BOOK SYNOPSIS
Malia has had a privileged upbringing in Indonesia, but since her Indonesian father died, her Canadian mother wants to return to her own family on the other side of the world. Malia is determined to stay. Indonesia is her home, and she loves it. Besides, if she leaves, how can she continue to fight for her country’s precious rainforests?
Ari knows he is lucky to be going to school and competing on the chess team, even if it means an endless round of chores at his uncle’s restaurant. Back in his home village, he and his cousin Suni dreamed about getting a chance like this. But now he is here without her, and the guilt is crushing him. As if that weren’t enough, he’s horribly worried about Ginger Juice, his uncle’s orangutan. The too-small cage where she lives is clearly hurting her body and her mind, but where else can she go? The rainforest where she was born is a palm oil plantation now.
MICHELLE KADARUSMAN
Michelle Kadarusman is an internationally acclaimed children’s author whose middle-grade novels include Girl of the Southern Sea, Music for Tigers and Berani. Originally from Australia and Indonesia, Michelle’s home-base has been Toronto, Canada, since 2000. Her novels have earned many awards and nominations, including the Freeman Book Awards, the Governor General’s Literary Awards, TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, USBBY Outstanding International books and the Green Earth Book Awards. She lives in Toronto, Canada, and Byron Bay, Australia.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Facebook: MichelleKadarusmanAuthor
Instagram: @michellekadarusman
Twitter / X: @MichelleRReader
BIBLIOGRAPHY
WE THE SEA TURTLES, middle-grade short stories, published by Pajama Press, 2023
BERANI, middle grade fiction published by Pajama Press, 2022
ROOM FOR MORE, picture book, published by Pajama Press, 2022
MUSIC FOR TIGERS, middle-grade fiction, Pajama Press, 2020
GIRL OF THE SOUTHERN SEA, middle grade fiction published by Pajama Press, 2019
THE THEORY OF HUMMINGBIRDS, middle-grade fiction, Pajama Press, 2017
OUT OF IT, young adult fiction, Lorimer, 2014
