-- This title will ship on or after April 22, 2025 --

Just add garlic, lemon, and a dash of the one percent.

This smart, biting novel explores what happens when a Haitian American girl uses her previously hidden zombie abilities to exact revenge on the wealthy elites who’ve caused her family pain.

Brielle Petitfour loves to cook. But with a chronically sick mother and bills to pay, becoming a chef isn’t exactly a realistic career path.

When Brielle’s mom suddenly loses her job, Brielle steps in and uses her culinary skills to earn some extra money. The rich families who love her cooking praise her use of unique flavors and textures, which keep everyone guessing what’s in Brielle’s dishes. The secret ingredient? Human flesh.

Written by the storytelling duo Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite, The Summer I Ate the Rich is a modern-day fable inspired by Haitian zombie lore that scrutinizes the socioeconomic and racial inequity that is the foundation of our society. Just like Brielle’s clients, it will have you asking: What’s for dinner?

BIO

Maika Moulite is a Miami native and the daughter of Haitian immigrants. Her acclaimed young adult novels frequently explore themes of identity, family, and vengeance. Her work has been featured on the TODAY Show and Essence Magazine. Maika is also a doctoral student at Howard University, exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence, culture, and media. She’s the eldest of four sisters and, when she's not writing, loves listening to audiobooks, dancing and singing at the top of her lungs, and journaling (which actually means... more writing).

Maritza Moulite graduated from the University of Florida, USA, with a degree in women's studies and the University of Southern California with a master's in journalism. Her work often examines the lives of marginalized people and revenge. Maritza's favourite job roless have been literacy tutor and preschool teaching assistant. She is now a PhD student at the University of Pennsylvania exploring ways to improve literacy through children's media.

REVIEWS

"Brielle’s fluidly rendered narration and the novel’s ambitious premise result in a captivating look at one immigrant family’s experience via a fantasy lens." -- Publishers Weekly

"Infused with Haitian folklore, The Summer I Ate the Rich is a visceral exploration of class and race that will leave you craving justice." -- Booklist

“The Moulite Sisters have created a character like no other in Brielle, an ambitious, compassionate, flesh-hungry aspiring chef who happens to be a teen zonbi. Brimming with biting commentary about survival while subverting stereotypes, this story challenges notions of who gets to consume and who gets consumed. The Summer I Ate the Rich is a delectable meal of a story, served up with a side of culture, romance, and revenge.” -- Ibi Zoboi, New York Times Best Selling Author

[H]  Farrar, Straus & Giroux (Byr)  /  April 22, 2025

1.29" H x 8.41" L x 5.85" W (1.0 lbs) 400 pages

For ages 14 to 18