New Releases by Margarita Engle

“Exceptional.” —Booklist (starred review) “Heartfelt…Thoughtful and effective.” —The Horn Book “Engle’s lyrical poetry emotionally conveys the reality of being a greatly gifted, passionate, and deeply ambitious young man in a turbulent time.” —BCCB From acclaimed author Margarita Engle comes a gorgeous novel in verse about Rubén Darío, the Nicaraguan poet and folk hero who initiated the literary movement of Modernismo. As a little boy, Rubén Darío loved to listen to his great uncle, a man who told tall tales in a booming, larger-than-life voice. Rubén quickly learned the magic of storytelling, and discovered the rapture and beauty of verse. A restless and romantic soul, Rubén traveled across Central and South America seeking adventure and connection. As he discovered new places and new loves, he wrote poems to express his wild storm of feelings. But the traditional forms felt too restrictive. He began to improvise his own poetic forms so he could capture the entire world in his words. At the age of twenty-one, he published his first book Azul, which heralded a vibrant new literary movement called Modernismo that blended poetry and prose into something magical. In gorgeous poems of her own, Margarita Engle tells the story of this passionate young man who revolutionized world literature.

From award-winning poet Margarita Engle comes Dreams from Many Rivers, an middle grade verse history of Latinos in the United States, told through many voices, and featuring illustrations by Beatriz Gutierrez Hernandez. From Juana Briones and Juan Ponce de León, to eighteenth century slaves and modern-day sixth graders, the many and varied people depicted in this moving narrative speak to the experiences and contributions of Latinos throughout the history of the United States, from the earliest known stories up to present day. It''s a portrait of a great, enormously varied, and enduring heritage. A compelling treatment of an important topic.

Ahora disponible en español, la animada novela juvenil en verso de la galardonada autora Margarita Engle sobre un niño cubanoamericano que visita el pueblo de su familia en Cuba por primera vez y conoce a una hermana que no sabía que tenía. A Edver no le hace ninguna gracia que lo envíen a Cuba a ver al padre que apenas conoce. Sin embargo, ahora que las leyes de viaje han cambiado y es mucho más fácil reunir a las familias divididas, su mamá piensa que es hora de que padre e hijo pasen tiempo juntos. Edver no se imagina lo que le depara el verano, ¡pero definitivamente no espera conocer a la hermana que ni siquiera sabía que existía! Luza es un año mayor y está muy entusiasmada por conocer a su hermanito, hasta que se da cuenta de cuán diferentes han sido sus vidas. A la busca de cualquier cosa que puedan tener en común, se meten en internet y accidentalmente atraen la atención de un peligroso cazador de animales salvajes. Edver ha luchado contra muchísimos villanos en los videojuegos. Ahora, para salvar la selva que tanto quieren, ¡Luza y él tendrán que encontrar un modo de derrotar a un villano real!

La traducción al español de esta novela en verso “bellamente escrita y estimulante” (School Library Journal, crítica estelar) de la galardonada autora Margarita Engle, que cuenta la historia de Antonio Chuffat, un joven de ascendencia africana, china y cubana que se convierte en un campeón de los derechos civiles. Asia, África, Europa: los ancestros de Antonio chocaron y se mezclaron en la hermosa isla de Cuba. El país lucha por independizarse de España. Los esclavos africanos y los chinos bajo servidumbre por endeudamiento son forzados a trabajar largas horas, rompiéndose el lomo en los campos de cultivo. Por eso Antonio se siente afortunado de haber conseguido trabajo como mensajero, haciendo que su rica mezcla cultural sea una ventaja. A traves de su trabajo conoce a Wing, un joven chino vendedor de frutas que escapó a duras penas de las revueltas contra los asiáticos en California, y su hermana Fan, una talentosa cantante. Con la injusticia rodeándolos por todas partes, los tres amigos han decidido que en estos tiempos de rebelión violenta y esclavitud, las armas no han de ser el único modo de ganar la libertad. Perturbadora, a la vez que hermosa, esta es la historia de un muchacho que se convirtió en campeón de los derechos civiles de quienes no podían hablar por sí mismos.

It''s the Festival of Lights in Nepal, and today is the day to honor dogs! Brothers Alu and Bhalu wander the streets of Kathmandu, passing by twirling kites and bamboo swings, looking for a dog to feed. But as night falls, their task begins to feel hopeless, until they spot a small black dog who is in need of a friend. This sweet story presents an important Hindu holiday through the eyes of two young boys, making it relatable for both those familiar with the holiday and those reading about it for the first time.

In this beautiful picture book filled with soaring words and buoyant illustrations, award-winners Margarita Engle and Sara Palacios tell the inspiring true story of Aída de Acosta, the first woman to fly a motorized aircraft. On a lively street in the lovely city of Paris, a girl named Aída glanced up and was dazzled by the sight of an airship. Oh, how she wished she could soar through the sky like that! The inventor of the airship, Alberto, invited Aída to ride with him, but she didn’t want to be a passenger. She wanted to be the pilot. Aída was just a teenager, and no woman or girl had ever flown before. She didn’t let that stop her, though. All she needed was courage and a chance to try.

