Hope Blooms in This Lyrical Novel About the Power of Community

No one wants to feel powerless—especially not Lily, a Filipina and Puerto Rican 11-year-old living in Central Florida.

When Lily witnesses something extraordinary at the start of summer break, what she does next surprises even herself! Will she keep her secret buried or trust her loving community with the storm brewing in her heart?

Through poetry that spans cultures and continents, Lily learns that grief isn't a weakness to hide but a sacred mystery ready to bloom when nurtured by a safe, loving community (bayanihan) that holds us up when the storms of life try to push us down.

What middle-grade readers will find in If Hurricanes Were Flowers:

• Fantasy and suspense woven together with a thread of faith that shows readers how God redeems brokenness and brings hope to those who need it most
• A celebration of diversity, identity, and belonging told through Asian American and Afro Latino characters and experiences
• An interactive experience with "Lily's Guide to Poetry," an appendix that turns readers into writers
• Novel-in-verse format that makes reading more accessible through shorter, engaging text
• Fifteen beautiful illustrations that bring Lily's world to life

Children's author and spoken-word artist Quina Aragon's debut novel in verse is a thrilling and bold story that offers readers ages 8 and up action, hope, and the reminder that no one has to figure out life's hardest parts alone. With If Hurricanes Were Flowers, readers will see that even the fiercest storms can nurture the deepest roots.