Nowhere Girl

Paquette’s (The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Fairies) middle-grade debut has a terrifying premise: after her mother’s death, 13-year-old narrator Luchi Ann, who knows nothing of her American heritage and has spent her entire life in a Thai women’s prison with her mother, must find her place in the outside world. “American but not American, Thai but not really Thai. Where do I belong, with my pale skin, my corn-silk hair, my stone-gray eyes? How can I call any country my own?” Armed with a few clues and a letter from her grandmother, Luchi sets off on an adventure that takes her to Bangkok and then on a boat as a stowaway to find her American family. The tautly paced narrative places Luchi in high-stakes situations as she makes discoveries about her family history, as well as herself. Paquette balances the story’s cruelties with kindnesses, such as that of a ship captain who safeguards her passage. The highly atmospheric setting and thoughtful, determined narrator create a memorable thriller about identity and belonging. Ages 9–12. (Sept.)