Murray Out of Water

by Taylor Tracy

Perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead, Natalie Lloyd, and Jasmine Warga, this beautiful novel in verse explores one girl's struggle to regain her magic after a hurricane forces her to move away from her beloved ocean that, she believes, has given her special powers. Bighearted and observant twelve-year-old Murray O’Shea loves the ocean. Every chance she gets, she’s in it. It could be because the ocean never makes her apologize for being exactly who she is—something her family refuses to do—but it could also be because of the secret magic that Murray shares with the ocean. Though she can’t explain its presence, the electric buzz she feels from her fingertips down to her toes allows her to become one with the ocean and all its creatures, and it makes Murray feel seen in a way she never feels on land. But then a hurricane hits Murray’s Jersey Shore home, sending the O'Sheas far inland to live with relatives. Being this far from the ocean, Murray seems to lose her magic. And stuck in a house with her family, she can no longer avoid the truths she’s discovering about herself—like how she feels in the clothes her mom makes her wear, or why she doesn't have boys on the brain like other girls her age. But it’s not all hurricanes and heartache. Thankfully, Murray befriends a boy named Dylan, who has a magic of his own. When Murray agrees to partner with him for a youth roller-rama competition in exchange for help getting her magic back, the two forge an unstoppable bond—one that shows Murray how it's not always the family you were given that makes you feel whole...sometimes it's the family you build along the way.

Genres: Middle Grade, LGBT, Poetry, Fantasy, Queer, Magical Realism, Fiction

400 pages, Hardcover

First published May 21, 2024

About the author

Taylor Tracy is the author of the Stonewall Award Honor Book Murray Out of Water. Taylor writes books filled with humor and heart that explore the joys and hopes of queer kids, focusing on mental health, found family, and the importance of a sense of community. She lives in New Jersey with her family, including a fluffle of mischievous rescue bunnies, and loves everything her home state has to offer: the best bagels, pizza, and beaches. When not writing, she can be found down the shore, in the rock gym or next to her growing pile of books to read and love.

Reviews

[Anna]

"Can my gender be ocean?" What a relatable quote 😂

I LOVED this. It was absolutely precious and everything I love about queer middle grade. It's complex but digestible and nothing turns out perfect.

Murray is just a kid with overbearing parents who want them to be something they're not. Murray has magic and it's tied to the ocean, but when a hurricane tears them away from their home, they start to truly learn where their magic comes from and who they are away from it.

I'm using they/them for Murray even though it's not really specified in the book partly because it's 1st person and partly because it isn't 100% decided at the end of the book.

This is one of those stories and one of those main characters that I would happily read a whole series about them. Contemporary books don't often become series they often just have companion novels but I genuinely would read a book about Murray in high school, about Murray in college and about Murray as an adult. I cannot get enough and I would love to see how they grow into themselves and learn more and deal with all the things they've got going on.

That being said, this book is complete. Not everything gets tied up with a bow but that's life and we don't always know exactly what happens. The important thing is that Murray is becoming more confident and exploring what possibilities life holds for them. I also really appreciate the space to be questioning. The q and LGBTQ+ does stand for queer but it also stands for questioning and holding space for those folks as they figure out what's going on or what label was best for them etc, is so important. So many of us queer people don't automatically know what label fits us best and trying one on for size or two or three or figuring out none of them work is part of the journey and I kind of love that Murray doesn't settle on any labels in this book. They're just existing and it is stunning. It is truly a beautiful book and one I can't wait for other people to read. I want to recommend this one to everyone.

Questioning gender non conforming and questioning sapphic MC. loads of secondary queer characters.

[C]

"People can be lifeboats"

Second book in just a couple weeks where the experiences of a genderqueer person have drawn parallels to ocean life and I'm here for it, heh.
(and I'm even more into the music based magic because hard same, that would be me)

"Can my gender be Ocean?"

Murray's experiences are soo relatable. The figuring things out, the fluidity of your own identity and just not wanting to choose a label (just yet) but just be yourself.

"Friendship is a special kind of magic"

This book made me tear up BAD. I've always been a sucker for found family, but it hits especially hard in this one. When being put into the closet by the person who should champion you the most, a parent (seriously, is there anything more heartbreaking!?), it's all the more precious when finding other people who've got your back. Both the shitty parent + the support Murray finds elsewhere made me have BIG feels.

All around great, super emotional, relatable story and a new favorite.

[Anniek]

Queer middlegrade verse novels, you will always hit. This was so beautiful and I tabbed the hell out of it.

[Mari Johnston]

4/20/25 (first read) - This book healed a part of me that desperately needed it.

4/22/25 (second read) - The audiobook narrator is perfect and the book was just as good the second time around!

