A luminous novel in verse from the author of the Jefferson Cup award winner ALL THE BROKEN PIECES.
Serafina hasa secret dream. She wants to go to schooland become a doctorwith her best friend, Julie Marie. But in their rural villageoutside Port-au-Prince, Haiti,many obstaclesstand in Serafina's way--little money,never-ending chores,and Manman's worries. More powerful eventhan all of theseare the heavy rainsand the shaking earththat test Serafina's resolvein ways she never dreamed. At once heartbreaking and hopeful,this exquisitely crafted storywill leave a lasting impressionon your heart. Praise and Reviews for ALL THE BROKEN PIECES: Jefferson Cup award winnerBOOKLIST Editors' ChoiceALA Best Books for Young AdultsIRA Notable Book for a Global SocietyALA Popular Paperback for Young Adults*"[A] stirring debut novel . . . will make readers want to rush to the end and then return to the beginning again to make connections between past, present, friends and enemies."--BOOKLIST, starred review*"The verse form carries highly charged emotions and heavy content with elegiac simplicity."--KIRKUS, starred review*"Using spare free verse, first-time novelist Burg beautifully evokes the emotions of a Vietnamese adoptee as he struggles to come to terms with his past."--PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, starred review"...the story is a lovely, moving one."--SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Ann Burg's debut novel, All the Broken Pieces, was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, a Jefferson Cup award winner and an IRA Notable Book for a Global Society, among its many honors. All of her subsequent novels in verse have garnered multiple awards and starred reviews. Serafina's Promise was named an ALA Notable, a Parents' Choice Gold Award Winner, and an NAACP Image Award finalist. Unbound was the winner of the New-York Historical Society Children's History Book Prize, the Christopher Award, and an Arnold Adoff Poetry Honor. Flooded was a Bank Street College Claudia Lewis Award winner, a Bank Street College Best Children's Book (with outstanding merit), and a Junior Library Guild selection. Burg worked as an English teacher for ten years before becoming a full-time writer. She lives in Rhinebeck, New York, with her family. Visit her online at annburg.com. As the dark, cloudy waterflows into my basin,I wonder where Banza goeswhen he disappears.Sometimes we don't see himfor weeks. I wonder what it's liketo always be hungryand wander about every daylooking for food. Sometimes I'm hungry.Sometimes my bellyis so empty it grumbles,and a plate of riceor a black bananais just not enough. On those days,Papa sings louder,and Manman's eyesare softer.Gogo takes my handand we dance awaythe rumbles. I wonder what hungeris like without a familyto fill the emptiness. I think about Baby Pierre.He never had a chanceto grow fat with our love. Praise and Reviews for ALL THE BROKEN PIECES: Jefferson Cup award winnerBOOKLIST Editors' ChoiceALA Best Books for Young AdultsIRA Notable Book for a Global SocietyALA Popular Paperback for Young Adults*"[A] stirring debut novel . . . will make readers want to rush to the end and then return to the beginning again to make connections between past, present, friends and enemies."--BOOKLIST, starred review*"The verse form carries highly charged emotions and heavy content with elegiac simplicity."--KIRKUS, starred review*"Using spare free verse, first-time novelist Burg beautifully evokes the emotions of a Vietnamese adoptee as he struggles to come to terms with his past."--PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, starred review"...the story is a lovely, moving one."--SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
