Former slave owners fight side by side with former slaves against a common enemy: the occupying force, the Spanish army. The story of the fight for Cuban independence is told through poems from the point-of-view of a slave-hunter’s child who eventually becomes a slave-hunter himself (Lieutenant Death), Rosa, Rosa’s husband, Jose, a young girl names Silvia, and a Spanish Lieutenant-General (eventually promoted to Captain). The book illustrates Cuba's long and arduous journey to freedom; however, they seem to never win as the United States eventually takes control over Cuba. TEEN NOVELS IN VERSE TEEN HISTORICAL FICTION, by This is a MUST READ!!! I was really impressed with the poetry of this short history of the Cuban Civil Wars, which started in 1868 and went through 1899, though the actual start of the book was a little bit before that in 1850/51. Cuba's three wars for independence are conveyed in expressive free verse. It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds! I knew nothing of the Spanish occupation of Cuba and found this an interesting read to a bit of that history. Three wars devastated the country, burning towns and plantations, separating families and causing widespread death and disease. What a powerful story for such a little book. For many years after the war the tree stood as an incidental monument to the surrender and to the raid, and it was apparently viewed as such by residents in the area who were proud of having playing a role in Morgan’s defeat. You never know what happened to him during the end of the war. The fact that it was poetry made the story a little hard for me to read, but that might be because I don't love poetry as much as I like reading regular text. She marries Jose who joins her in natural healing as they both pass on knowledge to other free slaves like Silvia. PLOT SUMMARY: This verse novel follows the stories of Rosa, Jose, Sylvia and others as they live through the tumultuous struggle for Cuba’s freedom. illustrated by ; The characters weren't realistic and it's really boring. With a force of about 1,200 riders, Morgan destroyed railroads and telegraph lines, skirmished with local militias, and forced the Union to reallocate a portion of its forces away from the main front to chase him through Ohio. Hidden off the side Hwy 518, just ten miles from the Pennsylvania border, is a stone monument and plaque commemorating the surrender of Confederate Brigadier General John Morgan, who, in the summer of 1863, led a 1,000 mile raid up the Ohio River, deep into Union territory. They do not rhyme. THE SURRENDER TREE is a verse novel in which we follow the life of Rosario Castellanos (Rosa la Bayamesa) from 1850-1899. . Visit the Poetry Lesson Plans & Activities page to learn more. They heal the sick and wounded warriors. Her innocence shines as a young girl: Rosa grows into a legendary nurse- “Rosa la Bayamesa,” the cave nurse from Bayamo. flashcard set{{course.flashcardSetCoun > 1 ? She falls in love and marries Jose who also becomes a nurse. You'll learn about the distinction between verse and poetry and explore the themes of this novel. Then there is the vicious slave hunter known as Lieutenant Death; his collection of ears is an unforgettable image of brutality (“shown as proof that the runaway slave / died fighting, resisting capture”). {{courseNav.course.mDynamicIntFields.lessonCount}} lessons haunting.”, SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Hauntingly beautiful, revealing pieces of Cuba’s troubled past through the poetry of hidden moments, KIRKUS REVIEWS: “Young readers will come away inspired by these portraits of courageous ordinary people.”, VOYA: “The poems are short but incredibly evocative.”, *can be connected to social studies lessons covering slavery, war, oppression and the use of concentration camps. Categories: Rosa, a natural healer who doesn't charge for her services, helps victims of the war as Cuba fights for freedom in the 19th century. Published by Square Fish, Holt, 2008 . ( Log Out /  Rosa, a natural healer who doesn't charge for her services, helps victims of the war as Cuba fights for freedom in the 19th century. This made me want to learn more about Cuba's history. This is an interesting historical fiction book about Cuba. Rosa is a young girl who many believe to be a witch. It is an orphaned memorial, commemorating an event which lives on only in historical non-fiction and in state archives. Rafael López. Margarita Engle The mambi are forced to hide in caves or under camouflage. The Surrender Tree is a lyrical, Newbery Honor-winning history in poems, and this edition has the Spanish and English text available in one book. This Newberry Honor Book is a must read for insight into the history of Cuba's tragic struggles for freedom. She gets “a hat, a knife, a kettle, a kerchief.” Engle could have said a scarf or an ascot, but she chose kerchief because of the “k” sound and because it matched the two-syllable sound of the word kettle before it. BOOKLIST started review:  “Engle writes her new book in clear, short lines of stirring free verse. The three main characters are: Rosa, Jose, and Lieutenant Death. She heals them only so that they can return to their lives as slaves. Rosa doesn't discriminated when it comes to helping people. The surrender tree: poems of Cuba’s struggle for freedom. Tales of political dissent can prove, at times, to be challenging reads for youngsters, but this fictionalized version of the Cuban struggle for