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bibliobrandie's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this memoir in verse. Engle explores themes of identity as she grows up in two worlds, Cuba and the US. When the 60s hit and she is forbidden to visit Cuba she struggles with that loss of herself and wonders if she now has to consider her family as enemies. When I book talked this to 8th grade students for a memoir unit, many had never even heard of the Cuban Missile Crisis (which just goes to show that even though hate and war rages on, the people/countries that are “enemies” is ever changing). This was a great addition to the unit and shows how memoir can be explored in different ways, the historical elements were a bonus.
gmamartha's review
4.0
Engle's beautiful language describes her 'travel memories' to give us a memoir of her life between worlds.
jwinchell's review
4.0
Lovely lovely. An important story--Engle's formative years growing up in LA and spending beautiful time with her mother's family in Cuba. And then the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Cold War... the verse is lovely, the wing metaphor deftly carried throughout. There's so much going on here that hand-selling to a wide range of middle grade readers should be easy: not fitting in, vague understandings of huge political events, parents looming large, horrible first kisses, reading/writing/animals/wilderness vs. social life. Loved it.
aoosterwyk's review
4.0
This short book provides a glimpse of a life shared between cultures. The language is beautiful and packed with meaning and historical context. The author is half Cuban and cherishes that part of her life, but when Cold War politics interfere, she is denied access to her heritage.
Discussion points: ethnic heritage, self-image, talent, family dynamics
Discussion points: ethnic heritage, self-image, talent, family dynamics
sarahbowling6608's review against another edition
3.0
I was looking for books for my 6th grader to read on her own to supplement her modern American and world history this year and I came across this one on Cuba during the Cold War. I've also been loving novels in verse lately so I thought it was a good choice.
It was fine, but I did not love it as much as Alias Anna. If I decide to let my daughter read it, we will read it together so we can discuss some of the issues that come up. I really enjoyed the cultural aspects of it and how she wrestled with the two cultures of her parents. She has her first kiss way too young (in my opinion) and that sort of thing is something we try to avoid in books. It does mention how going down the path of partying and drugs and teenage sex leads nowhere good. It's all mentioned very briefly but pointedly enough that it makes me hesitate to let my daughter read it at this point.
CC: drugs, boys/crushes/awkward first kiss, dressing to get the attention of boys, teen pregnancy, war, Communism, confiscation of property, relatives sent to prison camps
It was fine, but I did not love it as much as Alias Anna. If I decide to let my daughter read it, we will read it together so we can discuss some of the issues that come up. I really enjoyed the cultural aspects of it and how she wrestled with the two cultures of her parents. She has her first kiss way too young (in my opinion) and that sort of thing is something we try to avoid in books. It does mention how going down the path of partying and drugs and teenage sex leads nowhere good. It's all mentioned very briefly but pointedly enough that it makes me hesitate to let my daughter read it at this point.
CC: drugs, boys/crushes/awkward first kiss, dressing to get the attention of boys, teen pregnancy, war, Communism, confiscation of property, relatives sent to prison camps
kamckim's review
5.0
I don't like all the verse novels I read, but Engle's THE POET SLAVE OF CUBA was a heartbreaking story with masterful poetry, so since this book has earned several similar awards, I wanted to read it. It's pretty perfect. Poems are very accessible to a YA reader, Grades 6-8. There is just enough of a character arc to qualify the novel as "classic" young adult, a young Engle forging her identity as a Cuban-American during the heart of the Cold War. The poetic themes of wings, flying, air and freedom are consistent and develop nicely by the end of the book. My only drawback to giving it to a student: they may need to understand US relations with Cuba for historical grounding. However, that's not a bad thing.
emilythelibrarian23's review
5.0
In my current graduate class of “Literature for Children and Young Adults”, this particular book was a choice for our Poetry genre unit for Novel in Verses. While I chose another book to critically analyze and review ( “Inside Out and Back Again”, by Thanhha Lai) I still wanted to read this one.
My knowledge on the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Cold War is very limited, and I am thankful to read Margarita Engle’s childhood experiences growing up in two different cultures and countries. This memoir has encouraged me to search for other memoirs of the author’s experiences during this time period.
My knowledge on the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Cold War is very limited, and I am thankful to read Margarita Engle’s childhood experiences growing up in two different cultures and countries. This memoir has encouraged me to search for other memoirs of the author’s experiences during this time period.
bookgirl4ever's review
3.0
Margarita Engle uses verse to describe the dual identity she felt growing up as a Cuban American girl in the 1950s, including during the Cold War when Cubans aren't trusted in the United States. She appears to feel more at home in colorful, farmland of her mother's country. The verse in vibrant and pulls the reader into Cuba and into Margarita's identity issues as a child.
Upper elementary/Middle school
Upper elementary/Middle school