Water in May - Hardcover

Williams, Ismée

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1419725394 ISBN 13: 9781419725395

Publisher: Amulet Books, 2017

Synopsis

Fifteen-year-old Mari Pujols believes that the baby she’s carrying will finally mean she’ll have a family member who will love her deeply and won’t ever leave her—not like her mama, who took off when she was eight; or her papi, who’s in jail; or her abuela, who wants as little to do with her as possible. But when doctors discover a potentially fatal heart defect in the fetus, Mari faces choices she never could have imagined.

Surrounded by her loyal girl crew, her off-and-on boyfriend, and a dedicated doctor, Mari navigates a decision that could emotionally cripple the bravest of women. But both Mari and the broken-hearted baby inside her are fighters; and it doesn’t take long to discover that this sick baby has the strength to heal an entire family.

Inspired by true events, this gorgeous debut has been called “heartfelt, heartbreaking and—yes!—even a little heart-healing, too” by bestselling YA novelist Carolyn Mackler.
 

About this title

About the Author:

Ismée Williams is a former pediatric cardiologist at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. As the daughter of a Cuban immigrant, partially raised by her abuelos, her background helped her understand the many Maris she met along the way. Water in May is her first novel.
 

Review:

**STARRED REVIEW**
"Full of spot-on cultural texture and packing an emotional punch, this is an unusual take on the teen-pregnancy problem novel... Williams presents her experience in a way that demands not pity but respect while also reminding readers of Mari's heartbreaking youth and innocence at unexpected times...Fierce and tender—and absolutely worth reading." (Kirkus)

"This novel is realistic and compelling, heartfelt and heartbreaking all at the same time. The author’s experience as a pediatric cardiologist brings authenticity to her writing as much as does her experience of navigating cultural barriers. Young adult readers will connect with Mari’s feisty personality, strength, and vulnerability." (VOYA Magazine)

About this edition

• Publisher: Amulet Books
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1419725394
• ISBN 13: 9781419725395
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 320