The Poet Slave of Cuba

A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano

By: Margarita Engle

Illustrated by: Sean Qualls

Published by Henry Holt and Company, 2006

Reading Level: Lexile 1200

Read Aloud, 6.1

 

Powerful, Heartbreaking, Amazing, Tragic, Brilliant 

 The Poet Slave of Cuba, was awarded the American Library Association’s Pura Belpré Award in 2008. The award is presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.

 

“An absolutely lovely book … that should be read by
young and old, black and white, Anglo and Latino.”
- School Library Journal, starred review

Juan Francisco Manzano was born into slavery in Cuba in 1791. He never knew any other life but the life of under a slave owner. A woman named, Dona Beatriz, who referred to Juan as the child of her old age.  Juan was to call her his Mama, even though he already knew who his real mother was. Juan’s freedom will be granted once Dona Beatriz dies and his birth mother were to be free for what was seen as a small amount of 300 pesos and all her children born after Juan were free born, but not Juan. Dona Beatriz treated Juan as her poodle, she took him wherever she went. Denied an education, Juan learned to sing and recite and was always put on display at gatherings the master took him too. At age 11 his master died, but was his freedom granted?

Note: Some of the scenes described are graphic. However, it is important for students to know that slavery was not only African Americans but Latin Americans who were considered to have dark skin color.

Key Vocabulary:

Succulent (3), Sonnets and ballads (10), inconsolable (14), vile (37), thrashed (52), shun (52), arrogantly ( 76), ominous (86) haven (131).

Spanish words are written throughout the book, however, the English translation is directly underneath it.

Teaching Suggestions –

Before Reading:  Show where Cuba is on a map, and who Juan Francisco Manzano is. It would be best to read this book during Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15th through October 15th, brief history of how the Month came about can be explained to your students. Read the first verse of the story and then have your students fill out a Bio-Poem.

Ø  AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL:  Write a poem about yourself using this form or another poetry form.

Line 1: __ Your name
Line 2: _, _, _ 3 personal characteristics or physical traits
Line 3: Brother or sister of__ or son/daughter of
Line 4: Who loves__, __, and __ 3 people, things, ideas
Line 5: Who feels__ about__1 emotion about 1 thing
Line 6: Who needs__, __, and __ 3 things you need
Line 7: Who gives __, __, and __3 objects you share
Line 8: Who fears__, __, and __3 items
Line 9: Who'd like to see, __1 place, or person
Line 10: Who dreams of __ 1 item or idea
Line 11: A student of__ your school or teacher's name
Line 12: __ Nickname or repeat your first name

http://www.kathimitchell.com/poemtypes.html

During Reading:

Split students into groups and have them research:

Ø  The emergence of slavery in Cuba.

Ø  The persecution and execution of poets during the 1840’s.

Ø  The lives and poetry of Garcilaso de la Vega, Fray Luis de Leon, Pedro Soto de Rojas, Andres Fernandez de Andrade and San Juan de la Cruz.

http://media.us.macmillan.com/teachersguides/9780312659288TG.pdf

After Reading:

Ø  Students will write a one page paper on their thought of how Juan was treated by La Marquesa de Prado Ameno. Why do you think she treated Juan this way?
What kind of person was she?

Electronic Resources -

Author’sSite: Margarita Engle is a Cuban-American poet, novelist, and journalist whose work has been awarded many awards of the Cuban lifestyle throughout history. Her powerful words will give students a different point of view.

HispanicHeritage Booklist: List of books ranging from ages to 3-12 resolved around Hispanic Heritage. Biographies, Cultural Traditions, Family Stories, the site has everything needed to diverse your students learning.

Return To Sender

By: Julia Alvarez

Published by Knopf Books for Children, 2009

Reading Level: Lexile 890L

Independent Read, 6.1

 

Friendship, Equality, Hopeful, Courage, Acceptance

“This is the wonderful thing about stories. . . .

