The Seeing Gift

Twelve-year-old Gabrielle Boudreaux has always had two birthmarks, one on each side of her face. She never thought much about them until Tante Mathilde reveals the truth: in their family, the marked ones carry the gift of seeing. Dreams that come true. Knowing when something is wrong before it happens. Feeling the presence of ancestors who have passed on.
When Gabrielle begins experiencing visions she cannot explain, she realizes Tante Mathilde is right. The gift is waking up. But having visions without understanding them is terrifying. When she sees her friend crying hours before it happens and cannot do anything to help, Gabrielle knows she needs a teacher.

Deep in the Atchafalaya Basin lives Mère Celestine, an old traiteur who taught Gabrielle's MawMaw the ways of seeing. To find her, Gabrielle must journey alone through the swamp, trusting the ancestors to guide her path. What she discovers will change everything she thought she knew about herself, her family, and the gift that has been passed down through generations.

The Seeing Gift is a story about ancestral inheritance, the courage to embrace who you are, and the traditions that connect us across time. It celebrates the spiritual practices of Louisiana Creole culture, rooted in African, Spanish, Indigenous, and French traditions.

Includes a glossary and pronunciation guide for Louisiana Creole French (Kouri-Vini), cultural terms, and historical context.
For readers ages 8-adult. Book 9 in the Light Keeper Legends series by M.K. Mélange.