Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Jan 2015
272 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
Hold Tight, Don't Let Go follows the vivid story of two teenage cousins, raised as sisters, who survive the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti. After losing the woman who raised them in the tragedy, Magdalie and Nadine must fend for themselves in the aftermath of the quake. The girls are inseparable, making the best of their new circumstances in a refugee camp with an affectionate, lively camaraderie, until Nadine, whose father lives in Miami, sends for her but not Magdalie. As she leaves, Nadine makes a promise she cannot keep: to bring Magdalie to Miami, too. Resourceful Magdalie focuses her efforts on a reunion with Nadine until she realizes her life is in Haiti, and that she must embrace its possibilities for love, friendship, and a future.
"Starred Review. An insightful disaster-survival story with far-reaching emotional resonance." - Kirkus
"Starred Review. Wagner's portrait of Haitian culture is particularly compelling, and her descriptions of the settings of the city and Tonton Ãlie's country hometown are lush, despite the nation's dire circumstances." - Publishers Weekly
"Grades 7-10 Magdalie's life is literally shattered when an earthquake hits Port-au-Prince. In this impressive debut novel, Wagner recreates the aftermath in astonishing detail." - Booklist
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Laura Rose Wagner has a PhD in anthropology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She lived in Port-au-Prince from 2009 to 2012, and survived the earthquake. She travels to Haiti often, and founded a creative writing group for young people there.
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