Girl of the Southern Sea
by Michelle Kadarusman (Author)
From Governor General's Literary Award finalist Michelle Kadarusman, an empowering novel about a girl from the slums of Jakarta who dreams of an education and the chance at a better life
From the time she was a little girl, Nia has dreamed up adventures about the Javanese mythical princess, Dewi Kadita. Now fourteen, Nia would love nothing more than to continue her education and become a writer. But high school costs too much. Her father sells banana fritters at the train station, but too much of his earnings go toward his drinking habit. Too often Nia is left alone to take over the food cart as well as care for her brother and their home in the Jakarta slums.
But Nia is determined to find a way to earn her school fees. After she survives a minibus accident unharmed and the locals say she is blessed with 'good luck magic, ' Nia exploits the notion for all its worth by charging double for her fried bananas. Selling superstitions can be dangerous, and when the tide turns it becomes clear that Nia's future is being mapped without her consent.
If Nia is to write a new story for herself, she must overcome more obstacles than she could ever have conceived of for her mythical princess, and summon courage she isn't sure she has.
A portion of the proceeds from this #ownvoices story are in support of Plan International Canada Because I Am A Girl
Locate at a Library Near You WorldCat is the world's largest library catalog, helping you find library materials online.
Find books about:
School Library Journal
Gr 6 Up--Nia lives in a slum in Jakarta, Indonesia, with her younger brother and her alcoholic father. Her mother died giving birth to her brother. Her father is irresponsible and leaves Nia to take care of her brother, tend to their home, and help earn money for their family. There are fees for high school, and Nia's family doesn't have enough money for her to get a high school education and pursue her dream of becoming a writer. Still, she meets with a friend to review their textbooks and keep up their studies and Nia continues to write stories about Dewi Kadits, a character in Java's traditional folklore. She knows one of the three most important rules of living in the slum are to never disobey your father, but her father's behavior requires her to be independent and make serious decisions. A gripping, emotional realistic novel describing the grim realities of growing up in Indonesian poverty. A glossary of Indonesian words is included at the front of the book and a map provides the location of the story's setting. The author's note explains how the seeds of this story were planted long ago when Kadarusman observed poverty while traveling with her family to her father's hometown in West Java. VERDICT A riveting read featuring a determined and talented teenager.--Helen Foster James, University of California at San Diego
Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
Praise for Girl of the Southern Sea
2019 Governor General's Literary Award: Young People's Literature - Text Finalist
2019 NCTA Freeman Book Award Honorable Mention
2019 Malka Penn Award for Human Rights in Children's Literature Honor Book
2019 Northern Lights Book Award: Pre-Teen Cultural Winner
2022 Hackmatack Children's Choice Book Award shortlist
2020 SYRCA Diamond Willow Award Finalist
2020 MYRCA Sundogs Award Nominee
2020 USBBY Outstanding International Books List selection
2020 Bank Street Best Book selection
2021 Red Cedar Book Awards Nominee
2020 Rise: A Feminist Book Project List selection
2019 CCBC Best Books for Kids and Teens Starred Selection
2019 Resource Links Recent Canadian Titles too Good to Miss selection
2019 Junior Library Guild selection
In spare and elegant prose, Kadarusman weaves a quiet tale of survival, grit, and integrity....Peppered throughout are stories that Nia crafts, based on Indonesian legends about the princess of the Southern Sea. With nuanced characters, this is a lovely gem for fans of irrepressible girls and contemporary stories set outside of the U.S.—Booklist
A gripping, emotional realistic novel describing the grim realities of growing up in Indonesian poverty....VERDICT A riveting read featuring a determined and talented teenager.—School Library Journal
Readers will cheer Nia's real powers—her storytelling talent and her resiliency—in this vividly set story.—The Horn Book Guide
Punctuating Nia's thoughtful, present-tense narration with her stories about Dewi [Kadita], Kadarusman effectively weaves a gentle tale of love and loss and illuminates the power of storytelling. A thought-provoking peek into a culture deserving of more attention in North America.—Kirkus Reviews
A stark setting combines with striking characters...The novel does not offer simple solutions but instead wraps up Nia's story in a way that demonstrates her willingness and ability to stand up for herself. Girl of the Southern Sea is an uplifting novel about hope and the power of storytelling.—Foreword Reviews
Rating: E...[Kadarusman's] insight into life in Indonesia, supplemented by her shared heritage has made this fictional story of poverty, tradition and self-determination entirely accessible and - more importantly - believable. There is a pragmatism here that transcends all the possible and imagined divisions in this story which gives it an appeal as broad as the ocean it describes.—Resource Links
