Overview

A bilingual biography of José Martí, who dedicated his life to the promotion of liberty-abolishment of slavery, political independence for Cuba, and intellectual independence from colonialism for all Latinos. Written in verse with excerpts from Martí's seminal work, Versos sencillos. Yo soy un hombre sincero De donde crece la palma, Y antes de morirme quiero Echar mis versos del alma. As a boy, José Martí was inspired by the natural world. He found freedom in the river that rushed to the sea and peace in the palmas reales that swayed in the wind. Freedom, he believed, was the inherent right of all men and women. But his home island of Cuba was colonized by Spain, and some of the people were enslaved by rich landowners. Enraged, Martí took up his pen and fought against this oppression through his writings. By age seventeen, he was declared an enemy of Spain and forced to leave his beloved island. Martí traveled the world, speaking out for Cuba's independence. But throughout his exile, he suffered from illness and homesickness. He found solace in New York's Catskill Mountains, where nature inspired him once again to fight for independence. Written in verse, with excerpts from Martí's seminal Versos sencillos, this book is a beautiful tribute to a brilliant political writer and courageous fighter of freedom for all men and women.

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9780892393756

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* Otheguy and Vidal tell a timely story that will inspire many to fight for equality and sings songs for freedom. -- Booklist, starred review * Otheguy debuts with a bilingual story, written in gentle and measured verse, about activist Jose Marti... Excerpts from Marti's Versos sencillos thoughtfully underscore this moving account of his crusade for justice. -- Publishers Weekly, starred review * In bringing an important life back into the conversation during divided political times, this book spotlights a steadfast hero and brilliant writer still worth admiring today. -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review * A sensitive and poignant tribute to one of Latin America's most important historical figures that will encourage readers of all ages to fight for freedom and peace. -- School Library Journal, starred review * Discover: A direct and approachable introduction to the life and works of Cuban poet and freedom fighter Jose Marti. -- Shelf Awareness, starred review Best Books of the Year, School Library Journal Children's Book Award, International Literacy Association (ILA) Best Books, Kirkus Reviews Junior Library Guild Selection North American Academy of the Spanish Language Award, Academia Norteamericana de la Lengua Espanola Americas Book Award, Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs Choices, Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) Best Books for Kids, New York Public Library Tejas Star Reading List, Texas Library Association (TLA)

* ""Otheguy and Vidal tell a timely story that will inspire many to fight for equality and sings songs for freedom."" -- Booklist, starred review * ""Otheguy debuts with a bilingual story, written in gentle and measured verse, about activist José Martí... Excerpts from Martí's Versos sencillos thoughtfully underscore this moving account of his crusade for justice."" -- Publishers Weekly, starred review * ""In bringing an important life back into the conversation during divided political times, this book spotlights a steadfast hero and brilliant writer still worth admiring today."" -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review * ""A sensitive and poignant tribute to one of Latin America's most important historical figures that will encourage readers of all ages to fight for freedom and peace."" -- School Library Journal, starred review * ""Discover: A direct and approachable introduction to the life and works of Cuban poet and freedom fighter José Martí."" -- Shelf Awareness, starred review ""Otheguy's verse is seamlessly combined with excerpts from Martí's own Versos sencillos. Vidal's gouache folk art-style illustrations are soft yet evocative; they bring to life the rich countryside of Cuba with its palmas reales as well as the lush autumn foliage of the Catskills. This is a gorgeous bilingual tribute to the life of Cuba's hero-poet."" -- The Horn Book Américas Award - Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs Best Books - Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year - School Library Journal CCBC Choices - Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) Junior Library Guild Selection North American Academy of the Spanish Language Award - Academia Norteamericana de la Lengua Española Tejas Star Reading List - Texas Library Association (TLA)

North American Academy of the Spanish Language Award; Best Books; Tejas Star Reading List; Starred Review; Starred Review; Starred Review; Starred Review; Junior Library Guild Selection; AmEricas Book Award; Best Books of the Year; Children's Book Award; Choices; Starred Review; Best Books for Kids* Otheguy debuts with a bilingual story, written in gentle and measured verse, about activist Jose Marti, detailing his efforts to free Cuba from Spanish rule--and its people from slavery--by disseminating pamphlets and writing for newspapers. After being jailed and exiled to New York, Marti continued his campaign to liberate the Cuban people while finding solace in the Catskills: the grass grew wild/ and seemed to whisper/ that Cuba still needed him. Vidal (Little Bek Longtail Learns to Sleep) uses a subtle folk art style in her detailed gouache illustrations, creating people who resemble terra-cotta figurines. Excerpts from Marti's Versos sencillos thoughtfully underscore this moving account of his crusade for justice. -- Publishers Weekly, starred review * Weaving in work from poet and Cuban freedom fighter Jose Marti, Otheguy presents a sensitive portrayal of the revolutionary. Told in stanzas paired alongside Dominguez's Spanish translation, Marti's life story faces detailed, evocative full-page paintings, some painful (Marti witnessed the horrors of slavery), others celebratory. While the pale-skinned Cuban's life contained many contradictions and political subtleties, the book focuses on Marti's love of country and ties it in not only to his writing work, but to a more literal love of a homeland: his affinity for nature that continued even when he lived in the United States in exile. 'In the Catskills, Jose splashed in the waterfalls, / hiked through the helecho, / the ferns that lined the paths, / and admired the thick bark of the oak trees, ' Otheguy writes. . . . In bringing an important life back into the conversation during divided political times, this book spotlights a steadfast hero and brilliant writer still worth admiring today. -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* Otheguy and Vidal tell a timely story that will inspire many to fight for equality and sings songs for freedom. -- Booklist, starred review * Otheguy debuts with a bilingual story, written in gentle and measured verse, about activist Jose Marti... Excerpts from Marti's Versos sencillos thoughtfully underscore this moving account of his crusade for justice. -- Publishers Weekly, starred review * In bringing an important life back into the conversation during divided political times, this book spotlights a steadfast hero and brilliant writer still worth admiring today. -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review * A sensitive and poignant tribute to one of Latin America's most important historical figures that will encourage readers of all ages to fight for freedom and peace. -- School Library Journal, starred review * Discover: A direct and approachable introduction to the life and works of Cuban poet and freedom fighter Jose Marti. -- Shelf Awareness, starred review Best Books of the Year, School Library Journal Children's Book Award, International Literacy Association (ILA) Best Books, Kirkus Reviews Junior Library Guild Selection North American Academy of the Spanish Language Award, Academia Norteamericana de la Lengua Espanola Americas Book Award, Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs Choices, Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) Best Books for Kids, New York Public Library Tejas Star Reading List, Texas Library Association (TLA)

Author Information

Emma Otheguy is a children's book author and a historian of Spain and colonial Latin America. She is a member of the Bank Street Writers Lab, and her short story ""Fairies in Town"" was awarded a Magazine Merit Honor by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Otheguy lives with her husband in New York City. This is her picture book debut. You can find her online at emmaotheguy.com. Beatriz Vidal is an award-winning painter and illustrator, whose titles include Marti's Song for Freedom/Marti y sus versos por la libertad from Lee & Low Books. Her artwork has been featured in numerous exhibitions around the world, including the International Exhibition of Illustrations for Children in Italy and the Society of Illustrators in New York. Vidal divides her time between New York City and Buenos Aires, Argentina. You can visit her online at beatrizvidal.com.

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