Lightning Dreamer: Cuba’s Greatest Abolitionist

Winner of the Pura Belpre Honor Award Opposing slavery in Cuba in the nineteenth century was dangerous. The most daring abolitionists were poets who veiled their work in metaphor. The boldest was Gertrudis Gomez de Avellaneda. In passionate, accessible verses of her own, Engle evokes the voice of this book-loving feminist and abolitionist who bravely resisted an arranged marriage at the age of fourteen, and was ultimately courageous enough to fight against injustice. Includes historical notes, excerpts, and source notes. AGES: 12 years+ AUTHOR: Margarita Engle is a Cuban American poet and novelist whose work has been published in many countries. Her books include the Newbery Honor winning ‘Surrender Tree’, ‘The Poet Slave of Cuba’, ‘Tropical Secrets’, ‘The Firefly Letters’, and ‘Hurricane Dancers’.