Tuesday, March 22, 2016

On Shelves Now: THE LIGHTNING DREAMER: Cuba's Greatest Abolitionist by Margarita Engle

192 p.
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Ages: 12 and up

“I find it so easy to forget / that I’m just a girl who is expected / to live / without thoughts.”

Opposing slavery in Cuba in the nineteenth century was dangerous. The most daring abolitionists were poets who veiled their work in metaphor. Of these, the boldest was Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, nicknamed Tula. In passionate, accessible verses of her own, Engle evokes the voice of this book-loving feminist and abolitionist who bravely resisted an arranged marriage at the age of fourteen, and was ultimately courageous enough to fight against injustice. Historical notes, excerpts, and source notes round out this exceptional tribute.

Amazon | B & N | Book Depository | IndieBound

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