Selavi, A Haitian Story of Hope

Landowne, Y. Sélavi, A Haitian Story of Hope. (2004). TX: Cinco Puntas Press.

Lexile Score: AD660L

Summary: This is the true story of Sélavi, meaning ‘that is life’, a small boy who finds himself homeless on the streets of Haiti. He finds other street children who share their food and a place to sleep until tragedy strikes the children again. Together they must proclaim a message of hope through murals and radio programs to show their strength.

Evaluation: This is a touching story of distress and hope. The illustrations show both distress and hope equally. The pictures also represent a variety of cultures and backgrounds. The people don’t look all the same. It provides a great message to children: never lose hope. The storyline is very engaging. It enables children to see a different side of life. A side that most students in America will never have to go through.  

The author/illustrator has a great background in Haitian culture since she’s been there before. Another reason why this book is high quality literature is because there is an essay by Haitian writer, Edwidge Danticat at the end of the story. It gives more of a background and outlook on Haiti’s culture and what life is really like there as a young child. It further proves that this story is accurate and realistic.

Literary elements: Theme- Never lose hope

Illustrations- Shows the perfect combination of sorrow, hope, and love.

Language- the mixture of the Haitian language and terms with the English story creates a more realistic feel.

Mini lesson: I would have my students write a free verse poem like I did in class about the theme of this story and then share it with the class. I enjoyed this post reading activity a lot because it helped me understand the text more and it’s a lot more engaging than a typical writing/reading response.

Target Audience: 3^rd- 8^th grade because of the mentioning of guns, shooting, and “bad guys.”