There are no borders. Like swallows, like stars, you don’t have to stop where one country or language or race or religion or gender or time period ends and another begins.”

—Julia Alvarez

 Return to Sender, was awarded the American Library Association’s Pura Belpré Award in 2010. The award is presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.

Tyler Paquette, an 11 year old boy is devastated when he finds out that his family may lose their farm in Vermont due to a terrible accident that happened to his father and the death of his grandfather. He is sent away to his Uncle Tony’s and Aunt Roxies house for a month while the Paquettes try to find a solution to save their farm. Upon his return, he notices ‘strange people’ coming out of a trailer in their yard. “They have brown skin and black hair.(page 3)” Tyler, thinking Indians are trespassing onto his property is shouting to his mom and dad who then begin to explain exactly how they were able to save the farm. “They’re from Mexico(13.” Mrs. Paquette begins. A family consisting of Papa, his three daughters Ofie, Luby, and Mari (whom Tyler develops a friendship with), Tio Armando and Tio Felipe all now live in the trailer behind the Paquettes house. In order to keep the farm up and running, the Paquettes had no choice but to hire migrant Mexican workers, to save their farm from foreclosure. Tyler is unsure of what to think of his parent’s actions, who are always being so patriotic and following the laws. Mari whom is the eldest is so proud of her Mexican culture, but is also becoming accustomed to the American lifestyle the Paquettes have provided to them. As Tyler slowly opens up to the Cruz family, Tyler and Mari become good friends and are able to become comfortable enough to express their feelings to one another. But for Mari as the story continues is worried about her mother’s return, their Tio Felipe getting arrested, and Immigration Customs Enforcement sending them back to Mexico. Tyler is also dealing with the loss of his grandfather, his father’s pride being washed away due to the fact they had to hire help to keep the farm, and the constant panic of what people may think if someone finds out they have illegal immigrants on their farm. Tyler and Mari friendship strengthens due to the fact they are constantly concerned about what the future holds for them as well as their families.

Note: This book is written from a point of view that is often shifting throughout the novel. Return to Sender, may be the first book your students read like this. Highlight that Mari is talking through first person in a series of letters or a diary entry. Tyler’s story is told through the voice of narrator. Help your students of making the distinction of who is talking at certain points, you may not want to assign chapters right away. Start off with reading the narrator’s view and stop when it’s Mari writing her letters so that the students are fully able to comprehend the story. The two different viewpoints are essential to understanding the story.

It’s a controversial topic with the population rapidly changing in America and you should be able to educate your students about the topic and let them have their own opinions about immigration. Just because it is a controversial topic, does not mean your students shouldn’t know what is going on in today’s world.

Key Vocabulary:

Throughout the book Julia Alvarez is often adding Spanish words or sentences. Anything that is in Spanish is italicized allowing the reader to know it is Spanish word. However, Julia Alvarez is sure to always give the English translation or makes sure you understand what the word means and she does an excellent job in doing so. As you are assigning pages to read you can send a worksheet with the Spanish words so that you know your students are able to connect the two languages.

The English words I found that you can teach your students before they read selected pages are: adamantly (28), stave (47), piques (48), prominent (52), constellations (52), vehement (119), assertion (119), culpable (121), fervently (130), rebuke (198), wistful (254), quarreling (255) contradictory (257), welter (257), battalion (263).

Teaching Suggestions –

Before Reading: Discuss the topic Immigration before reading the book. Have students have some sort of background knowledge about the terminology used with Immigration such as Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE). History books or lessons can correlate. Afterward, students will be assigned to research an article about immigration within the last 5 years in class. Once they have found an article, they are to verify with you, the teacher, in class the article they have chosen. Next, allocate time to allow the students to read the article.  Have dictionaries available for the students to look up words they may not understand. If the students are still having difficulty with a particular word they may question you, the teacher.

During Reading: Check with students to make sure they comprehend the text. Discuss the Spanish Holidays celebrated in the book. How are they similar to the American Holidays?

