Dear Haiti, Love Alaine
- Subject
- Epistolary (Letters & Diaries)
- Age
- Teen
- Format
- Trade Paperback
- Pages
- 432
- Publisher
- Inkyard Press
- Size
- 13.5 cm × 20.1 cm
- ISBN
- 9781335910028
Co-written by sisters Maika and Maritza Moulite, this exceptional debut novel captures a sparkling new voice and irrepressible heroine in a story sure to thrill fans of Nicola Yoon and Ibi Zoboi!
Alaine Beauparlant has heard about Haiti all her life…
But the stories were always passed down from her dad—and her mom, when she wasn’t too busy with her high-profile newscaster gig. But when Alaine’s life goes a bit sideways, it’s time to finally visit Haiti herself.
What she learns about Haiti’s proud history as the world’s first black republic (with its even prouder people) is one thing, but what she learns about her own family is another. Suddenly, the secrets Alaine’s mom has been keeping, including a family curse that has spanned generations, can no longer be avoided.
It’s a lot to handle, without even mentioning that Alaine is also working for her aunt’s nonprofit, which sends underprivileged kids to school and boasts one annoyingly charming intern.
But if anyone can do it all…it’s Alaine.
“Delightful.” —Essence magazine
"Stunning.” —Booklist (starred review)
Also by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite:
One of the Good Ones
About the creators
Maika MouliteAuthor
Maika Moulite is a Miami native and the daughter of Haitian immigrants. She earned a bachelor’s in marketing from Florida State University and an MBA from the University of Miami. When she’s not using her digital prowess to help nonprofits and major organizations tell their stories online, she’s sharpening her skills as a PhD student at Howard University. She’s the eldest of four sisters and loves young adult fantasy, fierce female leads, and laughing.
Maritza MouliteAuthor
Maritza Moulite graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s in women’s studies and the University of Southern California with a master’s in journalism. She’s worked in various capacities for NBC News, CNN, and USA TODAY. An admirer of Michelle Obama, Maritza is a PhD student at the University of Pennsylvania exploring ways to improve literacy in under-resourced communities. Her favorite song is “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire.
Data provided by BiblioShare.
This title isn't available to order right now. Browse the book shop for thousands that are.
What reviewers said
"I couldn't put Dear Haiti, Love Alaine down! I adored how smart and ambitious Alaine is, and I related to her, hurt for her, and rejoiced with her throughout this book."
"Maika and Maritza Moulite's Dear Haiti, Love Alaine is an enchanting and engrossing novel full of wit and laughter along with a tantalizing generational mystery. Alaine Beauparlant is that rare character who feels like your complicated but indispensable friend, one you wish you could stay in touch with and hear more fascinating and absorbing stories from long after finishing the book."
"The Moulite Sisters have given us a refreshing and balanced view of Haiti through the eyes of Alaine, a remarkable, funny, and whip-smart young Haitian-American coming to terms with both herself and her heritage. Dear Haiti, Love Alaine is, at its heart, also an American story—necessary, hopeful, and enlightening."
"Sisters Maika and Maritza Moulite deliver a phenomenal coming-of-age story with this stunning novel...The authors deliver a smart and witty protagonist in Alaine... the setting takes on a life of its own, plunging readers into Haiti's rich cultural traditions, breathtaking landscape, and vibrant people alongside Alaine, who will quickly become a beloved character amongst teens."
"The Moulite sisters' well-conceived debut is an alternately funny and bittersweet story of loss, regret, love, and sacrifice... Seamlessly blending story lines and allusions to Haiti's history and culture, the authors create an indelible, believable character in Alaine-naive, dynamic, and brutally honest-who stretches and grows as her remarkable, affectingly rendered family relationships do."
"Alaine's adventures in Haiti were so intense and engaging, I could almost feel the dirt beneath my fingernails, could almost smell the peanuts and plantains. But I think my favorite part was ultimately the female empowerment that permeated every part of this tale, past and present. It left me with a sort of Practical Magic feeling, and that is never a bad thing. Maika and Maritza Moulite have created quite the masterpiece here. I look forward to seeing what they do next!"
“I couldn’t put Dear Haiti, Love Alaine down!”
