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    Everlasting Nora: A Novel
    Everlasting Nora: A Novel
    Everlasting Nora: A Novel
    Ebook256 pages4 hours

    Everlasting Nora: A Novel

    By Marie Miranda Cruz

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    An uplifting young reader debut about perseverance against all odds, Marie Miranda Cruz's debut Everlasting Nora follows the story of a young girl living in the real-life shantytown inside the Philippines’ Manila North Cemetery.

    After a family tragedy results in the loss of both father and home, 12-year-old Nora lives with her mother in Manila’s North Cemetery, which is the largest shantytown of its kind in the Philippines today.

    When her mother disappears mysteriously one day, Nora is left alone.

    With help from her best friend Jojo and the support of his kindhearted grandmother, Nora embarks on a journey riddled with danger in order to find her mom. Along the way she also rediscovers the compassion of the human spirit, the resilience of her community, and everlasting hope in the most unexpected places.

    “Heartwarming!”—#1 New York Times Bestselling Author Melissa de la Cruz

    “A story of friendship and unrelenting hope.”—Newbery Medalist Erin Entrada Kelly

    At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Publishers
    Release dateOct 2, 2018
    ISBN9780765394613
    Author

    Marie Miranda Cruz

    MARIE MIRANDA CRUZ was born in the historic town of Cavite City, Philippines, a city established in the late 17th century of the Spanish Colonial period, and spent a large portion of her childhood and teenage years living around the country. Marie moved to the United States permanently after getting her degree in Biology and currently works as a medical technician. She always held a deep love for children's books and writing; Everlasting Nora is her first novel.

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    Reviews for Everlasting Nora

    4/5

    36 ratings11 reviews

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    • 5/5
      This book wrecked me, and mended me in possibly all the best and worst ways. Definitely one I’d love to integrate in my classroom instruction!
    • 4/5
      After losing her father and her home Nora and her Mother must now live in the cemetery where her father is buried
    • 4/5
      Everlasting Nora was what I like to call a ‘heavy book” So many feelings while reading this one. Nora herself is an active 12-year-old girl living with her Mom in a cemetery in Manila after her father dies. Although they have extended family, living with them is not an option through most of the story. Her Mom has issues, and they both have a fair amount of PTSD after the death of her Dad and the fact that they live with his bones in a mausoleum. When her Mom disappears, Nora has to step up yet again into a more adult role to find her and save them both.

