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Silver people : a tale from the Panama canal / Margarita Engle.
Reviewed by Janine Kitson in "Education" Vol. 95 No. 4 May 19, 2014, p. 25. Includes suggestions for learning activities and small group discussion. Review available at URL below. One hundred years ago, the world celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal. It was a miracle. Where a mountain once stood was now a path of water connection the world's two largest oceans. But creating a miracle is no easy task. For only a few coins a day, teenagers Mateo and Henry endure homesickness, backbreaking labour, ferocious heat, landslides, and disease as they dig through the mountain with a little more than a shovel. Thousands around them lose their lives, while displaced souls like local herb girl Anita, and the endangered rainforest itself, do what they can to survive. This verse novel tells the story of one of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken. Includes bibliographical references (page 214) One hundred years ago, the world celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal. It was a miracle. Where a mountain once stood was now a path of water connection the world's two largest oceans. But creating a miracle is no easy task. For only a few coins a day, teenagers Mateo and Henry endure homesickness, backbreaking labour, ferocious heat, landslides, and disease as they dig through the mountain with a little more than a shovel. Thousands around them lose their lives, while displaced souls like local herb girl Anita, and the endangered rainforest itself, do what they can to survive. This verse novel tells the story of one of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken.