Patricia Selbert grew up on the Caribbean island of Curaçao. Educated in three countries and four languages, she immigrated to California at age 13, inspiring her first novel, The House of Six Doors. She represented the Netherlands Antilles in equestrian events at the World Championships and Pan American Games. She currently lives in Santa Barbara, California, with her husband, two sons and three dogs, and blogs about lifestyle, parenting, travels and the delicious recipes she discovers at Journal by the Seas.

Mama takes thirteen-year-old Serena and her sister to the US in search of fortune, leaving behind their multicultural family, stability, and the colors of the Caribbean. After driving from Miami to Hollywood, their money and luck run out and a 1963 Ford Galaxie becomes their first American home. Guided by the memory of her native Curacao and the words of her wise grandmother, Serena confronts unimagined challenges and grows up quickly. What gifts will this new country bring, and at what price?

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