Morning Girl

Morning Girl by Michael Dorris
Publisher: Scholastic
Copyright: 1992
Number of Pages: 74
Age: 11+
Genre: Contemporary

Summary:
In this story it is told in two narratives. Each chapter flips back and forth between Morning Girl and her brother Star Boy. Through this story they both tell their perspective on different things. They both live on a Carribbean Island where they both roam and make up their own adventures. They explore the different things around them while trying to grow up and understand life. The big tragedy in the book is when there is a hurricane and it comes to destroy everything. All the families lost everything, fortunately no one was killed. They all felt that it would be OK because everything that was destroyed could be built again. So through that plot, the story is about these two kids who learn how to grow up and how to make the best of things even when it seems really hard. In the end they were rebuilding and Morning Girl gets up and goes to the ocean; she sees visitors and welcomes them to their land. In the end, its the girl hoping for a new beginning and a new start to a better relationship with her family and brother.
My reaction
I enjoyed the book because of the detailed writing. It was an easy read but it was detailed so that a picture could be painted in your mind. It was a good read and it made you get a taste of a different culture.
Who might benefit from this book?
I think children who are able to understand detailed writing. When the reader can understand the details they are able to appreciate the portrait that is being painted in their heads.
What problems might this book cause?
When Star Boy runs away at different times, children might think its ok to disappear and not come back for a while, just because they think its funny. That could put the wrong ideas in children's heads.