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Africa Is My Home: A Child of the Amistad
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Africa Is My Home: A Child of the Amistad Hardcover - 2013

by Monica Edinger; Robert Byrd (Illustrator)


From the publisher

Inspired by a true account, here is the compelling story of a child who arrives in America on the slave ship Amistad --and eventually makes her way home to Africa. When a drought hits her homeland in Sierra Leone, nine-year-old Magulu is sold as a pawn by her father in exchange for rice. But before she can work off her debt, an unthinkable chain of events unfolds: a capture by slave traders; weeks in a dark and airless hold; a landing in Cuba, where she and three other children are sold and taken aboard the Amistad; a mutiny aboard ship; a trial in New Haven that eventually goes all the way to the Supreme Court and is argued in the Africans' favor by John Quincy Adams. Narrated in a remarkable first-person voice, this fictionalized book of memories of a real-life figure retells history through the eyes of a child -- from seeing mirrors for the first time and struggling with laughably complicated clothing to longing for family and a home she never forgets. Lush, full-color illustrations by Robert Byrd, plus archival photographs and documents, bring an extraordinary journey to life.

Details

  • Title Africa Is My Home: A Child of the Amistad
  • Author Monica Edinger; Robert Byrd (Illustrator)
  • Binding Hardcover
  • Edition 1st Ed
  • Pages 55
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Candlewick Press (MA)
  • Date 2013-10-08
  • Illustrated Yes
  • ISBN 9780763650384 / 0763650382
  • Weight 0.95 lbs (0.43 kg)
  • Dimensions 9.1 x 7.7 x 0.6 in (23.11 x 19.56 x 1.52 cm)
  • Ages 10 to UP years
  • Grade levels 5 - UP
  • Reading level 890
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 2012947752
  • Dewey Decimal Code FIC

Media reviews

[T]his book makes an important part of history accessible to child readers...
—Kirkus Reviews

[F]ascinating. A little known story filled with original research that’s a great read from start to finish. ... [N]othing comes close to "Africa Is My Home" in terms of sure research, heart, blood, sweat, and tears... it works so well on the page as to seem effortless.
—A Fuse #8 Production

Margru’s descriptions of the strangeness of life in America and her homesickness for Sierra Leona are incisive and heartbreaking. Meticulously incorporated throughout the book’s design, along with reproductions of archival materials, Byrd’s (Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!) folk art–style ink-and-watercolor illustrations vividly capture the landscapes and people of West Africa, Cuba, and the U.S.
—Publishers Weekly

Edinger avoids sensationalism without underselling the more disturbing parts of the story... An author’s note describes Edinger’s motivation in seeking out Margru’s story and traces some of her research methods, but it is her skill in imagining Margru’s life from those original sources that opens up this episode in history to young readers.
—The Horn Book

The storybooklike narrative of a child torn between two worlds is captivating, and Byrd’s finely lined color illustrations add to the story, as do reproductions of historical documents.
—Booklist

The prose is taut, and Magulu has a friendly voice, while Byrd’s sprightly, delicately lined ink and watercolor illustrations are filled with deep visual detail. A few archival document reproductions are interspersed, captioned in Magulu’s voice, adding to the sense that readers are having a conversation with the past.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Edinger tells the story of Margru's long journey home, supporting her fictionalized narrative with primary sources like news clippings and engravings. The best of Byrd's exquisite ink-and-watercolor pictures show Margru sleeping under New England quilts while dream images of Africa wreath her head.
—The New York Times Book Review

About the author

Monica Edinger is an educator and reviews children's books for the New York Times, The Horn Book, and other publications. She began her teaching career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Sierra Leone. Monica Edinger lives and works in New York City. Robert Byrd is the illustrator of the Newbery Medal-winning Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! by Laura Amy Schlitz as well as numerous other award-winning books. He lives in Haddonfield, New Jersey.
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Africa Is My Home : A Child of the Amistad
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Africa Is My Home : A Child of the Amistad

by Edinger, Monica

  • Used
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Used - Good
ISBN 13
9780763650384
ISBN 10
0763650382
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Candlewick Press. Used - Good. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages.
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Africa Is My Home : A Child of the Amistad
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