In early 1940s Los Angeles, Mexican Americans Marisela and Lorena work in canneries all day then jitterbug with sailors all night with their zoot suit wearing younger brother Ray, as escort until the night racial violence leads to murder. Told in verse format.

Gorgeous illustrations surround a collection of poetry written for children about the magic, beauty, and promise of sea voyages.

From Young People’s Poet Laureate and award-winning author Margarita Engle comes a lively middle grade novel in verse that tells the story of a Cuban-American boy who visits his family’s village in Cuba for the first time—and meets a sister he didn’t know he had. Edver isn’t happy about being shipped off to Cuba to visit the father he barely knows. Why would he want to visit a place that no one in Miami ever mentions without a sigh? Yet now that travel laws have changed and it’s a lot easier for divided families to be reunited, his mom thinks it''s time for some father-son bonding. Edver doesn’t know what this summer has in store, but he’s definitely expecting to meet a sister he didn’t know existed! Luza is a year older and excited to see her little brother, until she realizes how different their lives have been. Looking for anything they might have in common, they sneak onto the internet—and accidentally catch the interest of a dangerous wildlife poacher. Edver has fought plenty of villains in video games. Now, to save the Cuban jungle they love, he and Luza are going to have to find a way to conquer a real villain!

Showcasing the colorful buildings and iconic classic cars of Havana, this verse picture book follows a Cuban boy and his family on their road trip into the city.

En este poético libro de memorias—ganador del premio Pura Belpré de autor, finalista del premio de YALSA de no ficción y premio de honor Walter Dean Myers—la aclamada autora Margarita Engle recrea su infancia, que transcurrió a caballo entre dos culturas durante la Guerra Fría. Margarita es una niña de dos mundos. Su corazón está en Cuba, la isla tropical de su mamá, un sitio tan exuberante, de una vida tan intensa, que parece el reino de un cuento de hadas. Pero la mayor parte del tiempo, vive en Los Ángeles, sola en la bulliciosa ciudad, soñando con los veranos, en los que puede montarse en un avión y viajar por el aire encantado a su amada isla. Las palabras y las imágenes son compañeras constantes, amistosas y reconfortantes, mientras que los niños en la escuela no lo son. Entonces estalla una revolución en Cuba. Margarita teme por su familia lejana. Cuando la hostilidad entre Cuba y Estados Unidos se desata en la invasión de Bahía de Cochinos, los mundos de Margarita chocan de la peor manera posible. ¿Cómo es posible que los dos países que ella quiere se odien tanto mutuamente? ¿Y podrá volver a visitar su hermosa isla de nuevo?

Musician, botanist, baseball player, pilot—the Latinos featured in Bravo!, from author Margarita Engle and illustrator Rafael López, come from many different countries and from many different backgrounds. Celebrate their accomplishments and their contributions to a collective history and a community that continues to evolve and thrive today! Biographical poems include: Aida de Acosta, Arnold Rojas, Baruj Benacerraf, César Chávez, Fabiola Cabeza de Baca, Félix Varela, George Meléndez, José Martí, Juan de Miralles, Juana Briones, Julia de Burgos, Louis Agassiz Fuertes, Paulina Pedroso, Pura Belpré, Roberto Clemente, Tito Puente, Ynes Mexia, Tomás Rivera. Bravo! también está disponible en edición en español.

Con poemas traducidos por Margarita Engle, ¡Bravo! brilla en esta versión al español. Músico, botánico, jugador de béisbol, piloto—los Latinos incluidos en esta colección provienen de muchos países diferentes y de muchos backgrounds diferentes. ¡Celebre sus logros y sus contribuciones a la historia colectiva y a una comunidad la cual continúa evolucionando y prospera el día de hoy! ¡Bravo! incluye poemas biográficos sobre: Aida de Acosta, Arnold Rojas, Baruj Benacerraf, César Chávez, Fabiola Cabeza de Baca, Félix Varela, George Meléndez, José Martí, Juan de Miralles, Juana Briones, Julia de Burgos, Louis Agassiz Fuertes, Paulina Pedroso, Pura Belpré, Roberto Clemente, Tito Puente, Ynes Mexia, Tomás Rivera ¡Bravo! is also available in English-language editions. Musician, botanist, baseball player, pilot—the Latinos featured in Bravo!, by author Margarita Engle and illustrator Rafael López, come from many different countries and from many different backgrounds. Celebrate their accomplishments and their contributions to a collective history and a community that continues to evolve and thrive today!

