her inner thoughts as she grows to recognize cracks in her family. While the magical elements are not as strong as other facets of the story, this queer-friendly, open-hearted look at what it means to find yourself should find ready fans among readers who like the works of Jasmine Warga, Alex Gino, and Lisa Fipps.

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Starred review from May 31, 2024

Gr 5 Up-When a hurricane forces Murray and her strict family to leave the Jersey Shore, she finally gets a chance to explore her authentic, gender nonconforming self as she is surrounded by the supportive relatives they have sought refuge with. A new environment allows her to make new friends who introduce her to rollerskating, and offers the opportunity to express herself through drag. Though welcoming, Murray longs for the ocean, which she believes gives her a sense of power. Hints of magic dot this otherwise realistic story of identity, belonging, and found family. This novel in verse is mainly free verse, with a few concrete poems sprinkled in. Tracy has crafted fully fleshed-out secondary characters that help Murray's world come to life for readers-from Murray's villainous mother who cast out her oldest child for being gay, to her nonbinary cousin, Blake, in whom she has found a confidant and defender, and her new best friend, Dylan, who has magical qualities of his own. An author's note includes information about her being inspired by Hurricane Sandy and "the restorative joy of relationships." VERDICT Beautiful in its simplicity yet swirling with emotion, this book deserves a place in all libraries serving upper elementary and middle school readers. Hand to fans of Starfish by Lisa Fipps and Wave by Diana Farid.-Monisha Blair

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