Serafina's Promise

Serafina lives in modern rural Haiti. Food is scarce, and her mother is pregnant again. Serafina longs to attend school and become a doctor like Antoinette Solaine, who tried unsuccessfully to save Serafina's baby brother, Pierre. Woven into the spare first-person free-verse poems is the history of Haiti and Serafina's family. Rich details of everyday life add texture to this emotional, fast-moving tale. Glos.

Serafina lives in the land of mountains beyond mountains (dhyh mrn gen mrn): modern rural Haiti. Though her father owns a grocery store in Port-au-Prince, daily life at home is still a challenge. Food is scarce, and Serafina's mother is pregnant again. This time, maybe the baby will survive. Serafina longs for the day when she can go to school and become a doctor like Antoinette Solaine, who tried unsuccessfully to save Serafina's baby brother, Pierre. She also lives with the guilt that she somehow did not do her best to help Manman after Pierre's birth. Woven into the spare first-person free-verse poems is the history of Haiti and Serafina's family. One night Gogo, Serafina's grandmother, tells the story of her husband, who had taught himself to read and was beginning to teach his family when the dreaded Tonton Macoutes took him away. Serafina determines to fulfill Granph's dream of an education. The family finally saves enough money to send Serafina to school, but then the 2010 earthquake occurs, nearly taking Papa's life but also, unexpectedly, opening a door to Serafina's future. Rather than the sad story Americans often hear about Haiti, Burg captures the lives of hard-working people who praise God and move forward, even when difficulties conspire against them. Rich details of everyday life add texture to this emotional, fast-moving tale. A glossary and a pronunciation guide are included. robin l. smith