Customer Reviews

The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Cuba's three wars for independence raged on as Rosa la Bayamesa, a nurse, tended to the sick and the injured. Using medicine made from plants, she helped the fallen soldiers, the children, even those who fought for the other side.

This verse novel is based on actual events and people, and it follows Rosa's life from 1850 to 1899. Even when they were pursued by her enemies, Rosa and her husband Jose never stopped helping others. Jose and a few other supporting characters, such as a little girl named Silvia, step in from time to time to share a poem, but Rosa is the driving force behind the story. We could all learn something from her selflessness and determination.

It's not surprising that the Surrender Tree won so many awards, including a Newbery Honor. The language is beautiful, and the story itself is one that is not often told. Especially for an American audience, this text reveals a new type of Cuba that predates the Communist revolution that sparked an arms race during the Kennedy presidency. This is a Cuba much like the early America or Jamaica--a country of people who want to have their own independence, who want to live freely as one people, no slavery, all equals. It's interesting to see the story from so many perspectives, and I think that Engle adroitly switches through the first person narratives with ease. Often writers will struggle to create variance in the voices and speech patterns of their characters, but each of the four sounds different from each other, not only in style and rhythm, but also in their character--hopes, dreams, loves, actions, driving forces. I read it twice, and I would recommend it to all readers.

-Lindsey Miller, [...]

The Surrender Tree is a magnificently, wonderful book that should find its way into the hands of upper-elementary, middle, and high school readers. The print version of Engle's novel-in-prose holds great potential for opening young minds to the injustices of the world.

The audiobook version ruins the book. The main reader for the character of Rosa mispronounces Spanish words and is very monotone. Unless you want to discourage children from listening to audiobooks, steer them far away from this edition towards the print version of the book.

Storyteller of poetry elucidates the language of war and peace. Healer speaks history in verse. Images dance. "The Last Surrender" drags. Strength and weakness, light and dark, hope and despair, create a nice book of poetry for children ages 8-10.

I realize that this just won the Newberry Honor award. What I am trying to figure out is why? Yes, it is an important interesting story previously unknown to me, however I didn't think the telling of it in poetry form was interesting at all. I cannot imagine most kids caring for it either. I found myself skimming it to just get it finished. I would have loved to read a narrative story that fleshed out the details and characters more fully. THAT would have been interesting.

I'm so glad this book mentions Jose Marti, also known to decent Cubans as "The Apostle."

Marti became one of Latin America's icons of classic literature, war patriot, compassionate human being, poet, brilliant writer and journalist.

A man of the times, he is venerated today by every thoughtful Cubano who embraces freedom, democracy and human dignity.

I wish I knew what his reaction would be if he sees our beloved country being raped, physically and morally destroyed, and its flag desecrated by a band of atrocious murderers, megalomaniacs and hatemongers.

Most certainly he'll experience anger, shame, or a wind that blows the lamp of his powerful mind.

Andrew J. Rodriguez
Award-winning author: "Adios, Havana," a Memoir.