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karenbrooke's review against another edition
3.0
This is a good book for kids to learn about the development of trade throughout the world by focusing on one commodity. Lots of great pictures, too.
koreanlinda's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Torture, and Racism
Moderate: Rape
kristenremenar's review against another edition
4.0
I love non-fiction that's written as compellingly as a good novel. Amazing to see all the threads that connect world events in a different way, how our demand for cheap products leads to horrific business practices if allowed to go unchecked, how the brave words and deeds of a person from another country can inspire hope in a hopeless situation. Thought-provoking - especially when the authors compare the choices made in history to some being made today.
bookgirl4ever's review against another edition
2.0
Well-known children/young adult authors present the history of sugar, how it influenced global commerce and world history, specifically with the slave trade. I would recommend reading the Appendices before reading the text. There is an Appendix that describes how to use this book in a history classroom that is studying slavery and would like to put it into a global context rather than singling out specific major events in history, such as the Boston Tea Party, the Civil War, etc. and how they are interrelated.
Not sure how many teens would want to read this outside of required reading.
Not sure how many teens would want to read this outside of required reading.
rdyourbookcase's review against another edition
3.0
If you're looking for hardcore research and a book that reads like a history textbook, this is what you've been hoping to find! There were a lot of facts in this book - more than other nonfiction books I've read lately. I was surprised. I thought it would have more variety based on the subtitle that I saw: "A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science." Really, it should have been, "A Story of Slavery and Freedom." That was a bulk (about 80%) of the content.
If I was doing a research paper on this topic, this would be an amazing source. Alas, I was not, and I was bored.
If I was doing a research paper on this topic, this would be an amazing source. Alas, I was not, and I was bored.
tdumatrait's review against another edition
4.0
Great book. Coming from Louisiana I had no idea where the Creole values and ideals came from. To read that some of the Haitian plantation owners and overseers came here after the liberation of Haiti made so much sense to me. I grew up surrounded by sugar cane and never knew the history behind it. This brought home so many points and made me realize just how precious this commodity was at one point in time. I think my students will enjoy this book because it will allow them to see how the world was changed because of one product and the use of boycotting one product.
crystal_reading's review against another edition
4.0
This was a wonderful narrative of the history of sugar. It is classified as a young adult book, but I would recommend it for adults too.
turrean's review against another edition
4.0
Looks at how the human craving for sweetness led to upheavals in society: trade routes, cookery, slavery, war, and revolution were all driven by the sugar trade. I have probably heard before that the vast majority of African slaves were taken to the Caribbean and South America, but this book really made me see it.
mattyb's review against another edition
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Trafficking, Colonisation, Slavery, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Death, Classism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Violence, and Racism
Minor: Rape