Serafina’s Promise by Ann E. Burg (review)

This verse novel details the dreams and longings of eleven-year-old Serafina, a young girl living on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Serafina’s mother recently gave birth to a baby, Pierre, who died days after his birth; this event brought Serafina into contact with Antoinette Solaine, a doctor who attended to Pierre in his early days and who inspired Serafina to dream of becoming a doctor. Her dreams are thwarted, however, by the endless chores and familial obligations that keep her tied to her mother and unable to attend school. The novel’s events are inextricably connected to natural occurrences; first, a flood sweeps through their village, destroying the family’s home, then the devastating earthquake of 2010 ravages Port-au-Prince, splitting apart the family members who are spread out all over the city at the time it hits. Burg (author of All the Broken Pieces, BCCB 5/09) has composed a thoughtful and lyrical examination of one girl’s inner struggles, and Serafina’s narration effectively captures her earnest determination. The verse format is well suited to Serafina’s thought patterns, as she moves in and out of present narration, snippets of memory, and sensory descriptions; it also makes the novel very accessible to younger readers who will easily follow the short lines. Despite the hardships encountered along the way, Serafina’s story has a happy ending, and readers will likely champion her sweet success. A guide to the Haitian Creole alphabet and a glossary are included.