      This book tells a terrible story in such a matter of fact way. This much-needed look into poverty and the struggles to climb out of that hole up to a middle class is something every child and adult should read.
    • 5/5
      EVERLASTING NORA by Marie Miranda CruzNora, 12, lives in her father’s grave house in a Philippine cemetery. Written for middle graders, this novel will be eye opening to adults as well. Nora and her mother have descended into crushing poverty and survive because Nora makes and sells flower garlands to visitors to other graves. Her friend JoJo, 13, and his grandmother assist as well as they can when Nora’s mother becomes quite ill. Nora is well defined as a normal child who wants normal things. American preteens will easily identify with her and also with JoJo, a child who has never attended school and is his grandmother’s support. The “bad guys” (who are truly bad) are somewhat glossed over. Friendship, initiative, caring, hope, forgiveness, determination are all traits exhibited by those Nora learns to trust. A heartwarming story that is ideal for a parent/child book club.5 of 5 stars
    • 5/5
      Everlasting Nora is story of a young girl's perseverance in Manila, Philippines in the face of tragedy, hardship and poverty. After the death of her father, Nora and her mother live in the family mausoleum, where they find friends among the other homeless cemetery families trying to eke out a living there. Nora's mother goes missing and Nora has to struggle to continue on with the help of her friends and to solve the mystery of her mother's disappearance. Some difficult scenes of children in peril, but Nora's hopefulness is endearing. Lots of Filipino phrases and food descriptions are used, but a handy glossary of Tagalog words is included.
    • 4/5
      A middle grade novel about an eleven year old girl. from the Philippine Islands. Her dad died in a fire and she and her mother are living in a cemetery in his mausoleum there. There are many other people living there also. The crux of the book is that her mom who has a gambling problem comes up missing and her quest to find her. They are very poor and she must struggle to survive. The villain is a guy named Tyger who terrorizes her. The reader can learn lots of the Tagalog language which is predominate there. I think her intended audience will like it.
    • 5/5
      A beautiful book for middle schoolers that taught me so much about a culture of which I know very little. The world can be a scary place, and bad things can happen to those we love. Yet friends can help us through those tough times and even in finding solutions. It reminds me, yet again, why one of my favorite quotes is from Aesop: No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. Thanks to Nora, and Marie Miranda Cruz, I now know more about the cemetery culture/community in the Philippines.I received my copy from Tor Books. Sorry it took me so long to write my thoughts. Nora is a great character for the target audience. There's a great balance of threat and positive resolution, while also tackling some issues that exist in many cultures.
    • 4/5
      This is an excellent coming of age tale where the young heroine faces trial after trial; however, she retains her hope and drive. She has grit and her friends who give generously despite not having much themselves. Even though Nora and her mother live in a tomb in a cemetery, she struggles to better herself and longs to return to school. What a great message for young people who have so many advantages. Thanks to #NetGalley for the copy of the book. #EverlastingNora
    • 4/5
      This story of family and cultural bonds by Marie Miranda Cruz is a wonderful addition to the array of books showcasing cultural diversity. It is important that, first, children learn about the lives of other children that may live differently than themselves and, second, that Filipino-American children see children like themselves in their books. Twelve-year-old Nora and her mother live in Manila’s North Cemetery. Their home was destroyed in a fire, the same fire that took the life of Nora’s father. Destitute, they now live in his mausoleum. The North Cemetery is home to the Philippine’s largest shanty town. Unable to afford the uniforms and supplies, Nora can no longer attend school. She now makes garlands of flowers that she sells to people visiting loved ones’ graves, and she and her mother are laundrywomen. Day after day, they struggle for survival. The next meal is never assured. I loved the depiction of the supportive friendships in the community that helped them get through each day. This was so important when Nora’s mother suddenly disappears. Nora learns she is not alone when her friend Jojo and his grandmother come to her aid. Nora’s love and determination never waver as she searches for her mother. I felt Nora’s stubbornness, her discomfort, her confusion, her pain, and her fear. The search for her mother led her into some dangerous territory. Through Ms. Cruz’ writing, these characters felt very real to me. I loved that there was a glossary of Tagalog words and phrases in the back of the book. I found the descriptions of everyday life, their foods, and various cultural aspects of their lives very interesting. But above all, I ached for the children that live the lives described in this book.Since this book is targeted for ages 8-12, I suggest that some of the scenes dealing with homelessness, hunger, and dangerous characters may be too “dark” for the younger eight- and nine-year-olds. But I highly recommend it for the older children – and adults.I received an advance reading copy from the publisher.
    • 3/5
      diverse children's middlegrade (homeless child living in Philippines cemetery with mom who has gambling problem)
      nice story that builds empathy (for people of different backgrounds, and for people who are homeless) with flavorfully detailed Philippine setting.
      The ending is a tiny bit abrupt, with all the pieces improbably falling into place to make a positive outcome, but it's a satisfying adventure/human drama with thoughtful characters who do their best to help each other out.

      Parental notes: contains knife violence, fighting/bruising, festering wounds, scary situations.
    • 5/5
      Everlasting Nora is a story with heart set in the most unusual of places. I’m so happy to have discovered a Filipino main character, despite the sad circumstances that led us to her story. Nora is strong, resilient, and determined to find her mother and do her part to help them move out of the graveyard that has been their home since her father’s tragic death. While at times too proud and independent, she learns to rely on her friends and her little grave community to accomplish her mission. This beautiful story shows the sad living conditions for so many in Manila, those children and families with no where else to go but the cemetery. However, the author has told Nora’s story in a way that highlights themes of family, friends, and hope; the story feels inspiring rather than depressing. Tagalog words are woven authentically throughout, with context clues for readers, although there is also a glossary at the end. There is also a discussion guide which is useful for teachers, parents, and reading groups. This book will help to improve the diversity of any school library or classroom. I’d recommend it for any middle grade reader and also as a read-aloud for younger readers who are mature enough for the topic but too young to read the book independently (my 6 year old loved listening aloud and frequently discusses the book with his Lola and Tatay, even though we finished it weeks ago). I’m grateful that the author has told Nora’s story; it’s inspired our family to find out how we can help people living in poverty in Manila. It’s a powerful book to build empathy and if you’re considering reading it, I would encourage you to get your copy ASAP.

    Book preview

    Everlasting Nora - Marie Miranda Cruz

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