In this beautiful story told in verse, Serafina must overcome the poverty and natural disasters of her home country of Haiti if she wants to become a doctor. Haitian Creole Alphabet and Pronunciation Guide, Glossary of Foreign Phrases

Serafina is aa young girl with hopes and dreams of becoming a doctor. In the small town she lives in, dreams like this do not often come true. Serafina's days are occupied by never-ending work and disagreements with her mother. Several characters play key roles in Serafina's life in the form of close friends and family. These people ehlp to guide her on her path of ampathy and self-discovery. Unfortunately, it is tradgedy that is a tremendously influential event in Serafina's life. However, Serafina is too strong-willed to not persevere. This book is an inspiring story of family, love, ampathy, and hope. ( )

Throughout this book a young girl named Serafina faces several obstacles in pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor. She lives in an impoverished area of Haiti and her main job is to help her mother with chores around the house. Despite the hardships that occur Serafina is still determined to reach her dreams and pushes herself. Reading this book to children could teach them to never give up on their dreams, even when times get hard, this is called perseverance and Serafina’s actions and attitude display this character trait very well. ( )

Serafina is a young girl in Haiti who dreams, along with her best friend, of becoming a doctor one day. This road is not easy for her--her mother has a laundry list of chores for her to do, her family is about to gain a new baby, and she lives in a poor area, sometimes with very little food. She is very ambitious and determined, and by never giving up on her dream, she is finally able to go to school. Caring and loving, even though she has a lot of studying and school work to do to make her dreams a reality, Serafina does not forget about her loved ones.
I gave this story four stars because I especially admire Serafina's character and work ethic. I also enjoy certain literary choices such as whenever the author talks about falling or being alone, the words are spaced farther apart. It is easy to picture in one's head Serafina's environment and daily life in Haiti. Children, by reading this prose, may be able to more clearly understand that it is only with perseverance that their dreams may come true. Any reader may also appreciate his or her own life since he or she does not have to struggle like Serafina and her family have to in order to attain basic necessities such as water. Furthermore, the reader can more easily have sympathy for those in impoverished or developing countries and may also want to help those people have better lives. I could read this literary masterpiece every day! ( )

I did not want to put this book down! Serafina is a young girl growing up in Haiti. Her dream is to become a doctor, as she faces many obstacles she remains determined to someday fulfill her dream. This is the first verse novel that I have read, but I look forward to reading more. ( )