Serafina's Promise

by Ann E. Burg Narrated by Carmen Jewel Jones

Overview

A luminous novel in verse from the author of the Jefferson Cup award winner All the Broken Pieces.



Serafina has a secret dream.



She wants to go to school and become a doctor with her best friend, Julie Marie.



But in their rural village outside Port-au-Prince, Haiti,
many obstacles stand in Serafina's way-little money, never-ending chores, and Manman's worries.



More powerful even than all of these are the heavy rains and the shaking earth that test Serafina's resolve in ways she never dreamed.



At once heartbreaking and hopeful, this exquisitely crafted story will leave a lasting impression on your heart.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Awards and Nominations for SERAFINA'S PROMISE:Kirkus Best Book of the YearParents' Choice Gold Award winnerSchool Library Journal Best Books of the YearNew York Public Library 100 Books for Giving and SharingThe Herald-Sun Wilde Award for Longer books, Middle grade novelCybils Awards Finalists, Middle Grade FictionNAACP Image Awards Outstanding Literary Work-Youth/Teens nomineeALA Notable BookALA Notable Trade Book in the Field of Social StudiesMichigan Great Lakes Great Books Award nomineeBank Street College Children's Book Committee - Best Children's Books of the YearAmericas Award, Commended Title

Kirkus Reviews

★ 2013-08-15
Eleven-year-old Serafina has a dream: to go to school and become a doctor. Yet her life outside of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, is filled with urgent chores and responsibilities. A natural healer, Serafina has already witnessed the loss of baby brother Pierre to disease and hunger, wishing she could have done more to save him. Now Manman is about to have another baby. How will her family ever do without Serafina's help or afford her school uniform? Burg uses gentle language and graceful imagery to create the characters that make up Serafina's loving family--Papa, Manman and Gogo, her wise grandmother. (Sadly, Granpè was taken away long ago by the Tonton Macoutes.) Told in first-person verse appealing to both reluctant and passionate readers, the novel is woven with Haitian history, culture and Creole phrases. Readers will root for this likable heroine as she overcomes obstacles--poverty, family obligations, the catastrophic 2010 earthquake--in her effort to emulate her mentor, Antoinette Solaine, the physician who tried to save Pierre. The spirit of the text's celebration of the power of determination, family, friendship and love is ably captured in Sean Quall's delightful cover art. Lilting, lyrical and full of hope. (Historical fiction. 10-14)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940176080827
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	03/22/2022
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

Read an Excerpt

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. 

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