{"product_id":"safe-harbor-isbn-9780593112502","title":"Safe Harbor","description":"\u003cb\u003eAn uplifting novel in verse about an immigrant girl adjusting to life in the US through her love of nature, music, and poetry, by the award-winning author of \u003ci\u003eThe Bridge Home\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen Geetha and her mom move from India to Rhode Island after her parents’ divorce, they leave everything Geetha loves behind—her family, her friends, her dog, and all that’s familiar. As if that’s not hard enough, Geetha is bullied at her new school for her clothes, her food, and her English (who knew so many English words could be spelled or pronounced differently in the US—or just \u003ci\u003ebe\u003c\/i\u003e altogether different!). She finds some solace in playing her flute and writing poetry, and even more when she meets Miguel, a kid with whom she has a lot in common, and the two of them help rescue an injured harp seal stranded on the beach. But Geetha can feel her anger building over lots of things—careless people who pollute the sea and hurt animals, and her mom for making her move. She’s never been so sad and angry. She can see a lot of her fears mirrored in the injured seal when she visits it at the Marine Mammal Rehabilitation Center, and this broadens her understanding of survival skills. And when she and Miguel start a beach-clean-up venture, she’s surprised to find how many kind kids are out there. Geetha is torn as the time comes to let the seal go, knowing she’ll miss him, but wanting the best for him. She’s learning to live with mixed feelings and accept that while there will always be rough waters, there are plenty of safe harbors too.\u003cb\u003e* \u003c\/b\u003e“Venkatraman’s latest novel beautifully captures the theme of finding love by letting go. Geetha, a young girl from Tamil Nadu, India, relocates to America with her mother after her parents’ divorce. Leaving behind her beloved patti, appa, and dog Dhurrie, Geetha struggles with sadness and adjustment in her new environment, where she faces bullies and cultural challenges. However, her life begins to change when Miguel, a boy her age, and Santo, a harp seal pup in need of rescue, enter her world. Through her efforts to help Santo and connect with her new friends, Geetha discovers her place in this unfamiliar setting and learns that sometimes release is necessary for growth. Written in verse, this novel offers a poignant exploration of emotional resilience and the bittersweet nature of change. It will particularly resonate with readers who value themes of personal growth, cultural adjustment, and the power of compassion. Additionally, environmental advocates will find the subplot of rescuing Santo and the broader message of climate awareness engaging and relevant, which is a perfect fit for middle school library collections. The novel is a must-read for those who appreciate lyrical storytelling with emotional depth.” —\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Aquatic pollution and marine life conservation propel this fish-out-of-water verse novel. Following tween Geetha’s parents’ divorce, Geetha and her mother . . . emigrate from Chennai, India, to the U.S., seeking a fresh start. Afraid of triggering Amma’s depression, Geetha squelches her anger at being uprooted. . . . School is no better, especially when a ‘shiny-smile’ girl targets Geetha with daily bullying. A fledgling friendship with Latinx-cued local Miguel seems doomed following initial miscommunication, but the two later reconnect when trying to save an injured baby harp seal. . . . Venkatraman (\u003ci\u003eBorn Behind Bars\u003c\/i\u003e) centering adult women of color in STEM spaces, including a veterinary technician and Miguel’s oceanographer mother, who act as role models for Geetha add an empowering undertone.” —\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“Geetha’s life is turned upside down when she and her mother move from India to Rhode Island, where being an immigrant in a new elementary school leaves her feeling alienated, angry, and longing for connection. . . . Geetha finds the connection she craves in a seal that has washed ashore due to injuries from human pollution. As Geetha acclimates to her new home, she uses her connection to this injured seal and her lifelong love of music to forge a new way forward for herself and her mother. Geetha’s love for music drives the poetic lines of this novel in verse. . . . Simple and relatable, Safe Harbor mixes themes of coming-of-age, immigration, and conservation into a sweet story accessible to younger elementary readers as well as those who enjoy Kerry O’Malla Cerra, Saadia Faruqi, and Barbara Dee.” \u003ci\u003e—Booklist \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Geetha’s emotions ring true, as do the little moments that remind Geetha that she’s an outsider. The story comes to vivid life as Geetha draws parallels between herself and Santo—both feeling lost and adrift—and organizes a cleanup of the beach. Venkatraman closes with an especially poignant author’s note in which she discusses her own experience as a woman of color in STEM. A tender coming-of-age tale with special resonance for nature lovers.” —\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“Written in verse, this compact, emotional story brims with metaphors about the ocean and sea life, which echo its themes of home and the scary process of learning to let go of people, things, and beliefs. Additionally, there is a strong marine conservationist message that may inspire readers to learn more and take action. An author’s note contextualizes Geetha’s story in Venkatraman’s own experiences; resources about marine life, bullying, and mental health are also appended.” —\u003ci\u003eThe Horn Book\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003ePadma Venkatraman (padmavenkatraman.com) was born in India and became an American after living in five countries and working as an oceanographer. She also wrote \u003ci\u003eBorn Behind Bars \u003c\/i\u003e(South Asia Book Award, Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People), \u003ci\u003eThe Bridge Home\u003c\/i\u003e (Walter Award, Golden Kite Award, Global Read-Aloud), \u003ci\u003eA Time to Dance\u003c\/i\u003e (IBBY selection, ALA Notable), \u003ci\u003eIsland’s End\u003c\/i\u003e (CCBC Choice, South Asia Book Award), and \u003ci\u003eClimbing the Stairs\u003c\/i\u003e (ALA\/Amelia Bloomer List, Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People). She lives in Rhode Island.\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eOur Dreams\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Geetha, we’re almost there,” my mother whispers. I\u003cbr\u003e scowl (because she woke me up)\u003cbr\u003e wiggle (because the cramped airplane seat won’t  let me stretch)\u003cbr\u003e yawn (because I feel like I only just fell asleep).