C Scoushe Rosa

Zeke Thompson, American Hero C Scoushe Rosa

Publisher Marketing: Partly inspired by PBS stories of the Civil War and biographical profiles of individuals like Andrew Jackson, Zeke Thompson, American Hero follows the fictitious protagonist's life from 1850 to 1876. Born to a poor southern farmer, young Zeke is befriended by a slave from a neighboring plantation who teaches him many useful skills and leaves an indelible mark on the boy. The child also experiences the hardships of life and the cruelty of various forms of discrimination, which include social, racial, and economic. During and after the Civil War, Zeke continues to be transformed into an admirable young man who is determined to defend the rights of the downtrodden while risking his own life. Although not for the faint of heart, young and old will enjoy the story of young Zeke, who has his flaws, but manages to charm friend and foe. According to Kirkus Book Review, ..". Zeke's conviction stands out, and this entertaining novel that reads like a Forrest Gump-type journey through mid-19th century America, he is a fine prism through which to view a complicated time in our nation's history. Fun and educational - a unique look at post-Civil War America." Formatted in easy to read 14 point, Century Gothic print. Review Citations: Kirkus Reviews 06/01/2011 pg. 981 (EAN 9781452872179, Paperback) Contributor Bio:  Rosa, C Scoushe Since her toddler years in the Luquillo lowland area of Puerto Rico, where C. Scoushe Rosa was born, she has always been observant and intrigued by her surroundings. From earthworms to horses, Ms. Rosa is fascinated by most animals and can easily lose track of time watching them. She has bred ants and cared for a hamster, a rabbit, a turtle that lived more than fifty years, several birds, a few chickens, and cats. She has never owned dogs or horses, but she has befriended a few, including a German Shephard named Champ, a very loving and adorable prankster who enjoyed turning the tables on her by making her fetch toys from his master's swimming pool. While still a novice equestrian and enjoying a woodland ride in Connecticut, her mount became furious when Ms. Rosa followed the owner's instruction and didn't allow the mare to feed off the ground. The annoyed horse bucked while the other riders continued on their way and Ms. Rosa attributes her ability to stay on the horse to pure luck. She then gratefully let the mare graze to her heart's content. When she was young and spry her other outdoor activities included hiking, biking, and roller skating in New York, where she has resided for more than sixty years, since the age of four. Now she entertains herself writing and thinking. The majority of anecdotes within the story are based on actual events that occurred in or near the Luquillo Sierra, the home of the Yunque Rain Forest, which Ms. Rosa visited a few times during a forty-two-year span. Her Uncle Dolores (aka Lolo), a lifelong resident of the sierra, was often her enthusiastic tour guide. She says that Luquillo's flowing waters and the quiet moments that she spent with the local wildlife were always the most enchanting parts of her hikes and crucial to the bucolic glimpse that she offers her readers as she presents a few events from Jose Esperanza's fictional life. Through Jose's younger brother, Miguelito, she also shares a fifty-year-old unforgettable personal encounter that she had with a runaway fresh water crab that still puts a joyful smile on her face. After a thirty-two-year teaching career, Ms. Rosa still lives in New York.