Day of the Dead – Dia de los Muertos, November 1^st

Dia de Accion de Gracias – Thanksgiving, November

Three Kinds Day – El Dia de Reyes, Los Reyes Magos, January 6^th

Dia de le Candelaria – Candlemas, February 2^nd

Connect the book to Science by learning about constellations.

After Reading: Discuss the friendship of Tyler and Mari and how have they both changed towards one another. What have they done for each other? What was Tyler’s view of Illegal Immigrants and how have they changed throughout the book. What are your student’s views? When the two youngest Cruz’s girls turn 18 do you think they would travel back for a better life to the United States and bring their family with them the legal way? Why? Is it possible?

Electronic Resources –

Author’s Site:  Julia Alvarez has made it extremely easy for her readers to gain all the information they need through her site. Here she has listed all her books along with a summary and what was her inspiration to write the book. A Teacher’s Guide is available for additional classroom instruction.

Book Notes:  An educator’s guide to connections made within the book. As well as a pre-reading activity and Thematic Connections questions for group discussion. As well as, lesson ideas for history, music, science, and social studies. Links are also provided about the “Coyotes” and the effects of Illegal Immigration both pros and cons.

 

I Am Different! Can You Find Me?

By: Manjula Padmanabhan

Published by Charlesbridge 2011

Reading Level: Lexile 490L

Read Aloud, 3.2

Fun, Vibrant, Clever, Inviting, Unique

“A tour de force. … A substantive, engaging title for multilingual education. Bravo!”
- Kirkus Reviews

Founded in 1994, The Global Fund for Children is a nonprofit organization committed to advancing the dignity of children and youth around the world. Global Fund for Children books teach young people to value diversity and help them become productive and caring citizens of the world.

I am Different, celebrates differences. We are often looking at the similarities between any two people or objects but what about our differences? Our differences are what make us so unique. Each pages displays, “Can you find me?” in one of 16 different languages now spoken in North America today presented throughout the book. The pronunciation of the language, Can You Find Me, is directly below for you and your students to try. Each page also contains an illustration, a puzzle, of all what seems to be the same image. But wait! Something is different about one of the images compared to the rest. The cover of the book even has one hand different than the rest. Manjula, also provides some interesting facts about each language and some of the English words spoken today which actually originated from another language.

Key Vocabulary:

This book contains a large amount of simple words. The only vocabulary your students should know is the words they might know section of the page that are English words but originated from a different language.

Ukulele, camel, algebra, boondocks, gumbo, tote, silk, hurricane, coyote, volcano, ballet

However, when coming across these words you can first ask your students if they know what a ukulele is. If not, present a picture and briefly describe a ukulele.

 

Teaching Suggestions –

Before Reading:

 Group your class in pairs. Have the student’s research where one of the 16 languages presented in the book originated from. You, the teacher can do English, if there are not enough pairs to do all 16 languages.

During Reading:

Your students are to present to the class on a map the location of where the language is mostly spoken when reading the specific page of the language. You may also want the pair to pronounce, “Can you find it?” in the language.

After Reading:

For further instruction, have your student’s research other differences about the specific language assigned previously. Create a poster; include the flags of the countries of which the language is spoken, and about one page of information spread out, a phrase in English translated to the other language, and some fun facts. Make it exciting! You can even create one yourself J

Electronic Resources –

BookChums: Contains a short biography about the Indian novelist, playwright, and cartoonist who is also an author and illustrator for many children’s books. Some of Manjula books are also listed on the site.

“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.”

