The Wind Rises

Reach for this book when your child is beginning to ask complex questions about history, human rights, and the strength it takes to survive injustice. This meticulously crafted historical epic follows the converging paths of Alma, a girl searching for her stolen brother, and Joseph, a stowaway fleeing a dark past, both caught in the machinery of a 1786 slave ship. It is an unflinching but deeply poetic exploration of the transatlantic slave trade that focuses on the agency and humanity of the enslaved. While the subject matter is heavy, Timothee de Fombelle uses a lyrical, almost fable like prose that emphasizes hope and the unbreakable bonds of family. It is best suited for mature middle schoolers and young teens who are ready to engage with the realities of the past through a lens of profound empathy.