Everlasting Nora: A Novel

ccording to 12-year-old Nora, “A home does not have dead people inside it.”

Nora lives in the North Cemetery, Manila’s largest, with her mother, Lorna, after having lost her home and father to a disastrous fire. Now impoverished, Nora sells dried flower garlands by the cemetery gates and helps her mother wash laundry for others to get by. More than anything, Nora wishes to return to her old life and go back to school. Past hardships with family have made Nora reluctant to depend on others for help. But when her mother goes missing and she must confront a street tough named Tiger who may have the answers she needs, Nora learns to accept help from those in her community, including her spirited friend Jojo and his kind grandmother, show more Lola Mercy. Nora is an impressive young heroine whose extraordinary self-awareness helps her to bravely take on adult responsibilities to support herself and Lorna. Even when frustrated with her mother’s poor choices and conflicted about whom she can trust, she remains resilient. Nora’s story is a tribute to Filipino children, and readers of all backgrounds will find themselves immersed in the culture, learning bits of Tagalog and longing to savor the delicacies described throughout such as biko, champorado, and banana-que.

Cruz’s touching debut breathes life, beauty and everlasting hope into a place where danger lurks and the dead rest. (glossary, author’s note, activity guide) (Fiction. 8-13)

-Kirkus Review show less

I didn’t expect this book to hit me the way it did. Everlasting Nora isn’t loud or dramatic. It is quiet, gentle, and deeply moving. The kind of story that stays with you long after you’ve read the last page.

It follows 12-year-old Nora, who ends up living in a cemetery in Manila after a fire takes her father and turns her life upside down. That alone is heartbreaking but somehow, the story isn’t heavy. It's tender. There's sadness, yes, but there's also so much warmth, hope, and unexpected kindness.

What really stood out to me was how real everything felt. The author doesn’t just tell a story...she brings Filipino life to the page. The food, the language, the neighborhood dynamics. There’s a glossary at the back for the show more Tagalog words!

But more than anything, it’s the way the book honors people who live with so little yet give so much—their strength, their generosity, their sense of community. It reminded me that even in the toughest situations, people still show up for each other.

If you’re in the mood for something heartfelt and quietly powerful, something that broadens your perspective without feeling preachy, I genuinely recommend this one. show less

Everlasting Nora is a story with heart set in the most unusual of places. I’m so happy to have discovered a Filipino main character, despite the sad circumstances that led us to her story. Nora is strong, resilient, and determined to find her mother and do her part to help them move out of the graveyard that has been their home since her father’s tragic death. While at times too proud and independent, she learns to rely on her friends and her little grave community to accomplish her mission.

This beautiful story shows the sad living conditions for so many in Manila, those children and families with no where else to go but the cemetery. However, the author has told Nora’s story in a way that highlights themes of family, friends, show more and hope; the story feels inspiring rather than depressing. Tagalog words are woven authentically throughout, with context clues for readers, although there is also a glossary at the end. There is also a discussion guide which is useful for teachers, parents, and reading groups. This book will help to improve the diversity of any school library or classroom. I’d recommend it for any middle grade reader and also as a read-aloud for younger readers who are mature enough for the topic but too young to read the book independently (my 6 year old loved listening aloud and frequently discusses the book with his Lola and Tatay, even though we finished it weeks ago). I’m grateful that the author has told Nora’s story; it’s inspired our family to find out how we can help people living in poverty in Manila. It’s a powerful book to build empathy and if you’re considering reading it, I would encourage you to get your copy ASAP. show less

This story of family and cultural bonds by Marie Miranda Cruz is a wonderful addition to the array of books showcasing cultural diversity. It is important that, first, children learn about the lives of other children that may live differently than themselves and, second, that Filipino-American children see children like themselves in their books.

Twelve-year-old Nora and her mother live in Manila’s North Cemetery. Their home was destroyed in a fire, the same fire that took the life of Nora’s father. Destitute, they now live in his mausoleum. The North Cemetery is home to the Philippine’s largest shanty town. Unable to afford the uniforms and supplies, Nora can no longer attend school. She now makes garlands of flowers that she show more sells to people visiting loved ones’ graves, and she and her mother are laundrywomen. Day after day, they struggle for survival. The next meal is never assured. I loved the depiction of the supportive friendships in the community that helped them get through each day. This was so important when Nora’s mother suddenly disappears. Nora learns she is not alone when her friend Jojo and his grandmother come to her aid.

Nora’s love and determination never waver as she searches for her mother. I felt Nora’s stubbornness, her discomfort, her confusion, her pain, and her fear. The search for her mother led her into some dangerous territory. Through Ms. Cruz’ writing, these characters felt very real to me.
I loved that there was a glossary of Tagalog words and phrases in the back of the book. I found the descriptions of everyday life, their foods, and various cultural aspects of their lives very interesting. But above all, I ached for the children that live the lives described in this book.

Since this book is targeted for ages 8-12, I suggest that some of the scenes dealing with homelessness, hunger, and dangerous characters may be too “dark” for the younger eight- and nine-year-olds. But I highly recommend it for the older children – and adults.

I received an advance reading copy from the publisher. show less

Everlasting Nora was what I like to call a ‘heavy book” So many feelings while reading this one. Nora herself is an active 12-year-old girl living with her Mom in a cemetery in Manila after her father dies. Although they have extended family, living with them is not an option through most of the story. Her Mom has issues, and they both have a fair amount of PTSD after the death of her Dad and the fact that they live with his bones in a mausoleum. When her Mom disappears, Nora has to step up yet again into a more adult role to find her and save them both.

This book tells a terrible story in such a matter of fact way. This much-needed look into poverty and the struggles to climb out of that hole up to a middle class is something every show more child and adult should read. show less

diverse children's middlegrade (homeless child living in Philippines cemetery with mom who has gambling problem)
nice story that builds empathy (for people of different backgrounds, and for people who are homeless) with flavorfully detailed Philippine setting.
The ending is a tiny bit abrupt, with all the pieces improbably falling into place to make a positive outcome, but it's a satisfying adventure/human drama with thoughtful characters who do their best to help each other out.

Parental notes: contains knife violence, fighting/bruising, festering wounds, scary situations.

Narrated by Amielynn Abellera. After Nora's father dies in a fire, she and her mother end up living in the gravehouse where her father is buried at the North Manila Cemetery. Nora does all she can to help her mother earn money for their basics, from selling everlasting daisy necklaces to washing other people's laundry. But her mother's gambling leads to significant debts, including to Tiger, a known thug in the cemetery community. When her mother becomes ill with an infection, Nora must pull together all her resources to help her get better. Surely this production is a first, a children's audiobook set in the Philippines and read by a Filipina actress in a Filipino accent. Abellera's exuberant,charge-ahead performance portrays a plucky show more and resourceful Nora, plus an assorted cast of lively cemetery neighbors, gossips and street thugs, bringing this unique Filipino community to life. An interview with the author closes the production. show less