MURRAY OUT OF WATER

A magical preteen explores her identity in the wake of a life-changing storm.

Twelve-year-old Murray feels a deep connection to the ocean, which manifests as the ability to control small amounts of water: “It swirls / around my ankles, / moving in circular currents / that match the / twirl / of / my hand.” After a hurricane hits her New Jersey town, badly damaging her beachfront home, Murray and her older sister go to live with their aunt and uncle in upstate New York. There, Murray feels her “ocean magic” slip away. On the bright side, she bonds with Blake, her cousin who uses they/them pronouns; Patrick, her formerly estranged older brother; and Dylan, a new friend who’s bullied at school for being gay. Through books, roller skating, and drag, Murray starts to realize that she might like girls and be nonbinary and that family can be chosen, all while trying to get her magic back. This lovely, moving novel in verse combines beautiful language (“Sometimes, when I’m swimming, / I don’t know where Murray ends / and Ocean begins”) with emotional honesty to create a resonant story of identity and growing up. With everything Murray and her family are juggling, the magical element almost feels superfluous, although it does create some charming scenes between Murray and Dylan, who has powers of his own. Major characters read white.

A heartfelt examination of queer identity through the lens of one lovable kid.