"When Mamacita chose to call me Estrellita, / it was her way of imagining a little bit / of starlight, deep down in that cavern / where only rare streaks of day or night / could reach--now, Lucero and I will be / Morning Star and Little Star, / a lit-from-within racing team " A young girl stricken with rickets and her mother face the aftermath of the Spanish-American War, the challenges of a new century and innovative teachers. Dreams realized and dreams crushed exploring the freedoms only a magical horse can offer. Award winning author Margarita Engle brings a tale of history mixed with a touch of fantasy. "Cuando Mamacita decidiO nombrarme Estrellita / fue su modo de imaginar un poco / la luz de las estrellas, en el fondo de esa cueva / a la que solo llegaban / escasas luces del dIa o de la noche. / Ahora Lucero y yo seremos / el caballo del alba y la pequeNa estrella: / un equipo de carreras iluminado por dentro " Una chica joven lisiado con ricketts y su madre enfrentan las secuelas de la Guerra Hispano-Americana, los desafIos de un nuevo siglo y profesores innovadores. SueNos Realidad y sueNos aplastados explorando las libertades sOlo pueAden ofrecer un caballo mAgico. Autor galardonado Margarita Engle trae un cuento de historia mezclada con un toque de fantasIa.

In this poetic memoir, which won the Pura Belpré Author Award, was a YALSA Nonfiction Finalist, and was named a Walter Dean Myers Award Honoree, acclaimed author Margarita Engle tells of growing up as a child of two cultures during the Cold War. Margarita is a girl from two worlds. Her heart lies in Cuba, her mother’s tropical island country, a place so lush with vibrant life that it seems like a fairy tale kingdom. But most of the time she lives in Los Angeles, lonely in the noisy city and dreaming of the summers when she can take a plane through the enchanted air to her beloved island. Words and images are her constant companions, friendly and comforting when the children at school are not. Then a revolution breaks out in Cuba. Margarita fears for her far-away family. When the hostility between Cuba and the United States erupts at the Bay of Pigs Invasion, Margarita’s worlds collide in the worst way possible. How can the two countries she loves hate each other so much? And will she ever get to visit her beautiful island again?

While the other orangutans settle down for a nap, one orangutan longs to dance the day away. Join her as she seeks the perfect dance partner in a story told through tanka poems, a form of ancient Japanese poetry. 40pp., Color Ill.

In this acclaimed picture book bursting with vibrance and rhythm, a girl dreams of playing the drums in 1930s Cuba, when the music-filled island had a taboo against female drummers.

Quebrado has been a slave on captain Bernadino de Talavera''s pirate ship for years, but when a hurricane sinks the ship and kills most of the crew, Quebrado escapes to safety and finds acceptance and refuge in a nearby village. Poems tell his story.

As the Panama Canal turns one hundred, Newbery Honor winner Margarita Engle tells the story of its creation in this powerful new YA historical novel in verse.

Tiny Rabbit wants more than anything to be big--until he discovers that he is just the right size for the most important thing of all.

When Tony''s mother is sent to jail, he is sent to stay with a great uncle he has never met in Sierra Nevada. It is a daunting move—Tony''s new world bears no semblance to his previous one. But slowly, against a remote and remarkable backdrop, the scars from Tony''s troubled past begin to heal. With his Tió and a search-and-rescue dog named Gabe by his side, he learns how to track wild animals, is welcomed to the Cowboy Church, and makes new friends at the Mountain School. Most importantly though, it is through Gabe that Tony discovers unconditional love for the first time, in Mountain Dog by Margarita Engle. A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2013

A dog that has just graduated from "sniffing school" advises readers what to do if they become lost in the woods and assures them that his smart nose will lead him to where they are. Includes facts about dogs'' noses. Full color.

Newbery Honor-winner Margarita Engle tells the story of Cuban folk hero, abolitionist, and women''s rights pioneer Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda in this powerful YA historical novel in verse.

In early twentieth-century Cuba, bandits terrorize the countryside as a young farm girl struggles with dyslexia. Based on the life of the author''s grandmother.

Juan Francisco Manzano was born in 1797 into the household of wealthy slave owners in Cuba. He spent his early years at the side of his owner''s wife, entertaining her friends. His poetry was his outlet, reflecting the beauty and cruelty of his world.

Acclaimed poet Engle has created a breathtaking portrait of Cuba in this story told in verse. For the first time, both English and Spanish translations of this Newbery Honor and ALA Notable Book are presented separately in one edition.

Daniel has escaped Nazi Germany with nothing but a desperate dream that he might one day find his parents again. But that golden land called New York has turned away his ship full of refugees, and Daniel finds himself in Cuba. As the tropical island begins to work its magic on him, the young refugee befriends a local girl with some painful secrets of her own. Yet even in Cuba, the Nazi darkness is never far away . . .

Cuba has fought three wars for independence, and still she is not free. This history in verse creates a lyrical portrait of Cuba.

A portrait in poems of Juan Francisco Manzano, the poet who was born a slave in Cuba in 1797.