Bookverdict.com

Gr 6–10—A deeply personal memoir-in-verse filled with Engle's trademark intricately woven lyricism. The author's memories focus on the first 14 years of her life, beginning with idyllic summers spent in her mother's homeland of Cuba and ending during the aftermath of the Cuban Missile Crisis and subsequent travel ban. Engle captures the heart of a quiet, young girl torn between two cultures. This historical memoir/love poem to Cuba couldn't be more timely. With the recent e...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

Well known for her portrayals of historic Cubans in verse novels such as The Surrender Tree (rev. 7/08) and The Poet Slave of Cuba (rev. 7/06), Engle explores her own past in this collection of emotionally rich memory poems. The daughter of a Don Quixote–obsessed American artist of Ukrainian Jewish descent and a beautiful homesick Cuban emigree, Engle begins with joyful visits to her mother’s homeland as a child. Roaming the countryside, she falls in love with “...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

Emotionally rich memory poems begin with Margarita's joyful childhood visits to Cuba, her mother's homeland. At first, navigating two...Log In or Sign Up to Read More