What Joa is Reading & Other Stuff

Book reviews...from picture books to adult books, as well as books-to-movie info, and other stuff I think is interesting. Note: Not all books reviewed or recommended are appropriate for all ages.
FEBRUARY 9, 2011
Little-known history (at least for me)
I just finished reading the novel in verse, The Surrender Tree by Margarita Engle, based on the history of Cuba's wars for independence, and on the real life of Rosa la Bayamesa, a healer who used her gifts to heal rebels, as well as (her enemy) Spanish soldiers.

Engle is really masterful at using this writing style to pull you into the history, as she did in a similar historical novel in verse, The Poet Slave of Cuba, that I read last year. The story in Surrender Tree is very suspenseful, and you learn a lot about the history of Cuba, including that Spain was responsible for the first modern use of "reconcentration" (or internment) camps in warfare during their fight against the Cuban people. The book ends showing the origin of the rocky relationship between US and Cuba, that continues to this day.

I would strongly recommend this book...and because of the poetry format, it is a very fast read. This book was also awarded the Pura Belpre honor award in 2009.

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Categories: Historical ReadsJoa RecommendsOther Cultures

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