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn my dream\u003cbr\u003e (which burst when Amma’s voice poked it)\u003cbr\u003e we were still in India.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn my dream\u003cbr\u003e I was a famous musician\u003cbr\u003e playing my bamboo flute at the Music Academy,\u003cbr\u003e playing powerfully enough\u003cbr\u003e to move my packed audience to stillness\u003cbr\u003e before thunderclaps of applause rose\u003cbr\u003e to the vaulted ceiling and my father\u003cbr\u003e strode onstage and clasped me in his arms\u003cbr\u003e because I’d brought him back to us\u003cbr\u003e through my music’s magic.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn reality\u003cbr\u003e I’m slumped in stale airplane air,\u003cbr\u003e my ears popping like dosai flour on a hot griddle\u003cbr\u003e as the plane drops down, down low,\u003cbr\u003e landing\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e in my mother’s dream.\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThree Years Before We Moved Across Oceans\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMy mother said she and my father grew apart\u003cbr\u003e as if they were two branches on the same tree,\u003cbr\u003e bending in different directions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Truth: Angry storms blew apart\u003cbr\u003e our family tree.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThat’s why\u003cbr\u003e only Amma and I flew to America.\u003cbr\u003e Appa stayed behind, in India.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNow that the two of us are so far away from him,\u003cbr\u003e I should stop imagining my parents\u003cbr\u003e will somehow get back together.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut I guess hope is a cork that never stops bobbing\u003cbr\u003e on the waves of life’s ocean.\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWelcome to America\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMy mother’s sister, Kamali Chithi,\u003cbr\u003e and her husband, Payya Chithappa,\u003cbr\u003e are waiting in the airport with welcoming hugs.\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eLet me take that.\u003c\/i\u003e Payya Chithappa tries to lessen my load.\u003cbr\u003e I tussle with him, clinging to my backpack, although\u003cbr\u003e I’m so tired, I could fall asleep standing up\u003cbr\u003e in spite of the clackety carts, clickety shoes,\u003cbr\u003e chattering voices.\u003cbr\u003e I’m sure I can trust my uncle, but I want to hold\u003cbr\u003e my old moss--green backpack tight\u003cbr\u003e because my fragile bamboo flute is inside.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eWelcome to the land of the free!\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Payya Chithappa shrugs,\u003cbr\u003e lets my backpack go, and leaves\u003cbr\u003e me to carry my burden on my own.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eEmpty Apartment\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIsn’t this great?\u003c\/i\u003e my aunt exclaims as we\u003cbr\u003e walk into our new place.\u003cbr\u003e I trudge through the poky kitchen,\u003cbr\u003e two tiny bedrooms with a bathroom squished in between,\u003cbr\u003e and something my aunt calls the \u003ci\u003efamily room\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003cbr\u003e although most of our family is in India!\u003cbr\u003e I feel further from home than ever before.\u003cbr\u003e I squint out a grimy window\u003cbr\u003e at the squat gray buildings, crouching \u003cbr\u003e like a flock of pigeons\u003cbr\u003e on a narrow gray street below a dull gray sky.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e My uncle cranks open a window, and tangy sea air\u003cbr\u003e whooshes in, making my skin tingle.\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIsn’t it nice, Geetha? Our new home?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Amma’s eyes sparkle.\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes!\u003c\/i\u003e I say real loud. \u003ci\u003eYes!\u003c\/i\u003e I repeat\u003cbr\u003e as if shouting something\u003cbr\u003e more than once can make it true.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eTraveling Heavy\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMy aunt and uncle have filled up our\u003cbr\u003e super-tall American fridge with\u003cbr\u003e super-big American fruits and vegetables.\u003cbr\u003e Now we have butter instead of ghee,\u003cbr\u003e cheese slices instead of paneer cubes,\u003cbr\u003e milk in cartons, not bottles, and a container of\u003cbr\u003e butter pecan ice cream—a flavor I’ve never heard of.\u003cbr\u003e After they hug us goodbye,\u003cbr\u003e saying, \u003ci\u003eCall us if you need anything, see you soon,\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e we eat and unpack.\u003cbr\u003e Then I go straight to bed,\u003cbr\u003e where I lie awake thinking of all\u003cbr\u003e I couldn’t carry with me:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Our tall tamarind tree\u003cbr\u003e with its sweet fruit and shady canopy\u003cbr\u003e under which I felt safe.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe room lined with shelves full of books\u003cbr\u003e that I loved to touch and smell and read and reread.\u003cbr\u003e Books full of stories and poetry and\u003cbr\u003e facts about animals and nature.\u003cbr\u003e I wanted to bring my favorites with me, but Amma said,\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eSorry. We can only bring what we really need, Geetha.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She kept taking books out of my bag and\u003cbr\u003e I kept sneaking them back in, till finally\u003cbr\u003e she hugged me close and said,\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eThere are weight limits on what we can carry.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eBut there’s no limit on how much \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eyou can dream for in America.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eThere, if you work hard enough, you can\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003ebe anyone you want, do anything you want.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e So I packed light\u003cbr\u003e and we flew across the sea\u003cbr\u003e with my little suitcase, my old backpack,\u003cbr\u003e and my weighty heart.","brand":"Nancy Paulsen Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46303817957605,"sku":"NP9780593112502","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780593112502.jpg?v=1767736034","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/safe-harbor-isbn-9780593112502","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}