Engle, Margarita. Lion Island: Cuba’s Warrior of Words. 176p. S. & S./Atheneum. Aug. 2016. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781481461122.  Gr 5-8 –Engle transports readers to the world of 1870s Cuba, where Chinese indentured laborers struggle for freedom in a complex atmosphere of rebellion and injustice. The first narrator, Antonio Chuffat, acts as a messenger for Chinese diplomats trying to argue for better conditions. He meets Wing and Fan, refugees who escaped the anti-Chinese San Francisco riots for Cuba, and their perspectives add depth to the narrative. Antonio and Wing have a close but contentious relationship—as Antonio believes in the power of words and diplomacy and Wing increasingly leans toward violence. Engle’s verse moves briskly; once readers begin, they’ll want to keep turning pages. This little-known and fascinating historical moment prompts Engle’s characters to consider privilege and equity from many different angles; while fighting for liberty for the Chinese, Antonio notices that no one is attempting to free the African side of his family, and Fan considers the way society limits her choices as a woman. Young readers will be able to draw analogies to present-day injustice and to consider the power that words can have to make lasting change. VERDICT A beautifully written, thought-provoking work from a highly regarded author and poet.–Gesse Stark-Smith, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR