Stolen Man

Uprooted from their homes and torn away from their families, the men in the hull of the Amistad are chained together. At home, Sengbe was a father and a husband. But now, to those who have captured him and taken him from Africa, he is just a slave. Sengbe manages to free himself and the others on board. They gain control of the ship–but will they be able to take control of their destiny? This is a true story on a sensitive topic written especially for younger readers and skillfully told by four-time Parents Choice Award winning author Barry Louis Polisar. "Polisar has told the story of the Amistad slave rebellion, giving it a personal face and tackling his subject with compassion and understanding. He deftly explores a difficult subject in an illuminating and positive way, conveying what it is like to be unable to speak freely. Polisar subtly shows how speech can be a tool in the service of justice; when Sengbe and his fellow captives are unable to speak, that injustice comes across in the story just as strongly as the physical chains that bind them. This is an engaging children's story and one that deserves to be told as skillfully as Polisar tells it."– Susan Vaillant, Library Information Specialist Barry Louis Polisar is an author, songwriter, poet, and story-teller for children who also writes songs and books for adults. He performs his songs on two different Grammy Award-winning albums and sings his song "All I Want is You" in the opening credits of the Academy Award winning movie Juno. Barry's songs are featured in television shows, feature films, and dozens of TV ads throughout the world. His books and poems have been translated into other languages and his songs have been recorded and performed by singers and musicians internationally. He has written songs for Sesame Street and The Weekly Reader and starred in a television show for children that won two Emmy awards. A five time Parents' Choice Award winner, Barry is a pioneer in the world of music for children. He has recorded and shared his songs, poems, stories, and books with audiences throughout the world and has performed at The White House, The Smithsonian, and The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He gives concerts and author visits in schools and performing art centers from Washington DC to Fairbanks, Alaska and was given a Special Library Recognition Award for his "ability to communicate with and excite children to read." His work has been featured on National Public Radio and written about in The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Newsweek, and People Magazine. "This fictional biography tells the story of the Amistad slave rebellion through the eyes of Sengbe Pieh, who waslater given the name Joseph Cinque. Polisar imagines the prisoner's longing for his home and family, the horrendousjourney across the sea, the slaves' mutiny, and, finally, Cinque's trial in the U.S. The terse, exciting narrative willintroduce younger readers to the history. "– Booklist, The American Library Association "Gr 3-5–Polisar tackles the dramatic story of Joseph Cinque and the 1839 revolt on the slave ship Amistad. He tellsthe story entirely from Cinque's point of view, imagining his horror at being captured and torn from his family, hisgrowing determination to escape, and his confusion at landing in the hands of the American justice system. Thewriting is gripping…Polisar's book will whet readers' appetites to know more." – School Library Journal "Polisar handles the details gently in this beginner chapter book and keeps his focus on the man who only wanted toget back to his country, his wife and his children."– San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego, California