Book Review of Moraline
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The Children’s Book Review
Moraline
Written by Cintia Alfonso Fior
Illustrated by Caterina Baldi
Ages 8-12 | 228 Pages
Publisher: Rising Advocates Press | ISBN-13: 9781959963004
What to Expect: Rights, advocacy, environmental justice, Lakota mythology, race, belonging.
Moraline is a story about children’s voices and agency, and it speaks loudly about children’s rights and their power and responsibilities. Issues ranging from child labor and political violence to grief and environmental sustainability are explored with honesty and sensitivity through the adventures of Moraline and her friends.
Moraline knows the other kids think she is weird—the new kid with no friends who fidgets and can’t seem to focus. When the three biggest bullies play a cruel trick on her on the school camping trip, she decides she’s had enough. Running always makes her feel better, so she runs—away from the campsite and out into the forest.
Unbeknownst to them, however, the bullies have done her a favor because, in the forest, Moraline runs straight into the waiting arms of a Lakota holy man. He tells her that she is the girl who runs against the wind, destined to put the winds back into balance by combatting injustice wherever she finds it. Moraline doesn’t feel much like a hero, but who is she to argue with magic and destiny? With the confidence she gains from this encounter and a few good friends she picks up along the way, Moraline sets about changing the world, one small step at a time.
Moraline herself is a likable character whose struggles with ADHD and insecurities are sure to be familiar to many readers. Through her eyes, the reader will enjoy a moving and exciting magical realist story and learn fundamental strategies for allyship and advocacy. Black and white illustrations throughout the novel add a touch of magic, while plentiful resources at the back of the book offer further learning on the social justice issues explored in the story and how readers can become “little advocates” themselves.
Moraline is a thought-provoking story that will inspire a new generation of movers and shakers.
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About the Author
Children’s fiction author Cintia Alfonso Fior first realized she wanted to be a writer after working with diverse underserved populations in South America, North America, and Africa. The perception of injustices and the great need to advocate for underserved populations, particularly children, inspired her to write her magical realism novel for young readers, Moraline.
Fior is an educator, clinical psychologist, and the founder of Rising Advocates, an advocacy and educational platform dedicated to promoting children’s rights and environmental justice through storytelling. Fior has a MA in Peace and Justice Studies from the Kroc Institute of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego and serves as the current chair of the American Family Therapy Academy’s (AFTA) Family Policy and Human Rights committee. Originally from Argentina, she lives with her family in San Diego, California. Moraline is her debut novel.
For more information, visit https://risingadvocates.com.
Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. This is a sponsored*, non-biased review of Moraline, by Cintia Alfonso Fior. Learn more about getting a book review …
