Salt the Water
A Michael L. Printz Award Honor Book
Cerulean Gene is free everywhere except school, where they’re known for repeatedly challenging authority. Raised in a free-spirited home by two loving parents who encourage Cerulean to be their full self, they’ve got big dreams of moving cross-country to live off the grid with their friends after graduation. But a fight with a teacher spirals out of control, and Cerulean impulsively drops out to avoid the punishment they fear is coming. Why wait for graduation to leave an oppressive capitalist system and live their dreams?
Cerulean is truly brilliant, but their sheltered upbringing hasn’t prepared them for the consequences of their choice — especially not when it’s compounded by a family emergency that puts a parent out of work. Suddenly the money they’d been stacking with their friends is a resource that the family needs to stay afloat.
Salt the Water is a book about dreaming in a world that has other plans for your time, your youth, and your future. It asks, what does it look like when a bunch of queer Black kids are allowed to dream? And what does it look like for them to confront the present circumstances of the people they love while still pursuing a wildly different future of their own?
Book At A Glance
# of Pages: 288
Book Binding: Hardcover
Year of Publication: 2023
Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
Language: en
ISBN: 9780593529317
Creator Bio
Candice Iloh is a poet, educator, and author based in the United States. She is a first-generation Nigerian-American and draws inspiration from her cultural heritage in her writing. Iloh's work often explores themes of identity, family, and womanhood. She has received numerous awards and accolades for her poetry, including the 2016 Academy of American Poets Prize. In addition to her writing, Iloh is also a passionate advocate for social justice and uses her platform to raise awareness about important issues. Salt the Water is her debut novel, blending poetry and prose to tell a powerful coming-of-age story.
