The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind

Last updated
The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind
Girl Who Could Silence the Wind book cover.jpg
Author Meg Medina
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Published2012, Candlewick Press
Media typePrint, ebook, audiobook
Pages256 pages
ISBN 0763664197
Preceded by Tía Isa Wants a Car  
Followed by Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass  

The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind is a 2013 young adult novel by Cuban-American author Meg Medina. [1] The book was first published on 13 March 2012 through Candlewick Press and follows Sonia Ocampo, a teenage girl that leaves home to seek her freedom but finds that she cannot leave her past behind her.

Contents

Synopsis

Sonia Ocampo has always grown up with people expecting great things from her. She was born in the small town of Tres Montes, Chile during a terrible storm that threatened to completely destroy everything, only for it to stop soon after she was born. This has caused the townspeople to believe that Sonia is capable of fulfilling any wish if she prays hard enough and as a result she spends her days deep in prayer, as she herself believes in the power of her prayers. One day one of her prayers goes unanswered, showing that neither Sonia or her prayers are magical. This realization causes her to quickly leave town to avoid bringing shame to her family, and Sonia manages to get a housekeeping job in a wealthy home in Santiago, where Sonia is seen as no different than any of the other maids. However while the big city is exciting and Sonia's lodgings are far more nice than her former home, Sonia finds herself the target of her supervisor (who picks at everything Sonia does) and the nephew of Sonia's boss (who views her as nothing more than a conquest to be won). Soon Sonia learns that her brother Rafael has gone missing shortly after he left Tres Montes, and Sonia must seek help from her old friend Pancho in order to discover what happened to her brother.

Reception

Critical reception for The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind has been positive. [2] [3] Publishers Weekly and the Palm Beach Daily News both praised the work, [4] and the Palm Beach Daily News described it as "Sweet, well-thought and nutritious without pomp, it's a discovery worth making." [5] The Irish Times also praised the work, stating that it could "serve as an introduction to Latin American magic realism for teen readers." [6]

Awards

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meg Ryan</span> American actress (born 1961)

Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra, known professionally as Meg Ryan, is an American actress. Known for her leading roles as quirky, charismatic women since the late 1980s, Ryan is particularly recognized for her work in romantic comedies, a genre she dominated during the 1980s and 1990s. Dubbed "America's sweetheart" by the media, she became one of Hollywood's most bankable stars of the latter decade.

<i>Little Women</i> 1868–69 novel by Louisa May Alcott

Little Women is a coming-of-age novel written by American novelist Louisa May Alcott, originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869. The story follows the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—and details their passage from childhood to womanhood. Loosely based on the lives of the author and her three sisters, it is classified as an autobiographical or semi-autobiographical novel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meg Tilly</span> American-Canadian actress, writer (born 1960)

Meg Tilly is a Canadian-American actress and writer.

<i>Majokko Megu-chan</i> Japanese anime television series

Majokko Megu-chan is a popular magical girl anime series. The manga was created by Tomô Inoue and Makiho Narita, while the 72-episode anime series was produced by Toei Animation between 1974 and 1975. This series is considered an important forerunner of the present day magical girl genre, as the series' characterization and general structure exerted considerable influence over future shows in the same genre. Most notably, several of the show's recurring motifs were recycled in Toei's Sailor Moon, AIC's Pretty Sammy, and Wedding Peach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meg Cabot</span> American novelist

Meggin Patricia Cabot is an American novelist. She has written and published over 50 novels of young adult and adult fiction and is best known for her young adult series The Princess Diaries, which was later adapted by Walt Disney Pictures into two feature films. Cabot has been the recipient of numerous book awards, including the New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age, the American Library Association Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, the Tennessee Volunteer State TASL Book Award, the Book Sense Pick, the Evergreen Young Adult Book Award, the IRA/CBC Young Adult Choice, and many others. She has also had number-one New York Times bestsellers, and more than 25 million copies of her books are in print across the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Megan Fox</span> American actress (born 1986)

Megan Denise Fox is an American actress. She made her acting debut in the family film Holiday in the Sun (2001), which was followed by numerous supporting roles in film and television, such as the teen musical comedy Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (2004), as well as a starring role in the ABC sitcom Hope & Faith (2004–2006). Her breakout role was as Mikaela Banes in the blockbuster action film Transformers (2007), which she reprised in its sequel Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angelique Boyer</span> Mexican actress (born 1988)

Angelique Monique-Paulette Boyer Rousseau, simply known as Angelique Boyer, is a French-Mexican actress. Born in France, she has spent most of her life and her entire professional career in Mexico, becoming a dual French and Mexican citizen.

"Wind Beneath My Wings" is a song written in 1982 by Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Candlewick Press</span> Publishing company

Candlewick Press, established in 1992 and located in Somerville, Massachusetts, is part of the Walker Books group. The logo depicting a bear carrying a candle is based on Walker Books's original logo.

