Taste of Salt - by Frances Temple (Paperback)

About the Book

This breathtaking debut novel has captured an armful of awards--including the Horn Book Fanfare List, Booklist Editor's Choice, and the 1993 Jane Addams Children's Book Award. Frances Temple tells the story of the fight against military dictatorship in Haiti. "An excellent first effort".--School Library Journal.

Book Synopsis

Djo has a story: Once he was one of"Titid's boys, " a vital member of Father Jean-Bertrand Aristide's election team, fighting to overthrow military dictatorship in Haiti. Now he is barely alive, the victim of a political firebombing.

Jeremie has a story: Convent-educated Jeremie can climb out of the slums of Port-au-Prince. But she is torn between her mother's hopes and her own wishes for herself... and for Haiti.

Father Jean-Bertrand Aristide has a story: A dream of a new Haiti, one in which every person would have a decent life... a house with a roof... clean water to drink... a good plate of rice and beans every day... a field to work in.

At Aristide's request, Djo tells his story to Jeremie - for Titid believes in the power of all of their stories to make change. As Jeremie listens to Djo, and to her heart, she knows that they will begin a new story, one that is all their own, together.

From the Back Cover

Every Life
Makes a Story

Djo has a story: Once he was one of "Titid's boys," a vital member of Father Jean-Bertrand Aristide's election team, fighting to overthrow military dictatorship in Haiti. Now he is barely alive, the victim of a political firebombing.

Jeremie has a story: Convent-educated Jeremie can climb out of the slums of Port-au-Prince. But she is torn between her mother's hopes and her own wishes for herself ... and for Haiti.

Father Jean-Bertrand Aristide has a story: A dream of a new Haiti, one in which every person would have a decent life ... a house with a roof ... clean water to drink ... a good plate of rice and beans every day ... a field to work in.

At Aristide's request, Djo tells his story to Jeremie -- for Titid believes in the power of all of their stories to make change. As Jeremie listens to Djo, and to her own heart, she knows that they will begin a new story, one that is all their own, together.

Review Quotes

"Lyrical...An excellent first effort." - School Library Journal (starred review)
"A deeply felt, provocative statement of human courage by an exciting new author." - Horn Book Magazine (starred review)