Murray Out of Water

Perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead, Natalie Lloyd, and Jasmine Warga, this beautiful novel in verse explores one girl's struggle to regain her magic after a hurricane forces her to move away from her beloved ocean that, she believes, has given her special powers.

Bighearted and observant twelve-year-old Murray O’Shea loves the ocean. Every chance she gets, she’s in it. It could be because the ocean never makes her apologize for being exactly who she is—something her family refuses to do—but it could also be because of the secret magic that Murray shares with the ocean. Though she can’t explain its presence, the electric buzz she feels from her fingertips down to her toes allows her to become one with the ocean and all its creatures, and it makes Murray feel seen in a way she never feels on land.

But then a hurricane hits Murray’s Jersey Shore home, sending the O'Sheas far inland to live with relatives. Being this far from the ocean, Murray seems to lose her magic. And stuck in a house with her family, she can no longer avoid the truths she’s discovering about herself—like how she feels in the clothes her mom makes her wear, or why she doesn't have boys on the brain like other girls her age.

But it’s not all hurricanes and heartache. Thankfully, Murray befriends a boy named Dylan, who has a magic of his own. When Murray agrees to partner with him for a youth roller-rama competition in exchange for help getting her magic back, the two forge an unstoppable bond—one that shows Murray how it's not always the family you were given that makes you feel whole...sometimes it's the family you build along the way.

One roller rink. Two new friends discovering their own kind of magic.

• Magical Realism for Kids: Murray's power over the ocean is gone. But when she meets Dylan, whose love of music seems to have a magic of its own, she realizes she might not be alone.
• An LGBTQ+ Coming of Age Story: Forced to live far from the sea, Murray starts to question everything—including why she hates the girly clothes her mom loves and why she's not interested in boys.
• A Chosen Family: With a supportive nonbinary cousin, a brother who understands, and a new best friend, Murray learns that the family you make can be the one that saves you.
• Roller Skating and New Friends: From wobbly first steps to a full-blown performance, the local roller-rama becomes the place where Murray and Dylan's unstoppable friendship is forged.
• A Lyrical Novel in Verse: This Stonewall Award Honor book tells a heartfelt story through beautiful, accessible poetry, perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead and Jasmine Warga.