Africa Is My Home : A Child of the Amistad

by Edinger, Monica

  • Used
Condition
Used - Good
ISBN 13
9780763650384
ISBN 10
0763650382
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Candlewick Press. Used - Good. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages.
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NZ$9.68
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Africa Is My Home : A Child of the Amistad
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

Africa Is My Home : A Child of the Amistad

by Edinger, Monica

  • Used
Condition
Used - Good
ISBN 13
9780763650384
ISBN 10
0763650382
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Reno, Nevada, United States
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Candlewick Press. Used - Good. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages.
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Africa Is My Home: A Child of the Amistad
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

Africa Is My Home: A Child of the Amistad

by Edinger, Monica

  • Used
  • good
  • Hardcover
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 13
9780763650384
ISBN 10
0763650382
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Candlewick Press (MA), 2013. Hardcover. Good. Former library book; Missing dust jacket; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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Africa Is My Home : A Child of the Amistad

Africa Is My Home : A Child of the Amistad

by Monica Edinger

  • Used
  • good
  • Hardcover
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 13
9780763650384
ISBN 10
0763650382
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Candlewick Press, 2013. Hardcover. Good. Disclaimer:Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
NZ$10.12
FREE shipping to USA
Africa Is My Home : A Child of the Amistad

Africa Is My Home : A Child of the Amistad

by Monica Edinger

  • Used
  • good
  • Hardcover
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 13
9780763650384
ISBN 10
0763650382
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Seattle, Washington, United States
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This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
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Description:
Candlewick Press, 2013. Hardcover. Good. Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
NZ$10.12
FREE shipping to USA
Africa Is My Home: A Child of the Amistad
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

Africa Is My Home: A Child of the Amistad

by Edinger, Monica

  • Used
Condition
Used - Very Good
ISBN 13
9780763650384
ISBN 10
0763650382
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Candlewick. Used - Very Good. Very Good condition. Good dust jacket. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain light spine creasing or a few markings such as an owner’s name, short gifter’s inscription or light stamp. Bundled media such as CDs, DVDs, floppy disks or access codes may not be included.
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Africa Is My Home: A Child of the Amistad
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

Africa Is My Home: A Child of the Amistad

by Monica Edinger, Robert Byrd (Illustrator)

  • Used
  • Hardcover
Condition
Used: Good
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 13
9780763650384
ISBN 10
0763650382
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Africa Is My Home (Signed, with Original Sketch)
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Africa Is My Home (Signed, with Original Sketch)

by Edinger, Monica; Byrd, Robert [Illustrator]

  • New
  • Hardcover
  • Signed
  • first
Condition
New
Edition
1st Ed
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 13
9780763650384
ISBN 10
0763650382
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TRUE 1ST PRINTING SIGNED BY ARTIST ROBERT BYRD who also added an amazing freehand sketch! True story of the Amistad and one of the children on board. This copy is brand new and perfect for gift-giving. Signed by author.
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AFRICA IS MY HOME; (A Child of the Amistad) / Monica Edinger / Illustrated by Robert Byrd
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AFRICA IS MY HOME; (A Child of the Amistad) / Monica Edinger / Illustrated by Robert Byrd

by Edinger, Monica

  • Used
  • Hardcover
  • Signed
  • first
Condition
Used - Very Fine
Edition
First Printing
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 13
9780763650384
ISBN 10
0763650382
Quantity Available
1
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Lake Forest, Illinois, United States
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Description:
Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 2013. First Printing. Pictorial boards. Very Fine/Very Fine. Robert Byrd. SIGNED by Author-Artist on the pictorial title page with a small drawing of his main character, small 4to (9 3/8" x 7 3/4"), glossy pictorial boards, profusely illustrated by the author-artist with full-color map of Africa as frontispiece and many other charming pictures in full-color, archival mylar-protected pictorial dust jacket (unclipped) repeating the cover art, forest green endpapers, [i-ii] map, 55, [56-60] pages. Under serious consideration for the Newberry Award in 2014. Fictional treatment about a genuine young woman, who narrates her astonishing life: from enslavement aboard the infamous Amistad captured slave ship; the famous trial involving John Quincy Adams about freeing its slaves; and how she evenutally was able to return to Africa. Illustrated magnificently by Robert Byrd in ink and watercolor--plus there's a superb full-color, full-page frontispiece map of… Read More
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