[Shannon]

A heart-wrenching middle grade novel in verse about a genderqueer tween who loves the ocean and is forced to move when a hurricane destroys their home. Taken in by relatives that live further inland, Murray misses the water and the magic they feel when they are close to it.

This book deals with homophobia, parental abandonment, climate change, displacement and more and may be heavy for some readers. Sadly many queer youth have to live in households with toxic caregivers who want to change them or don't accept them for who they are.

Luckily Murray's cousin and extended family are much more supportive, especially when the they both want to participate in a roller drag show. I loved the friendship, found family and queer rep in this book and thought it was great on audio narrated by Sarah Beth Pfeifer.

Recommended for fans of authors like Ronnie Riley, Robin Gow, Lisa Fipps or Kyle Lukoff. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

[Cody Roecker]

I read an early edition of this book - it's a beautiful middle grade verse novel about a girl finding a new family after the home she knew gets destroyed. It's about finding yourself, the small kind of magic that found family holds.

A magnificent story of friendship, drag, and dealing with disasters you don't have the words for.

I love love love it

[Olivia]

As an early reader (the author is my partner), this has so much heart and is so important and is also just a lovely book! I can’t wait to get it into the hands of kids.

[Jessica]

An absolutely brilliant, touching, emotional novel in verse that shook me and made me smile in all the right ways. Hats off to Taylor Tracy for this one!

[Carrie]

Very sweet and heartfelt

[K.]

Content warnings: natural disaster, homophobia, controlling parenting, religious bigotry, transphobia, emotional abuse, bullying, dysphoria

4.5 stars

Oh, I LOVED this. It's beautiful storytelling with a delightful protagonist. I loved the way Murray developed friendships and blossomed into their own person while living with their aunt, uncle and cousin. I loved the way the sibling dynamic changed and grew over the course of the series. And while the religious bigotry and homophobia from the mother were a LOT for a middle grade book, it was well done and a necessary part of the story.

I *do* wish there had been more of a growth arc for the mother overall, but at the end of the day, this is Murray's story and not hers so I guess it makes sense that we don't see it.

[A.]

What a lovely, affecting novel in verse about a young person figuring out who she is amid the upheaval of a hurricane decimating her hometown. I can't wait for more people to get to know Murray and her story next year.

[Andrea Beatriz Arango]

I blurbed this one and loved it! MURRAY is about a kiddo who has ocean magic & is displaced after a hurricane hits Jersey. It explores all things queer and lonely, and had so much ocean in it that it made me cry and miss Puerto Rico down to my bones.

[HaileyAnne]

*NOTE* Though this book follows Murray's exploration of gender identity, the pronouns used throughout are she/her, so that is what I use in my review.

Murray feels at home by the ocean. In fact, she discovered that she even has magic powers related to the ocean. But after a hurricane strikes, Murray and her family have to move further inland to stay with her aunt and uncle. Without the ocean, Murray has no escape from her mother's insistence on Murray being more "ladylike." Soon, Murray's magic seems to have disappeared. As Murray settles into this new normal, she befriends Dylan, who has magic of his own. As he helps Murray try to rediscover her magic, she also finds the courage to start exploring her own identity- she's not quite a girl, but not quite a boy either. Will Murray be able to regain her magic and the strength to stand up to her family and express her true self?

Y'ALL. 5 stars is not enough for this book. Murray's journey felt so authentic. I cried because I felt so seen by this book. and I tabbed so many pages, including:

"I don't know if I want to wear
girls' or boys' clothes.
I think I just want
Murray clothes."

"Why does being a girl have to look one way
and a boy another?
Who made those rules in the first place,
and why do we still have to listen to them?
Can I make my own rules?
And if I do, what does that mean for me?"

"Most of the time I feel like Murray,
but I don't think I have a word for that yet."

This is a beautifully written novel in verse. It reads quickly and feels very real, with some magical realism thrown in. Murray's struggles with her family are also very real, with her mother being adamant that Murray wears dresses and acts like a proper lady. The elements of found family and the importance of queer kids finding trusted adults are done perfectly.

This is a book that I will be talking about for a long, long time.

[Nicole M. Hewitt]

This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction

This gorgeous middle grade novel in verse explores the beauty and confusion of figuring out who you are and who you want to be. The book is a contemporary with a splash of whimsical fantasy that will draw middle grade readers in! When a massive hurricane sends Murray away from the ocean she is convinced she’s magically connected to, her whole life changes. She’s sent to live with her aunt, uncle and cousin, away from everything she loves. At first, she very much feels like a fish out of water–she feels her magic waning, and she fears she won’t ever get it back. But it soon becomes apparent that not everything about this change is bad. Murray finds an acceptance with her aunt’s family that she never felt at home, and she’s finally able to reconnect with her older brother who’s been estranged from the family for years. The book is about Murray finding her magic once again, and finding herself in the process. She learns that she can explore her gender identity without shame, and that she will always have her found family behind her. The book is both realistic and hopeful–with a bit of fantastical flair that makes it shine!

