Librería Samer Atenea
Kálamo Books
Librería Elías (Asturias)
Librería Kolima (Madrid)
Librería Proteo (Málaga)
Readers ages 9-13 learn about Hurricane Katrina through the eyes of a little-known Hispanic culture of Louisiana, the Isleños.Tucked within the marshes of Southeast Louisiana, thirteen-year-old Brianna Barrero is the oddball of her family. While everyone else carries on their Canary Islander ancestors’ traditions of fishing, hunting, cooking, and crafting, Brianna is immersed in school and academic pursuits. After all, Brianna’s mother expects her to be the first in their impoverished family to go to college.Now, it’s Summer 2005, and an anxiety-ridden Brianna is attempting to craft a worthy entry to win a writing contest for college money. If that stress wasn’t enough, a tropical storm rages, bullies lurk, and her usually supportive brother Shane seems to be growing suspicious of Brianna’s obsessive writing. By the time Hurricane Katrina forms, the threat of the storm is the last thing on her mind.As her community’s worst case scenario becomes a reality, Brianna unexpectedly learns that sometimes it’s in losing everything that you discover who you truly are.Aria Espino Beaumont was inspired to write The Memory Keeper by her own memories growing up Isleña in St. Bernard, Louisiana, as well as her Hurricane Katrina experience. She invites middle grade readers to glimpse into the world of a largely unknown Hispanic culture before, during, and after the life-altering devastation of Hurricane Katrina and to encounter a significant part of so many Katrina stories: a poignant rebirth.The Memory Keeper was a participant in the Highlights Foundation’s (now Boyds Mills) 2022 Whole Novel Historical Fiction Workshop.
