Engle, Margarita. 2011. HURRICANE DANCERS: THE FIRST CARIBBEAN PIRATE SHIPWRECK. New York: Hary Hold and Company, LLC. ISBN 9780805092400
SUMMARY:
Gripping historical fiction novel written in verse. Each word carefully chosen to convey a message of being lost and broken to finding the strength to move on and forgive. Readers will experience this journey through the narrative voices of various perspectives linking together a story from slavery to freedom.
QUALITY & APPEAL:
Age Range: 12 years and up
Grade Level: 7th and up
Readers will be drawn into this story as the author masterfully invokes thoughts, ideas, emotional connections, and sensory imagery with each turning of the page. They will be rooting for young Quebrado as he finds his way to freedom. Readers will enjoy the journey back in time, and through the span of about twenty years, in this well organized novel. The various perspectives throughout the book add to the depth of connections and emotions the reader will feel towards its characters.
Using this type of historical fiction novel will help educators to inspire their students to read and research historical topics. The interesting topic and journey the main character experiences will ensure engagement of all students. Boys will especially be interested in the adventure this novel has in store for them.
SPOTLIGHT POEM: (Excerpt from book - Pages 132-133)
YACUYO
As soon as I am alone
on a sunlit beach,
I shed all my old names,
both the gentle ones
given by my parents,
and the rough names
I received from my life
as a ship's slave
in hurricane season.
I choose the name
of a place -- Yacuyo,
"Far Light."
The name glows brightly.
It carries me galloping
on my sky horse
all the way back
to the sheltering forests
of high mountains
where I have friends
and a home.
I no longer feel
like Quebrado,
a broken place,
half floating isle
and half
wandering wind.
I am free
of all those old
shattered ways
of seeing myself.
I am whole.
Comparing historical fiction novels written in verse:
- Read another historical fiction novel written in verse with students.
- Suggestion: INSIDE OUT AND BACK AGAIN by Thanhha Lai
- Read HURRICANE DANCERS by Margarita Engle in its entirety.
- Lead students through various types of discussions:
- Comparing:
- Main characters
- Setting
- Situations for leaving their original homes
- Their new found homes in the end
- Characteristics of each historical fiction novel written in verse
- Historical time period and events that are true from each novel
- Discuss various types of personal connections students made during each novel reading and how those connections are personally similar and/or different.
- Allow students to create a poster displaying their thoughts and ideas about both historical fiction novel, spot lighting each main character through the use of a heart map.
- Students participate in a gallery tour to view peers' posters, and give positive feedback using Post-It notes.
Research Caribbean pirate shipwrecks:
- Students work in small groups to research Caribbean pirate shipwrecks using various types of technology tools and nonfiction resources that are available.
- Students will work together to create a visual display of their choosing (using technology or creating a poster to display), and present their findings to their peers during whole class presentations.
- Students are encouraged to print and/or include visuals/pictures of facts they found during their research and include them in their display for all to see during whole group presentations.
LINKS:
No comments:
Post a Comment