Books with author Meg Medina

A poignant and passionate tale about the risks people will take for a new and better life, and the sacrifices they will make to protect the ones they love.On the night Sonia Ocampo is born, the village folk of Tres Montes survive the most horrific storm they have ever seen. Immediately they believe Sonia must possess a special gift to heal and protect. But after a young boy dies despite her prayers, sixteen-year-old Sonia is filled with shame and a sense of utter powerlessness. The hundreds of tiny gold symbols pinned to her shawl now only seem like empty, superstitious charms. At once she longs to escape a life built on lies. With the help of her aunt, Sonia takes a train to the city to begin a post in the household of a wealthy woman. Perhaps all their fortunes will now improve? However, a short time later Sonia hears the devastating news that her brother has gone missing from the village. It is not the first time a young man has disappeared in the region, and everyone knows all too well what his fate may be. Sonia must now risk absolutely everything to find him, and find a way to bring him home.

Sonia’s entire village believes she has a gift, but it’s only in leaving home that she finds out who she truly is. A compelling tale from a rich voice in young adult fiction.Sixteen-year-old Sonia Ocampo was born on the night of the worst storm Tres Montes had ever seen. And when the winds mercifully stopped, an unshakable belief in the girl’s protective powers began. All her life, Sonia has been asked to pray for sick mothers or missing sons, as worried parents and friends press silver milagros in her hands. Sonia knows she has no special powers, but how can she disappoint those who look to her for solace? Still, her conscience is heavy, so when she gets a chance to travel to the city and work in the home of a wealthy woman, she seizes it. At first, Sonia feels freedom in being treated like all the other girls. But when news arrives that her beloved brother has disappeared while looking for work, she learns to her sorrow that she can never truly leave the past or her family behind. With deeply realized characters, a keen sense of place, a hint of magical realism, and a flush of young romance, Meg Medina tells the tale of a strongwilled, warmhearted girl who dares to face life’s harsh truths as she finds her real power.

Milagros de le Torre hasn’t had an easy life: ever since her father sailed away with pirates she’s been teased at school and there’s the constant struggle for her family to make ends meet. Still, Milagros loves her small island in the Caribbean, and she finds comfort in those who recognize her special gifts. But everything changes when marauders destroy Milagros’s island and with it, most of the inhabitants. Milagros manages to escape in a rowboat where she drifts out to sea with no direction, save for the mysterious manta rays that guide her to land. In stunning prose,Meg Medina creates a fantastical world in which a young girl uncovers the true meaning of family, the significance of identity, and, most important, the power of a mother’s love.

"...an engaging and compelling tale of a fish out of water, learning to accept the realities of life through the magic of her heart." — School Library Journal, starred review Milagros de le Torre hasn’t had an easy life: ever since her father sailed away with pirates she’s been teased at school, and her family struggles to make ends meet. Still, Milagros loves her small island in the Caribbean, and she finds comfort in those who recognize her special gifts. But everything changes when marauders destroy Milagros’s island and with it, most of the inhabitants. Milagros manages to escape in a rowboat where she drifts out to sea with no direction, save for the mysterious manta rays that guide her to land. In stunning prose, Pura Belpré award-winning author Meg Medina creates a fantastical world in which a young girl uncovers the true meaning of family, the significance of identity, and, most important, the power of a mother’s love. "Give this to readers who are looking for something original, something wishful, and something strange, in a good way." — The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Meg Medina is the recipient of the Pura Belpré Award (2014) and the Ezra Jack Keats New Writers Award winner (2102).

Get better grades, do well in school and have an "I can" attitude towards success.Grow, Inspire, and Empower: this is the goal of this book. Children can be successful in life. Children can do so much more than what most people give them credit for. There was a young man who at the age of 12 years old, made $50,000 dollars and at 15 he was the CEO of a company. His story is one of many stories of children who have become successful at very young ages. This book was written to encourage young people to do more, to make big dreams and to have those dreams come true. Yes, it is possible to be a millionaire at the age of 19 years old; It is also possible to make a million dollars out of a bunch of coat hangers and a simple idea. This book starts with the idea that ‘learning’ is important, that it is the first step in becoming and being successful in life. As a parent the author brings to these pages the tools, the rules and the mindset that children need if they want to succeed; to achieve the dream they have. This book is not about only making money – it is about how to become successful. Success is not about money, about being ‘Rich’, but being successful does create opportunities for large sums of money. Success is about dreaming big and reaching your goals. Like one young man who started working out of his parent’s kitchen when he was only 15 years old. With his success, he has invested in various charitable projects, of which one runs tea parties for lonely elderly people who live alone or in care homes.The company reports having run over 120 such events between March 2008 and March 2009, with the largest events attracting over 600 guests. The company organizes various ‘knitathons’, encouraging the public to knit for good causes. In 2008, several thousand knitted squares were collected, sewn into blankets and sent to orphanages in India. Children can be successful; all they need is the right mindset and the tools to achieve their dreams. This book helps them get started and it all starts with – seeking knowledge and doing well in school.