Don't Call Me a Hurricane - by Ellen Hagan (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

An affecting and resonant YA novel in verse that explores family, community, the changing ocean tides, and what it means to fall in love with someone who sees the world in a different way.

It's been five years since a hurricane ravaged Eliza Marino's life and home in her quiet town on the Jersey shore. Now a senior in high school, Eliza is passionate about fighting climate change-starting with saving Clam Cove Reserve, an area of marshland that is scheduled to be turned into buildable lots. Protecting the island helps Eliza deal with her lingering trauma from the storm, but she still can't shake the fear that something will come along and wash out her life once again.
When Eliza meets Milo Harris at a party, she tries to hate him. Milo is one of the rich tourists who flock to the island every summer. But after Eliza reluctantly agrees to give Milo surfing lessons, she can't help falling for him. Still, Eliza's not sure if she's ready to risk letting an outsider into the life she's rebuilt. Especially once she discovers that Milo is keeping a devastating secret.
Told in stunning verse, Don't Call Me a Hurricane is a love story for the people and places we come from, and a journey to preserve what we love most about home.

Review Quotes

"When I read Don't Call Me a Hurricane with my niece she said: 'a climate change activist love story in verse?! Yes, please.' We both loved taking this journey with Eliza Marino. It is a salve and good company for all of us grappling with uncertainty as we traverse these challenging times." --Angie Cruz, award-winning author of DOMINICANA

"Urgent and romantic, Don't Call Me a Hurricane beautifully demonstrates the strength of community and the power of love." --Brandy Colbert, award-winning author of THE VOTING BOOTH

"The way Hagan writes about the land is the way she writes about love--with passion, humanity, and clarity. This book carried me away." --Olivia A. Cole, author of THE TRUTH ABOUT WHITE LIES

"Periodic harrowing hurricane flashbacks and evocative descriptions--"the shoreline and sunsets sinking into the bay and rising over the ocean"--buoy this love letter to LBI's coastal landscape and tight-knit community." --Publishers Weekly

"A welcome addition where novels-in-verse and the works of Elizabeth Acevedo, Nikki Grimes, and Kwame Alexander are popular." --School Library Journal

"The novel's strengths are Eliza's compelling voice--her hurricane flashbacks are mesmerizing--and the conveying of emotion." --Kirkus Reviews

"This stunning book is the story I've been waiting for my whole life; where girls rise up to claim their space with joy and power. I resolve to give a copy to every teenager I know!" --Laurie Halse Anderson, New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of SPEAK and SHOUT, on WATCH US RISE

"An extraordinary story of two indomitable spirits, the power of friendship, and what leadership looks like in the hands of young people today, Watch Us Rise is the novel we all need right now." --Brendan Kiely, New York Times bestselling co-author of ALL AMERICAN BOYS and TRADITION, on WATCH US RISE

"Timely, thought-provoking, and powerful. Watch Us Rise is an immediate young adult classic." --Julie Murphy, New York Times bestselling author of DUMPLIN', on WATCH US RISE

"Watch Us Rise is a source of inspiration on every page and a remarkable story of the power of young people to make a difference. And it's a great read." --Caroline Kennedy, bestselling author and editor of SHE WALKS IN BEAUTY, on WATCH US RISE

"Read this today. Give it to the young person in your life. It is an instruction manual to freedom and love and voice. It is a triumphant example of how literary arts and poetry intersect in our everyday lives and fortify the marrow of our survival." --Mahogany L. Browne, author of BLACK GIRL MAGIC and WOKE BABY, on WATCH US RISE

"A manifesto for budding feminists . . . An inspiring look at two strong-willed teens growing into even stronger young women ready to use their voices and take on the world" --Kirkus Reviews, starred review, on WATCH US RISE

"A highly needed work for the #MeToo movement. . . . Watson and Hagan do not disappoint in this powerful story of two girls who take a stand against injustice while learning how to navigate a world that seeks to silence them." --School Library Journal, starred review, on WATCH US RISE

About the Author

Ellen Hagan is a writer, performer, and educator. She is the author of Don't Call Me a Hurricane, Reckless, Glorious, Girl and the co-author with Renée Watson of Watch Us Rise. Her poetry collections include Blooming Fiascoes, Hemisphere, and Crowned. Her work can be found in ESPN Magazine, She Walks in Beauty, and Southern Sin. Ellen is the Director of the Poetry & Theatre Departments at the DreamYard Project and directs their International Poetry Exchange Program with Japan, South Korea and the Philippines. She co-leads the Alice Hoffman Young Writer's Retreat at Adelphi University. Raised in Kentucky, she now lives in New York City with her family.
www.ellenhagan.com