Juana, la Avanzadora tells the story of an extraordinary woman who fought for the freedom of her country at a time when women were relegated to the sidelines.

The history of women during the Venezuelan War of Independence is marked by their absence. They are better known as cooks, nurses or companions in the revolutionary struggles of their husbands and male relatives. We know little about the women who fought on the battlefield against the Spanish Empire. Juana Ramírez is an exception.

Born into slavery in 1790, Juana Ramírez dreamed of an equal society for brown, indigenous and black people. Juana hoped to join the fight for independence from the Spanish Empire, but women were relegated to accompanying fathers, husbands, sons or brothers who went to war. At the age of 15, she joined the fight as a simple laundress and then as a makeshift nurse. But when all seemed lost at the Battle of Alto de los Godos on 25 May 1813 and the men had fallen, her actions at the head of a 100-strong all-female artillery unit won them the war. Did Juana live to see her dream of freedom come true?

Features

• 328-word families and 112 familiar words
• 36 full-page illustrations that enhance comprehension and enable vivid mental imagery while reading
• written in present tense (and past tense where needed)
• contains background information about the history of Venezuela
• contains cultural information with discussion questions
• contains an overview of the characters in the story
• Spanish with several Latin-American characteristics: more use of personal pronouns than in Spain, and the use of 'ustedes' instead of 'vosotros'.
• setting: Venezuela

For teachers

This book helps your students:

• expand their vocabulary in Spanish in a rich historical context.
• improve their Spanish skills while understanding Latin American history and culture;
• uncover the overlooked history of Latin American women's roles in Venezuelan independence;
• access a longer story tailored for intermediate to high-level Spanish learners, making it a great learning tool while enjoying a compelling narrative;
• never miss the meaning of a word with the complete bilingual word list provided at the end of the book, ensuring they grasp every aspect of the story;
• reflect on significant questions about modern-day slavery and the representation of women in public spaces;
• deepen their understanding of Venezuela's history.

Would you like to order a class set? We will give you a 10% discount on 25 or more copies of the same title. Please, order the novels via e-mail. Due to relatively small stock numbers, please allow 2-3 weeks for your order.

Note: All the materials are copyright protected, which means that it is not permitted to make copies for use in the classroom.