An Immigrant Story

Author's immigrant story inspires her first novel for kids Click to see original article

 "This story was always in the back of my mind," said the author Lola StVil about her new book, "The Year I Flew Away." StVil has written other books, but this is her first for middle-grade readers.

The book draws from her own experiences as a young immigrant in the United States. StVil (pronounced "Saint Vil") wrote the book under the pen name Marie Arnold.

StVil was 7 years old when she came by herself to New York City from Haiti. Haiti is a small country on a tropical island in the Caribbean Sea.

Her book's main character is 10-year-old Gabrielle Jean. Like StVil, she also arrives alone, in the same city and season.

As StVil did as a child, Gabrielle leaves her family behind in Haiti. In New York, she will live with her uncle, aunt and cousins. Her parents want her to enjoy the opportunities in America and hope to join her when they can.

For Gabrielle, one big challenge is getting used to the bitter winter cold. In her village in Haiti, she could dance in her bathing suit in the warm rain.

Gabrielle And Rocky Both Want To Be Accepted

She is also lonely and homesick. The kids in school make fun of her strong accent and tease her for not being "American enough." She desperately wants to fit in.

Then she makes her first friend, who is a talking rat named Rocky.

Rocky has a big personality. "Every main character deserves an awesome sidekick," StVil said. 

Plus, Rocky dreams of being accepted, too. He wants to transform from street rat to lovable bunny rabbit.

A charming witch named Lady Lydia offers to help Gabrielle, and her price seems small. Gabrielle must give up something she won't even miss.

Gabrielle agrees. However, she soon starts to realize how cleverly she's been trapped.

Dyslexia Didn't Stop Her from Writing

Like Gabrielle, StVil tried to change things about herself to fit in with her classmates after she first moved to New York. She changed what she ate, for example.

"I wanted Lunchables like kids on TV," said StVil. She didn't want to eat her aunt's home-cooked Haitian dishes.

StVil didn't have friends for a long time, she said. So, she found them in books by authors Louis Sachar and Beverly Cleary.

StVil said she was "always making up stories" in her head but didn't think she could be a writer. As someone with dyslexia, she had trouble with spelling and some parts of reading. Dyslexia is a type of learning disability. People who have dyslexia can have trouble with some language skills, like reading or writing.

That's why StVil likes to offer young people the advice she's glad she followed when she began to write: "Just keep writing. Do not criticize yourself. Write whatever you want."

Her Characters Steer the Story

Today, that is still her process when writing a first draft.

"I try to let the characters steer the story," she said. "I write to find out what happens."

Writing "The Year I Flew Away" was also a journey into her memories. This past year she's had two visitors from Haiti who have helped her experience the United States anew: her husband's cousins, boys ages 13 and 14.

"It's been fun to see stuff through their eyes," she said.

StVil is waiting for new characters to appear in her mind, and when they do, it will jump-start her next book. At the same time, Rocky that rat keeps telling her he wants his own book!

She also continues to think about the lives of today's young immigrants. It can be hard "trying to find your space and your way" in a new place, she said, but you do not have to forget your birth country. "You can have both."