***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via Edelweiss (but then bought myself a copy and read the copy I bought. I always prefer physical copies of verse novels and I definitely wanted to own this one). No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

[Jessica Vitalis]

Loved this story! The book opens with Murray reveling in the magic connection she has with the ocean, giving her the ability to control it. But when a hurricane destroys her house, Murray's family is forced to move in with her estranged uncle and she loses her magic. The story really takes off when they arrive and we get to see Murray struggling under the expectations of her ultra-religious and close-minded parents––parents that drove away her older brother for reasons that don't become totally clear until later in the story. Luckily, her uncle, aunt, an older cousin, and a new (possibly magical!) friend provide Murray with the space she needs to explore her identity. Murray's journey, and the relationships in this story, are both believable and relatable, and readers will root for Murray to find a way to embrace and express herself––with or without her family's approval. The verse was lovely, the themes were well-developed, and I especially appreciated how the author incorporated a bit of magic into the story.

[Abby Pickus]

I read an early version of this book, and it’s so sweet and heartfelt. ❤️

[Claire]

Murray Out of Water is a beautiful story about finding yourself in the face of difficulty. There are several layers to this story related to identity: from losing the place you call home to becoming more comfortable with how you choose to express yourself. These layers, told through lyrical verse, come together in this powerful story. There were several moments while reading when my heart broke for Murray, but it was heartwarming to see all the support Murray has in their life—and how this allows Murray to be who Murray truly is.

[erica]

“can my gender be ocean”, is the best quote in this amazing book! murray with their overly zealous mother, complacent father, and two loving if hesitant older siblings, plus an amazing supportive aunt/uncle/cousin makes me want to alternately cheer and hug them!!
i loved that it didn’t have a solution at the end, because there isn’t one for children in that sort of loving but not quite supportive home!
but friends and outside family are the solution!!

[suvi]

queer middle-grade written in verse, I love you. and just look at that cover, stunning!

this is a story about finding yourself and your magic, finding your people and realising that sometimes people can be lifeboats. I adored this and all my love and respect to the ocean, you are beautiful but you also scare the hell out of me which is my -1 star - which, yes, I know, me issue, not the book.

would highly recommend!

[Shana Targosz]

This book!!! I've just finished reading Murray Out of Water and am filled with so many emotions! This is a stunning MG debut, full of heart and heartache, an incredible journey of self-discovery and figuring out identity, and ocean and music magic. I will be thinking about this book for a long, long time.

[KATHRYNE STEVENS]

This novel was emotional, thoughtful, and very accessible for a middle grade audience. Honestly my biggest compliant is the hopeful ending doesn't seem that realistic, but that is also what makes the book great for a 6th grader.

[Kate Schwarz]

Love this story because it takes place where I grew up :’) hurricanes on the shore have changed a lot of friends lives and this story does a great job bringing you through that experience of upheaval, and queerness is magic!!

[Andrea Leffler]

Delightful little LGBTQ book about how loss can sometimes help us find ourselves, and the importance of found family. I love that this book does not force neat and tidy labels and allows the characters to just be who they are.

[Abbey]

4.5 ⭐️

[Jami Ellis]

I wasn’t too interested at first because of the whole “ocean magic” idea, but I ended up really liking this novel in verse. Murray and Dylan are great characters that will inspire young people who are going through the same kind of struggles. I appreciated the honesty of Blake’s character and the acceptance shown by their parents.

[Liv]

A fast-paced, adorable Middle Grade in verse about family, friendship, identity, and the power of the ocean.

Also, the PERFECT read for a pride month beach read.

[Alyssa Lentz]

This was so lovely! I loved the touch of magical elements and watching Murray find a safe space where they could be themselves. Would recommend to middle-grade readers who enjoy realistic fiction focusing on families and friendship, and those who are interested in poetry.

[Makayla]

Gender non-conforming kids, this one was for you.

[Karen]

What an amazing novel in verse! The book discusses difficult subject matter in a very kid-friendly way, and offers great moments of humor. Children who feel misunderstood by their parents and/or have parents who want to mold them into what they "should" be instead of who they are will especially appreciate Murray's journey. Great use of symbolism and magical realism, and while the book is very readable and user-friendly, it has some pretty delicious and literary word choices as well. Recommended for any and all library shelves!

[Ellie]

A haunting glimpse into a very anti-LGBTQIAP+ household. Murray is a teenager who just so happens to have her world rocked by major events multiple times. Her brother, Patrick, coming out as gay and being kicked out of the house. Her home being wrecked by a storm and her only friend, the ocean, being torn away from her when she stays with her accepting relatives in the countryside. There, she meets true friends who help her realize that it’s okay to be confused about your own identity sometimes.