Danticat wanted her daughter and other children to know that hope, memories, and imagination can survive disaster. How often does news of natural disaster cause a knot in your stomach and a lump in your throat? Do you wonder how such global challenges affect children? Can you comprehend the anxiety felt by child survivors, like the Haitian children who worried for their families and loved ones after the Januearthquake? Edwidge Danticat could. The next time you’re feeling overwhelmed or troubled, read Eight Days for a dose of hope, happiness, and humility.īut then Oscar felt really tired and went to sleep. The text resonates with a child’s voice and word choices, letting us peek into a far-away culture full of light and joy despite unimaginable challenges.

Through his eyes, we feel the simple joy of jumping in puddles, racing bicycles around statues, and singing in the church choir.

We daydream with Junior about his favorite, wonderfully ordinary activities-flying kites, eating sweet mangos, and helping Papa sweep up at work. In Eight Days: A Story of Haiti, author Edwidge Danticat introduces us to Haitian daily life through Junior, a fictional boy pulled from the rubble after eight long days.Īs we wait for Junior’s rescue, day by day, the story focuses on pre-earthquake Haiti. Haiti’s 2010 earthquake didn’t end happily ever after, yet it’s the subject of an inspiring picture book. And sometimes I cried, because I missed Manman and Papa and my little sister, Justine. when the earth shook again and again, I was afraid. 'The excellence of the writing and the resilient outlook of both first-person fictions set a high standard for this series.' - The Horn Book (Behind the Mountains)'Readers will connect with Danticat's immediate, poetic language.Join us in a coffee-style chat about favorite children’s books and the elements that make them shine. 'The excellence of the writing and the resilient outlook of both first-person fictions set a high standard for this series.' - The Horn Book (Behind the Mountains)'Readers will connect with Danticat's immediate, poetic language.' - Booklist (Anacaona, Golden Flower)

Eight Days by Edwidge Danticat