OPRAH BOOK CLUB PICK (October 2026)

“A riveting new novel from first-time author Amanda Rizkalla compassionately tackles the difficult subject of families who live outside the margins, living unhoused, and makes us see not only their struggles, but their hopes, dreams, and the perseverance it takes to face another day.” —Oprah

A Goodreads Editors’ Book Pick
One of Stanford Magazine’s Summer 2026 Reading Recommendations

“This is difficult subject matter, told superbly, and offers much to discuss and ponder.”
—Booklist (starred review)

“With spare, elegant prose, Rizkalla captures the world and its contradictions perfectly through Sofia’s eyes. . . .Thoughtful and wise, Hungered is a powerful and resonant read.”
—Shelf Awareness (starred review)

“Rizkalla offers a well-written and haunting look into a childhood marked by instability. A heart-wrenching and powerful debut encapsulating the heaviness of class, race, and adolescence.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Told with raw emotion and unflinching honesty, Rizkalla’s powerful debut captures the heartbreak of a family in crisis and the quiet resilience of a young girl who can’t make sense of the world but still dares to dream.”
—Library Journal

“Hungered is a heartrending debut that transforms the invisible reality of housing insecurity into a story of profound humanity. Amanda Rizkalla has crafted a coming-of-age story that never romanticizes hardship, yet finds genuine beauty in small acts of grace and the irrepressible hope of childhood.”
—Shilpi Somaya Gowda, bestselling author of A Great Country and The Shape of Family

“In this impressive debut, Rizkalla magically gifts us Sofia, a fierce but vulnerable protagonist who serves as the glue in her disintegrating family. Rizkalla’s narrator shines in these stunning vignettes that portray a family in crisis. As she navigates her landmine life and her own conflicted identity, Sofia sometimes takes charge and often takes risks—and you will cheer for her all the way.”
—Susan Muaddi Darraj, award-winning author of Behind You Is the Sea

“In this captivating debut, Amanda Rizkalla presents the world as seen through the eyes of a young narrator grappling with the hard truths of a life filled with secrets, instability, and betrayal. Mixed in with these hard truths is the softness of adolescence, complete with first days of school, first friendships, and first crushes. At its core, Hungered is a story of survival—how we survive our childhoods, how trauma survives across generations, and how one family learns to survive unimaginable circumstances. This is a novel to return to when you’re searching for wonder in all the small places.”
—Kai Harris, award-winning author of What the Fireflies Knew

“On each page, Rizkalla’s precise and tangible rendering of image, of hope like candy floss, of familial bonds and betrayal—each sentence—is an opening to stay. Readers will devour this world, easily.”
—Dantiel W. Moniz, award-winning author of Milk Blood Heat