The Wild Book

Engle, Margarita. (2012). The Wild Book. Boston: Harcourt Publishing Company.   

Hardback | $16.99 USD | ISBN-13: 978-0547581316 | 133 pgs | Juvenile | Ages 8 & up

Fefa has trouble with reading – in fact, she has dyslexia. She has a very difficult time in school and she hates to read out loud in class. Her classmates make fun of her for this. Her mom finds a way to help her overcome this. She gives her a blank book and tells her to fill it with words. Her mom compares the book to a garden. She tells Fefa to sprinkle the words across the clean white pages of her wild book. Fefa does her best and begins to tell the story of her Cuban family.

Fefa is 10 years old at the beginning of the story. She lives with her parents and 10 siblings. The story is set during a difficult time in Cuban history, which is actually based on the real life of Engle’s grandmother. Yet despite the difficult times and struggles all around her, Fefa overcomes not knowing how to read or write. She starts off slow – it is not a race. She eventually goes on to share about all the things around her – from the flowers and the beauty in nature to the violence and kidnappings that happen around her. It is through her words that she tells an amazing story and a story that will help her family get through the difficult times ahead.

Engle’s novel is a first person narrative written in poetic form. This book is recommended for public and school libraries that serve Latino children or children who struggle with dyslexia. It may provide children who have difficulties reading and writing with the inspiration to continue to work hard and pursue their education. Engle tells a brilliant story about everything that she sees – so anyone who enjoys reading about nature or the beautiful countryside would enjoy reading this book. This book provides the reader with insight about other cultures and for that reason it is highly recommended for all ages of readers to enjoy.

Award-winning Cuban-American poet Margarita Engle wrote The Wild Book. This book won several awards listed below, which can be seen at http://margaritaengle.com/allbooks.html.

·      Kirkus Reviews New & Notable Books for Children (March 2012)

·      2012 Staff Favorites at Teaching for Change's Bookstore at Busboy and Poets

·      2013 Mock Belpre from Reforma Heartland Chapter

·      Horn Book's Guide to 2012 Notable Novels in Verse, in honor of National Poetry Month

·      2013 Bankstreet's Best Children's Book of the Year

Margarita Engle has a connection to Cuba because her mother’s hometown is Trinidad. Though her father was born in Los Angeles, California, she spent her summers in Cuba and much of her extended family was from Cuba. Engle received the first Newbery Honor ever awarded to a Latino. She has written many other award winning young adult novels in verse. Engle enjoys writing about Latin America and also animals.