Abandoned on foreign soil in a world where language and customs are a mystery, Sophia James, the eldest of six Californian children, is in charge-and she is only eleven. Told through the eyes of the sixty-year-old Sophia as she sits with oils painting a large canvas, The Smell of Sugarcane is based on a true story. Traveling through time with Sophia, the reader witnesses the strength and power that can be found when a human spirit is determined to survive and succeed. As she advances her painting, a remarkable story unfolds in a place where love is hidden and dangers abound and children hold tight.

Rich with tropical colors, the book revolves around the island of Puerto Rico. Its factual and descriptive narrative keeps the reader captive as the painting progresses. The reader will skip a heartbeat in moments when the children are in danger and will cry for their fears and injustices or laugh and celebrate victories.

The Smell of Sugarcane is about the importance of instilling strong principles and good values at an early age. Without these, the children would have been lost. This book is about picking up the torch of life and holding it high while running with all one’s might. Ultimately, it is about good profoundly triumphing over evil.