“A deeply felt, imaginative approach to the life of Manzano.”

—Esmeralda Santiago, author of When I Was Puerto Rican and Almost a Woman

“Only a poet with Engle’s delicate sensitivity could have presented the complexity of Manzano’s life and the depth of his soul in such a brief and accessible book.”

—Alma Flor Ada, winner of the Pura Belpré Medal for Under the Royal Palms

“I not only learned about an exceptional life—I felt it. Soul-stirring and direct.”

—Nancy Osa, winner of the Pura Belpré Honor for Cuba 15

“A rare and stunning account of incredible torments and the triumph of an empowering mind, realized with Margarita’s diamond-light verse for all ages. A tour de force.”

—Juan Felipe Herrera, winner of the Pura Belpré Honor for Laughing Out Loud, I Fly: Poems in English and Spanish

“Every once in a while a book comes along that is so heart-achingly beautiful, so pure, you want to tear down the doors and make the world take notice. This is one of those rare works.”

—Cindy Wathen, co-author of Remembering Cesar: The Legacy of Cesar Chavez

“This beautiful, unique biography reads and sounds like a symphony. It brings to life the voices from the ‘bittersweet island of sugar and dreams.’ Lyrical, informative, and inspiring.”

—Teresa Dovalpage, author of A Girl Like Che Guevara

“Through Engle’s impassioned story, we plunge into the inhuman depths of slavery and surge up with the Poet Slave to triumphant freedom.”

—Anilú Bernardo, author of Jumping Off to Freedom

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