The Pura Belpré Award is a recognition presented to a Latino or Latina author and illustrator whose work best portrays the Latino cultural experience in a work of literature for children or youth. It was established in 1996. It was given every other year since 1996 until 2009 when it was changed to be given annually.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rainbow Rowell</span> American writer

Rainbow Rowell is an American author known for young adult and adult contemporary novels. Her young adult novels Eleanor & Park (2012), Fangirl (2013) and Carry On (2015) have been subjects of critical acclaim.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County</span> Organizations based in Florida

The Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Boynton Beach, Florida. Its stated mission is to improve literacy in Palm Beach County. One in seven adults in Palm Beach County is unable to read and understand information found in books, newspapers, magazines, brochures and manuals. The organization's operates with the assistance of over 9,000 volunteers. In 2013, the Literacy Coalition provided services to more than 25,000 adults, to children and families.

Marta Acosta is an American author of young adult, urban fantasy, and chick-lit fiction, known for her Casa Dracula series and for her 2013 book The She-Hulk Diaries. Acosta has also written under the pen name of Grace Coopersmith for her 2010 book Nancy's Theory of Style, which is based on a supporting character from her Casa Dracula series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meg Medina</span> American childrens writer (born 1963)

Meg Medina is an American children’s book author of Cuban descent whose books celebrate Latino culture and the lives of young people. She is the 2023 – 2024 National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature. Medina is the recipient of the 2019 John Newbery Medal for her middle grade novel, Merci Suárez Changes Gears and the Pura Belpré Award for Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass (2014) and the Pura Belpré Award Honor Book in 2016 for Mango, Abuela and Me).

<i>Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass</i> 2013 young adult novel by Meg Medina

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass is a 2013 young adult novel by Cuban-American author Meg Medina. The book was first published in the United States on 26 March 2013 through Candlewick Press and is the winner of the 2013 Cybils Award and the 2014 Pura Belpré Award. The book has been challenged in some schools due to its title and language, and deals with the theme of teen bullying and its effects on the individual and their lives.

<i>Milagros: Girl from Away</i> 2008 novel by Meg Medina

Milagros: Girl from Away is a 2008 children's novel by Cuban-American author Meg Medina. It was first published on 11 November 2008 through Henry Holt and Company and follows a young girl who has to deal with various struggles, including an absentee father. The book took Medina about eighteen months to write.

<i>Tía Isa Wants a Car</i> 2011 childrens book by Meg Medina

Tía Isa Wants a Car is a 2011 illustrated children's book by Cuban-American author Meg Medina. It was first published on 14 June 2011 through Candlewick Press and has won the 2012 Ezra Jack Keats New Writers Award. The book focuses on the title character of Isa, a young woman that wants to save money towards a new car while also thinking of family in other countries that could also use the money.

<i>Burn Baby Burn</i> (novel) Young adult novel by Meg Medina

Burn Baby Burn is a 2016 young adult novel written by Cuban-American author Meg Medina. It was first published in March, 2016 through Candlewick Press and follows a young woman growing up during the summer of 1977, when the Son of Sam began targeting young women.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meg Elison</span> American author and feminist essayist

Meg Elison is an American author and feminist essayist whose writings often incorporate the themes of female empowerment, body positivity, and gender flexibility. Her debut novel, The Book of the Unnamed Midwife, won the 2014 Philip K. Dick Award, and her second novel, The Book of Etta, was nominated for the award in 2017. Elison's work has appeared in several markets, including Fantasy & Science Fiction, Terraform, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, Catapult, and Electric Literature.

<i>Merci Suárez Changes Gears</i> Book by Meg Medina

Merci Suárez Changes Gears is a 2018 children's book written by Meg Medina. Mercedes "Merci" Suárez, the eponymous heroine, is a sixth grade scholarship student at an elite private school in South Florida. The novel details her struggles at school and home. The novel was awarded the 2019 Newbery Medal.

References

  1. Geen, Julie. "Catch the Wind". Style Weekly. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  2. Dean, Erica (September 2012). "The Girl who Could Silence the Wind (review)". School Librarian. 60 (3): 183. Archived from the original on 2014-10-14. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  3. Hachmyer, Rebecca (Fall 2012). "The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind (review)". The Horn Book Guide. 23 (2): 106. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  4. "The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind (audio review)". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  5. Gleason, Holly (December 27, 2012). "Mystical Novel Is about What Matters; Latin Setting, Magical Touches Recall Marquez". Palm Beach Daily News (subscription required). Archived from the original on March 28, 2015. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  6. Carey, Anna (June 23, 2012). "More Lessons from the School of Life". The Irish Times (subscription required). Archived from the original on March 28, 2015. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  7. "The Best Children's Books of the Year, 2013 (Twelve to Fourteen)" (PDF). Bank Street College of Education . Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  8. Diaz, Shelley. "Meg Medina, John Parra, and Others Honored at the Int'l Latino Book Awards". School Library Journal. Retrieved 17 October 2014.