In Girl of the Southern Sea, Michelle Kadarusman delves gracefully into weighty subjects like poverty, slum living, and forced marriages, as well as limited access to education, healthcare and opportunities for the future, especially for girls. Upbeat, optimistic Nia is a very relatable protagonist, even for those who can't fathom her day-to-day existence.—Shelf Awareness
Girl of the Southern Sea is an enjoyable, brisk, and emotionally charged novel that tells difficult stories inspired by the realities of girls in Indonesia. It is a sharp and politically attuned work that will give readers further appreciation for the value of access to education, health care, and justice.—Quill & Quire
A deftly crafted and inherently entertaining read from cover to cover, Girl of the Southern Sea by Michelle Kadarusman is unreservedly recommended for both school and community library Contemporary General Fiction collections for young readers ages 9-12.—Midwest Book Review
Nia is a wonderful character - resilient, courageous and independent....Kadarusman gives her readers a young rebel as the protagonist of this novel....Young adult readers in the junior grades will find Girl of the Southern Sea an entertaining and interesting novel. A glossary of Indonesian terms and a map will help with comprehension. The novel would be an excellent starting point from which to study Indonesian culture as well as the effects of poverty on young women in Indonesia and elsewhere in the world....Highly Recommended.—CM Magazine
Rating: 5...This is [a] realistically told sad story as the reader witnesses tragedy after tragedy befall Nia.—Youth Services Book Review
In this moving, ultimately hopeful tale, Michelle Kadarusman presents young readers with a window into a very different world....Nia's refusal to give up and her determination to write a better future for herself will stay with readers long after the book is finished.—Canadian Children's Book News
Kadarusman explores the plight of vulnerable young women in developing countries. Nia is resourceful and determined, a good role model for middle-school readers who can watch as she takes charge of her own future.—Winnipeg Free Press
I cannot convey the depth of the storytelling within Girl of the Southern Sea and it's message for girls to make their own opportunities....It's origins may be saturated in misfortune and tragedy but it will become the story she wants to write for herself and make her the Girl of the Southern Sea.—CanLit for LittleCanadians
Nia is the type of character that won't soon leave my heart. She left her mark as many characters do after opening up a world that I knew next to nothing about. I don't know that I've read anything set in Indonesia and yet Michelle's writing transported me there immediately.... This book would pair beautifully with Everlasting Nora by Marie Miranda Cruz and The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman for a series of titles about children living in poverty around the world. Nia's strength in spite of her past will not soon leave my heart and mind.—Literacious
This story is so full of sadness, loss, bitterness, and heartbreak but it is also so full of love, friendship, hope and determination! Nia is an inspiration...This is a book that needs to be in every library and every classroom around the world!—Blazer Tales
Rating: [5 stars]...This was a fantastic story! It was exciting and suspenseful....I highly recommend it for middle grade readers!—Jill Jemmett
Nia's fight to improve her life is admirable. This is an #ownvoices book, but since the author doesn't currently live in Indonesia, she had a sensitivity writer.—Mrs. Yingling Reads
I liked [Nia's] strong character, and her unwavering ambition. This book opens children's eyes to another culture, the more difficult choices and situations faced by children in other countries, and an interesting legend.—Canadian Bookworm
We rated this book 5/5...If you are a person who enjoys books with content that makes you feel for the character and not want to put the book down, then you should definitely read this book....It is juicy and full of color, character, and exquisite content."—Savvy, Age 11, Kids' BookBuzz
I love having a larger selection of books to show our students the lives of children in disparate parts of the world....[it] can help them build a larger world view.—Kiss the Book Jr.
Nia is a wonderful character forced to grow up faster than she should with a father who is unable - or unwilling - to pull himself together for the sake of his family. There are lot of Indonesian stories woven into the book, courtesy of Nia herself, and we get to learn a fair bit about this place she calls home....Nia shows readers what happens when you are brave enough to follow your dreams.—Booktime
Kadarusman grew up in Melbourne, Australia, and also lived many years
throughout her father's homeland of Indonesia before moving to Canada in 2000.
Her books have earned numerous nominations, including the Governor General's
Literary Awards, the Ontario Library Association Silver Birch Awards, and the
Green Earth Book Award. Her novels include The Theory of Hummingbirds, Girl
of the Southern Sea, and Music for Tigers. Her first picture book, Room
for More, published in 2022. Michelle now lives in Toronto, Canada
and Byron Bay, Australia.
JUV039070 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Homelessness & Poverty
JUV014000 - Juvenile Fiction | Girls & Women
JUV030020 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | Asia
JUV012060 - Juvenile Fiction | Legends, Myths, Fables | Asian
Poor families
Jakarta
Jakarta (Indonesia)