Audre Lorde, Caribbean-American writer

The Higher Power of Lucky

By: Susan Patron

Illustrations By: Matt Phelan

Published by Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books, 2006

Reading Level: Lexile 1010

Independent Read, 5.5

 

Humorous, Intriguing, Unexpected, Fascinating, Interesting

Lucky Trimble isn’t so fortunate. Lucky is ten years old and worried about being abandon by her legal guardian Bridgette whom was her father’s former wife and has come from France to care for Lucky. Lucky’s mother died from an accidental electrocution after a bad storm and father has abandoned her. Lucky seeks to be a scientist like her hero Charles Darwin but is always nervous of what is to come. Worried that Bridgette will leave Lucky to move back to France and have to leave her dog HMS Beagle behind to go to an orphanage is constantly carrying around her survival kit backpack. Living in Hard Pan, California, population of 43, she is scared of losing her good friends Lincoln, former U.S. president who loves to tie knots, and Miles who is obsessed with the book, ‘Are You My Mother?’ and cookies. Lucky eavesdrops on twelve-step anonymous meetings, where she works, and assumes that once she finds her ‘Higher Power’ as the people in the meeting have only then will all her troubles be answered.

Note:

Susan Patron uses the word scrotum on page one whom some adults seem to think as inappropriate. Patron is telling the story of Short Sammy in the anonymous meeting that a snake once bit his dog on the scrotum. When Lucky questioned Bridgette of the meaning she simply said, ‘it’s the sac on a male containing sperm to make a baby. In my opinion, it is the correct scientific term and should not discourage you on allowing your students to read this amazing book.

Key Vocabulary -

In order to fully understand Lucky your students must know the following words: specimens, orphanage, cholla burr, languid, crevice, meanness gland, commodities, secretions, capillaries.

Teaching Suggestions –

Before Reading: Show your students on a map where is France and California. Inform them what a twelve step anonymous program is. Although Lucky does explain within the book give your students an overview beforehand. The book does a great job of explaining what the chapter is about. Chapter 1 is called Eavesdropping, have a discussion with your students afterwards to make sure they understand how Susan Patron is introducing the chapters. Students may get emotional and develop a strong connection with Lucky, it is best to know your students as much as possible and their home status.

During Reading: After Chapter 10 have your students do a KWL about ‘Higher Power’. Lucky will somewhat discuss of it before but she does not fully explain why she wants to find her Higher Power or what she thought it was until Chapter 11. Or you can connect the book to Science by doing a KWL on Charles Darwin (if not previously taught) and why Lucky named her dog HMS Beagle which is explained on page 8.

After Reading: Have your student’s write of a time they thought they hit rock bottom and what helped them get back up. Inform your students that everyone has their own problems they deal with daily and although different from yours are problems within that person’s life. Question the students if they think running away was the correct solution to Lucky’s problems. Discuss of the government surplus commodities and that you should not be ashamed.

Electronic Resources –

The International Guild of Knot Tyers: Lincoln was one of the youngest members. Have your students visit the site and start at the beginners section which shows pictures and names of different types of knots that the students can try with step by step instructions.

 

 Authors Site: Susan Patron speaks of herself and how she loved to read which lead her to be a librarian and a writer. Patron gives a little information about each of her books and what other languages the books have translated to. She speaks of dates of book signings that you are able to attend if in the area. She also included a tab for teachers of suggested classroom activities for The Higher Power of Lucky that are linked to other subjects such as history, art, science, etc.

Amelia to Zora Twenty-Six Women Who Changed the World

By: Cynthia Chin-Lee

Illustrated by: Megan Halsey and Sean Addy

Published by Charlesbridge 2005

Reading Level: Lexile 910

Independent Read, 5.8

Admirable, Brave, Courageous, Determined, Fearless

“As you get to know these women, I hope you will think of them as I do – kindred spirits whose words and actions will inspire and guide you.”
- Cynthia Chin-Lee

Cynthia Chin-Lee celebrates the accomplishments of twenty six amazing women from all around the world. All of these women who not only stood up to follow their dreams but fought for their dreams.  Every profession you can think of is included within this book from a pilot, to an athlete, architect, and as unique as a writer. Different nationalities are presented to add diversity of the amazing women throughout the twentieth century. Each woman has a short biography to grab your attention in hopes for further research of each woman. An inspirational quote is also included from the lady themselves.

