They Thought They Buried Us
Horror fan and aspiring film director Yuiza gets a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
As one of the few students of color at Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy, Yuiza immediately feels out of place. A brutal work-study schedule makes it impossible to keep up with the actual classes. Every expense, from textbooks to laundry, puts Yuiza into debt. And the behavior of students and faculty is… unsettling.
Yuiza starts having disturbing dreams about the school’s past and discovers clues about the fate of other scholarship students. It’ll take all Yuiza’s knowledge of the horror genre to escape from Our Lady’s grasp.
| Format | Your Price | Add |
|---|---|---|
|
978-1-7284-9232-2
|
$14.99 | |
|
979-8-7656-3010-5
|
$24.99 |
| Interest Level | Grade 9 - Grade 12 |
|---|---|
| Reading Level | Grade 9 |
| Genre | Young Adult |
| Category | Diverse Books: LGBTQIA+, Diverse Books: #OwnVoices, Diverse Books: Race & Ethnicity, Diversity, SEL: A Self-Awareness, SEL: B Self-Management, SEL: C Social Awareness, SEL: D Relationship Skills, SEL: E Responsible Decision-Making, Social Emotional Learning |
| Copyright | 2024 |
| Publisher | Lerner Publishing Group |
| Imprint | Carolrhoda Lab ® |
| Language | English |
| Number of Pages | 368 |
| Publication Date | 2024-09-10 |
Author: NoNieqa Ramos
Raised in the Boogie Down Bronx, NoNieqa Ramos is an educator and literary activist. Their work includes the young adult novels The Disturbed Girl’s Dictionary and The Truth Is, as well as the picture book Hair Story. They believe Halloween is a lifestyle, not a holiday. If you’re in Virginia, you might catch NoNieqa getting motorcycle lessons from their soulmate Michael or going indie bookstore hopping with their preciosos Jandi and Langston. Connect with their works on www.nonieqaramos.com or on the Latinx collective www.lasmusasbooks.com.
Lerner eSource™ offers free digital teaching and learning resources, including Common Core State Standards (CCSS) teaching guides. These guides, created by classroom teachers, offer short lessons and writing exercises that give students specific instruction and practice using Common Core skills and strategies. Lerner eSource also provides additional resources including online activities, downloadable/printable graphic organizers, and additional educational materials that would also support Common Core instruction. Download, share, pin, print, and save as many of these free resources as you like!
They Thought They Buried Us
Horror fan and aspiring film director Yuiza gets a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. As one of the few students of color at Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy, Yuiza immediately feels out of place. A brutal… View available downloads →
They Thought They Buried Us: An Interview with Author NoNieqa Ramos
In They Thought They Buried Us Yuiza knows every horror movie trope and plotline. But when they receive a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school they must uncover the school’s sinister secrets and try to get out alive. Today author NoNieqa Ramos joins us to discuss the first spark… View →
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Reviews
Booklist
“Ramos (The Disturbed Girl’s Dictionary, 2018) blends themes of discrimination, income inequality, and the effects of grueling education with some of the best elements of horror in their latest. Aspiring horror filmmaker Yuiza is leaving their home in the Bronx to attend the upscale boarding school Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy, where they’ll be surrounded by wealth—unlike their working-class, Puerto Rican neighborhood. Their scholarship covers tuition and little else, leaving Yuiza in weighty debt. When Yuiza decides to investigate the constant odd behavior of the students and faculty, things turn dark: not only does the school hide a dangerous past but their fate as a scholarship student might literally lead to their demise. This twisty thrill ride of a novel shines thanks to Yuiza’s all-encompassing passion for horror, which drives the plot forward. Meanwhile, Yuiza’s fears and frustrations as a queer Puerto Rican teen at a wealthy, predominantly white school are powerfully felt. Fans of horror movies in particular will appreciate this creepy story that centers survival for queer, BIPOC characters in the face of white supremacy.”—Booklist
Joanna Ho
“A reflection of colonization and current society so real, it is unclear where the truth ends and the horror begins. This book will make you rethink everything you thought you knew and channel the power of ancestors into your soul with a calling to rise up in power. Unforgettable.”—Joanna Ho, author of The Silence That Binds Us
Sandra Proudman
“A riveting horror story. . . that reads like a Jordan Peele movie. . . the perfect choice for readers searching for purposeful horror that lingers long after the last page.”—Sandra Proudman, editor of Relit: 16 Latinx Remixes of Classic Stories
Alexandra Villasante
“NoNieqa Ramos crafts a mesmerizing, razor-sharp horror story, spinning an intricate web of secrets, betrayals, biting humor and exacting truth. They Thought They Buried Us will challenge readers and devour hearts.”—Alexandra Villasante, author of The Grief Keeper
Amparo Ortiz
“Being a horror fan is better when you’re not the main character, but for Yuiza, it’s their only way out of a living nightmare. With a tightly-plotted mystery and snark that sings to a misfit’s heart, Nonieqa Ramos’s They Thought They Buried Us uncovers what happens when the ones rewriting history run out of ink.”—Amparo Ortiz, author of Last Sunrise in Eterna