The Friday 56 & Book Beginnings -- September 3, 2010 -- Cuba and Columbia, women's rights and books

The Friday 56 is is hosted by Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Even though we can never help them all, 

I feel my mind flying and glowing 

along with the winged creatures 

that we have rescued 

as they soar away, free . . . 

p. 56 The Firefly Letters: A Suffragette's Journey to Cuba by Margarita Engle

Page 56 had only one complete sentence but it captures the essence of this book based on the true story of Swedish women's rights activist Fredrika Bremer's three-month visit to Cuba in 1851.  The speaker in the above sentence is Cecelia, a slave at the mansion where Fredrika is staying.  A few other short excerpts that struck me:

Cecilia, again:

I just want to breathe

without gasping for air

and love my baby

without struggling 

to understand the 

impossible future.

And Elena, the young daughter of the mansion owners:

My mind soars

and whirls

in a dance

of wild fear

and graceful hope.

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Becky at Page Turners. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading. If you like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence.

Deep in the jungles of Columbia, there lives a man who loves books.

 Biblioburro: A True Story from Columbia by Jeanette Winter is such a lovely picture book that I decided to share it for this week's Book Beginnings.  Luis loves to read so much that he decides to get two burros and share his books with children all over rural Columbia.  (Biblioteca is Spanish for library.). 

A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na

A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na

A very short picture book perfect for bedtime for the under 4 crowd.  With less that 20 words on each page and soothing, beautiful illustrations ("created by combining handmade painterly textures with digitally generated layers, which were then compiled in Adobe Photoshop"), A Book of Sleep talks about how various animals sleep (standing up, alone, etc.) while the owl stays awake and watches them all.  Would make an excellent gift for a young child.  (I haven't asked my six-year-old about it yet, but I know that the text is probably too simple for her to read it more than once.)