THE LIGHTNING DREAMER by Margarita Engle. Harcourt, March 2013.

In her usual novel in verse format, Engle tells the story of Tula, a girl who yearns for an education in a time and place where girls' educations are not valued. She is determined, though, to learn more about the words she loves, the books she reads, and more. When Tula stumbles across the work of a poet, her life changes. The words affect her deeply, and she knows she must escape from her promised marriage and become a writer. Based on the work of a Cuban woman, Engle once again demonstrates her prowess at making characters come to life.