Key Vocabulary:

The words below are correlated with the woman’s profession which are provided next to all of their names on page 3. These vocabulary require a more in depth definition where as for pilot you can simply tell your students she flew the plane and it would be easier to remember.

Activist, Advocate, Anthropologist, Diplomat, Environmentalist, Naturalist

The words below must also be defined so your students can comprehend.

Boycott (7), Braille (11), entrepreneur (18), menial (15), persistence (6), pioneer (10), undaunted (14)

Teaching Suggestions –

Before Reading:

Ask your students of famous women they have learned about in previous years or have heard about. Whom have they heard of? What did that woman do? Where was she from?

During Reading:

Make a worksheet for each of your students with each women’s name and space in between for your students to write their profession, where are they from, and one interesting fact. Your students are to pick 2 women who have caught their interest the most.

After Reading:

Each student is to do a research report on one of the women of their choice. One page, but not limited to, is a biography of the woman, the second page is why they admire that woman and in what ways do they find themselves alike.

Electronic Resources –

Teacher Guide:  An excellent tool for you in the teacher in the classroom! This site provides many of the key vocabulary definitions that can be printed and handed to each student to read when coming across the word. Also contains, comprehension questions and engaging activities for your students. Provides worksheets on comparing two of the women, character traits you and one of these phenomenal woman share, etc.

Author's Site:  Cythia lives in California but wait, she is available for 30 minute scheduled Skype appointments to talk with your students! Learn about who she is and see for yourself that there’s even a book on, Twenty Six Men Who Changed the World. Enjoy!

Mirror Mirror

By: Marilyn Singer   

  Illustrated by: Josee Masse

Published by Dutton Children’s Books, 2010

Reading Level: Lexile 470L

 Read Aloud, 3.6

 

Unique, Intriguing, Eye-Catching, Clever, Fun

As a child, we all enjoyed reading the fairy tale stories of Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Princess and the Frog and many more. Mirror Mirror, puts a twist on the stories and how we interpreted those fairy tales. With beautifully written work and illustrations, Marilyn Singer and Josee Masse give you a two sided view of the classic fairy tales which truly questions your conclusion of the tales.

Key Vocabulary –

Your students may know the gist of the some of the fairy tales within the book, but if not there are several words you could define just so that your students know who the character is.

Waltz, briars, snippy, dawdle, stubby, fragrant, startled, greed, muzzle.

Teaching Suggestions –

Before Reading:

Have your students fill out a KWL Chart about poetry. After completed, explain to students that poems do not just about rhyme. There are many other forms of poems (explain).  Read the poem on the inside flap of the cover:  “Isn’t this a fairy tale? A fairy tale this isn’t  ...” Question your students what is different.

During Reading:

The first poem is introducing the book, giving an insight as to how the rest of the poems will look. Allow your students to take in what will be going on throughout the book. Give enough time for your students to question the poem and highlight on the capital letters, punctuations, and tone of the narrator with each parallel poem. Continue to do so with each poem throughout the book for a full understanding of the poems. Even ask your students what’s different.

After Reading:

Assign each student a poem to depict and write in their own words 2 5-7 sentences paragraphs of the similarities and differences between the poems. For some fun extra credit, see what your students can come up with and have them create their own “reverso” poem to present to the class.  

Electronic Resources –

Author's Site: Marilyn Singer invites you into her life with her personal website. Singer, provides Writing Tips, Biography, Appearances, Forthcoming Books, and many more useful information.

Illustrator's Site: Josee Masse from Montreal, provides beautifully drawn illustrations of her many books. Her site is also bilingual, French and English.

 

Elijah of Buxton

By: Christopher Paul Curtis

Published by Scholastic Press, 2007

Reading Level: Lexile 1070

Group Read, 5.5

 

Eye-Opening, Encouraging, Powerful, Unforgettable, Hopeful 

Elijah of Buxton, was awarded the Coretta Scott King Book Award in 2008. The award is given annually to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values. The award commemorates the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and honors his wife, Mrs. Coretta Scott King, for her courage and determination to continue the work for peace and world brotherhood.

