Twelve year old Quebrado whose name means the broken one is a child of two cultures. He is half islander and half Spanish and now he is a slave of a pirate aboard ship in the Caribbean Sea in 1509. Aboard this pirate ship is Alonso de Ojeda who made his fortune selling islanders as slaves and curiosities in Spain and now it's Alonso' turn to be a prisoner. As a hurricane hits and shatters the ship, it's every man for himself regardless of wealth, power and social rank. Quebrado washes ashore and is taken to a cave by natives to ride out the storm in safety. There a lovestory blossoms. Meanwhile the prisoner and the pirate captain will find their fates entwined and now the scales of justice will tip into balance. Written in her usual spare and beautiful free verse, the story points its spotlight on an historical point of view rarely heard. Ages 9-12 160 pages 978-0805092400