The Wild Book
A Review by Amanda Kendall
Bibliography:
Engle, Margarita. 2014. The Wild Book. Boston: HMH Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0544022750
Plot Summary:
Fefa has always struggled with words: reading them, writing them and expressing them. Her doctor calls it "word blindness" (now called dyslexia) because letters and words are all jumbled up for her. To help, her mother gives her a blank notebook to fill with words. Hesitant at first, she begins to write her thoughts, words, and poems in the notebook very slowly and deliberately, saying "Even scribbling is such a struggle. Will my blank book ever be full?" (Engle 2014). Over time and with tremendous patience and practice, her confidence and understanding of words grows until her notebook is a thriving garden of words and stories. In her journal she shares her personal struggles, her family's love of poetry, and the daily dangers of living in Cuba in 1912.
Critical Analysis:
The Wild Book is a beautiful novel in verse based on Engle's grandmother's experiences growing up in Cuba. Engle's free verse poetry is filled with vivid imagery of both the landscape and the characters. The setting plays an intricate role in the story. 1912 Cuba was in a state of unrest. After winning independence from Spain the country was facing uncertain times. Papa explains "rebellions and choas/ have returned/ Danger roams again/ but this time/ the wild men are not soldiers,/ just greedy bandits/ who kidnap children/ and demand/ ransom money" (Engle 2014). Engle skillfully weaves the historical unrest during this time period into events throughout the novel.
Engle's characters are beautifully developed and grounded in
authenticity. Her mother, father, and brother play a particularly strong
role in Fefa's story. Her mother guides and inspires her at the beginning.
Her brother encourages her to develop her skills in the middle and
finally her father trusts her correctly identify the bandits demanding a ransom from the family. Each supporting character has an important role to play on Fefa's journey.
Although working within prose, Engle beautifully develops Fefa's story of struggling reader to budding poet. Engle's manipulation and stretching of words show Fefa's progress as she learns to read. In the beginning everything is labored and slow. "Mama heps me learn how to picture the sep-a-rate parts of each mys-te-ri-ous syl-la-ble. Still, its not easy to go so ss-ll-oo-ww-ll-yy. S l o w l y. SLOWLY!" (Engle 2014). Engle also uses all caps repeatedly to emphasize Fefa's frustration at reading OUT LOUD. By the end of the novel, Fefa is still stretching out words but the words have changed. As she breaks down "Pre-car-i-ous" (Engle 2014) it becomes clear she is no longer the struggling reader she started out as. Coming full circle in her development, Fefa says, "So I puck up one/ of the thick books/ I used to hate, and I open/ its gate-shaped cover/ and I let my strong eyes/ travel/ slowly/ exploring" (Engle 2014). It takes the course of the novel, but eventually Fefa finds her courage in the power of words and now reads slowly not out of necessity, but rather out of enjoyment and wonder.
In addition to authentic characters and setting, The Wild Book is packed with cultural markers that celebrate the Cuban experience. Throughout the novel, Engle blends Spanish words into the text like describing the pansies as pensamiento flowers and consistently referring to alligators as caimán. She includes details of Cuban flavors in everyday life like coconut milk and saffron. From dancing the wild rumba to reciting the poetry of Rubén Darío, details of authentic Cuban life in 1912 are intertwined with the poetic elements that bring the story to life. Themes of love and family across generations are present not only within the novel, but in the fact that Engle is telling her grandmother's story. Finally the inclusion of poetry within a novel written in verse
highlights the cultural importance of poetry to the Cuban community. In her author's note Engle says, "it was a time when poetry was a treasured aspect of daily life" (Englie 2014). By referencing other Latinx poets, including a poetry contest in the story, and using prose to tell Fefa's story, Engle has embraced and celebrated Cuba's love of poetry.
Review Excerpts & Awards:
HORN BOOK GUIDE (Spring 2013) "Engle relates, with some fictionalization, her grandmother Fefa's
childhood in dangerous early-twentieth-century Cuba. Fefa suffers from
"word-blindness" (dyslexia), but she slowly learns to read and write as a
blank book from Mama becomes her "garden" in which "words sprout / like
seedlings." Spare, dreamlike verse pairs perfectly with a first-person
narrator whose understanding of written language is unique."
KIRKUS REVIEWS (February 1, 2012) "he author gives readers a portrait of a tumultuous period in Cuban
history and skillfully integrates island flora, fauna and mythology into
Fefa's first-person tale. This canvas heightens Fefa's determination to
rise above the expectations of her siblings, peers and society. A
beautiful tale of perseverance."
Curricular Connections:
- Listen to Margarita Engle share the backstory of the book here. Discuss how Engle uses her family's history to inspire the story and connect to students writing their own stories.
- Create a garden of words art project. Encourage students to use a variety of colors and shapes in their concrete poetry to make the gardens look wild and overgrown. Use this art project to turn the metaphor into a reality.
- Pair with poems by Rubén Darío for extended reading.
