Marti Y Sus Versos Por La Libertad: Marti's Song for Freedom
(Bilingual English/Spanish)

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. Ages 8-10. Author's agent: Adriana Dominguez, Full Circle Literary. (July)

Gr 2-5--The life of poet, writer, and freedom fighter Jose Marti (1853-95) comes alive in this lyrical, bilingual retelling of his everlasting impact on the people of his native Cuba. Growing up, Marti was an admirer of nature and fell in love with the beauty of the Cuban countryside. As he traveled the landscape, he observed the cruel enslavement of the Cuban people on sugar plantations during the period of Spanish rule. When he saw the injustice of slavery in his homeland, he knew he had to fight for Cuba's independence and the freedom of the island's people. Inspired by the U.S. Civil War, and President Abraham Lincoln, Marti called others to action and was jailed by the government for doing so. But not even imprisonment could silence him. Marti traveled extensively throughout the world, spreading his message of social justice, freedom, and peace. During his exile from Cuba, he found inspiration in the natural beauty of the Catskill Mountains in New York. Here he wrote Versos sencillos, a collection of poems that came to define the struggle for Cuban independence. Otheguy pens this biography in a series of stanzas that mimic Marti's poetry, weaving together his vision of hope for the Cuban people with rich illustrations that pay homage to the vivid hues of his native land. VERDICT 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.--Natalie Braham, Denver Public Library