independence from Spain may act as an entry to the form. They both are constantly on the move and hiding. This reminds me of the same struggles that Haiti has gone through. The book primarily features Rosa, a medicine woman that learned from the elders how to cure injury and illness with flowers and herbs. In reality … You wouldn't think you would be able to learn so much from so few words! And two children — the slave Rosa and the son of the slave hunter, nicknamed Lieutenant Death — begin this poetic account of the three wars of independence necessary for Cuba to free itself from Spanish rule. This a very compelling set of poems relating the three wars of independence of Cuba, as told through the eyes of Rosa, Jose and Lt. Death. TEEN HISTORICAL FICTION, by Great interview with Dwarf Fortress creator Tarn Adams. She learns from Rosa, and helps others in need. Rosa is a nurse, but she dares not go to the camps. Ms. Engle creates a stunning portrait of life on the run, as Rosa becomes a target of the Spanish army. illustrated by The first half of the novel introduces positive themes of healing with traditional medicine, empathy and compassion. It tells the story of the Cuban struggle for independence in a way that middle-schoolers and high-schoolers can understand. Each poem is told by a different character, hence a different perspective. Unfortunately for Rosa, she is being hunted by a man she names Lieutenant Death. I was looking at a genetic sequence and realized the title for the film Gattaca is a base sequence in DNA. Upon gaining her freedom as the result of the rebellion that began the Ten Years War, Rosa meets Jose. You are able to follow each character through the different times in their lives and see how they grow and change. ; illustrated by She feels an intense empathy for the runaways, but has no power to change their situation. ; There it stayed for another 50 years. She meets Jose, a fellow nurse and freed slave. The book opens with Travis McLaurin, a 19-year-old white man trying to protect Alia Susanto, a 16-year-old hijab-wearing Indonesian-American Muslim, from the debris caused by the South Tower's destruction. The book begins by describing how she fled to the woods to hide from soldiers and was taught how to use plants and nursing techniques to heal the wounded and sick while hiding the ill from soldiers, too. Sign in to Purchase Instantly . The next chapter takes place 15 years later, with Travis' younger sister, Jesse, defacing a building with an Islamophobic slogan before the police catch her. He harbors an intense hatred of Rosa, who he calls 'witch-girl.' Of slaves he says: into four pieces, and locks each piece in a cage, and hangs the four cages on four branches. Naresh Kumar Rosa and José are freed slaves trying to avoid the reconcentration camps, the military leaders, and the former slave catchers, while using Rosa’s skills as a natural healer to help those around them. Written in verses, it tells a story about the struggle of Cuban during the wars of independence and how some of them played a big roles like Rosa, who is a nurse that always on the run and has to hide. Cuban-American poet and author Margarita Engle is probably best know for her children’s books. The Surrender Tree, however, transports readers to another, though no less tumultuous, era. A historical novel in verse about three wars in Cuba around 1900s. Set in the last half of the nineteenth century (1850-1900), The Surrender Tree traces the struggle of Cuba's freedom and independence movements. The monument could no longer be visited and was gradually forgotten. TEEN FICTION Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. The book tells a fictional dramatization of historical figures struggling during the years of three wars for Cuba's independence from Spain. I vaguely remember studying about the Spanish-American War in school, but for some reason I always thought it was in Panama or Mexico. first two years of college and save thousands off your degree. Jane Addams Children's Book Award for Older Children (2009), 32 New Historical Fiction Novels Readers Are Raving About. Themes of rebellion, war, and conflict mingle with problems concerning slavery. ISBN: 0312608713 . "The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom" is a book of poems from the perspective of those involved in the wars for Cuba's independence. This is one of the best book I've read this year that told a true story from the history. ; ; Georghia Ellinas ( Log Out /  Rosa is a nurse who uses natural remedies to help cure the sick and injured. Crystal S. Chan {{courseNav.course.topics.length}} chapters | Rosa and Jose help the wounded during several of the wars that Cubans had fought in. We’d love your help. Speaking just for the monument, it is probably interesting less for the event it memorializes and more for the twisting, winding story of its own strange history. The wars are seen through the eyes of a slave nurse called Rosa and later by her husband Jose, as well as through the eyes of a slave hunter named Lieutenant Death, Captain General Weyler of t. I picked this book up based on a recommendation from a fellow librarian, and it did not disappoint. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Morgan’s raid was notable for its boldness—he was operating hundreds of miles from the nearest confederate force without any hope of relief or resupply—but in the broader context of the Civil War it is remembered as a only minor action.