In the 1850’s, eleven year old Elijah Freeman was the first free born in Buxton Canada. Buxton is a settlement made up completely of runaway slaves from the South, situated just over the border of Detroit. Elijah attends school, helps out at Mr. Segee’s farm and often asking permission to take Old Flapjack (horse) to a lake to catch fish and also helps Mr. Leroy who is the town’s handy man getting paid by the people to obtain enough money to buy his family’s freedom. Elijah is well known for being sensitive; “fra-gile” is what his mother often calls Elijah. Elijah knows of the hard times of slavery by the ‘grown up’ talk that he so often wishes he would be seen as a grown up but never truly knows what slavery is until seeing for himself. Elijah sees himself as grown when helping Mr. Leroy find a dishonest preacher whom has took all of his friend’s money which was to be used to buy his family. Traveling back into America, a risky task in itself, sees the horrible life his parents escaped from and puts himself in danger of being captured as he tries to find the preacher, the money and the hope of getting Mr. Leroy’s family out of captivity. Upon returning to Buxton, Elijah now knows firsthand the hardships his family has left and will never forget the family he met while in America and quite frankly, neither will I.

 

Key Vocabulary: I would suggest having your students listen to the first few pages of the book through the audio version, to allow them to hear how those from the South talked back in the 1860’s and so that they can read with that tone of voice. Your students may ask you what words mean due to the accent from the South. The words below are often said throughout the book:

Twixt = between

Afore = before

‘Stead = Instead

He’d’ve = he would have

Many of the other words just drop one or two letters of the beginning word and your students should be able to pick up what the word is.

To expand your students vocabulary be conscious of the following words popping up within the book. Fretting (45), familiarity (87), peculiarities (101), rigmarole (119), bevy (121), calamity (247)

Teaching Suggestions –

Before Reading: Inform students the significance of the Underground Raildroad during the time period of slavery. Who were the influential people that helped and in what way did they contribute? People such as: Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, William Still and John Rankin. Frederick Douglass is a character within the book be sure to highlight his part in the Underground Railroad.

During Reading: Have students map out the route that is discussed within the book of the passageway from the South to Ontario, Canada. Allow them to Research the area of Canada where Elijah and other runaway slaves were able to start their life of freedom and William King who is the founder of the prestige Elgin Settlement. For additional reading (if you are able to purchase) copy some pages out of the book, Something to Hope For. The Story Of The Fugitive Slave Settlement Buxton, Canada West for a more historical history of Buxton Canada. To work with your student’s imagination, allow your students to research images and make a collage of what the setting and characters of Elijah of Buxton may look like.

After Reading: Engage your students in a book discussion with the following questions.

1.      What do you think of the Preacher? Is he trustworthy? How would he justify his actions?

2.      What do you think “familiarity breed contempt” means? How does this concept relate to Elijah’s relationship with Mr. Leroy or the Preacher?

3.      On page 158 it says “the second hardest step in making yourself free is the first one you take . . . . [and] that the most hardest step is the very last one.” What do you think that means? Why is the last step the hardest?

Talk It Up! Book discussion website provides 6 more (total of 9) well thought out questions for your students to divide up into groups answer 1 question per book then have each group state their answers to the questions. The rest of the class may chip in their thoughts after each question and you may call upon some of the students who don’t likely speak up in class to get their point of view.

 http://www.multcolib.org/talk/guides-elijah.html

Electronic Resources –

Buxton National Historic Site and Museum: Students will be able to get a feel of what Buxton was like over a century half ago by visiting this historical site. Virtual exhibits are available due to the fact that the museum is located in Canada and unfortunately are not able to travel to. Educational packages and resource materials are also available for a small fee.

Author's Site: Christopher Paul Curtis , the Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King award-winning children’s author introduces himself with a brief biography of his life and aspirations. For all of his books he has multiple resources for each one right on his site ( which is available to all for FREE)!