Deep in the dense Colombian jungle a mysterious emerald has been plundered by an odd band of backstabbing pirates. An unlikely character, Sara Gomez, is thrust into the action. With fang-like teeth and inexplicable nocturnal walks, she is no longer safe in her vampire-frenzied community. But alas, in 1741 the high seas are just as dangerous as lingering with landlubbers.

Specifications

• 240 unique words
• 53 pages of text
• written in past tense
• Spanish with several Latin-American characteristics
• setting: Colombia and the sea around the Caribbean islands in the 18th century

Buy the audio book ('La Vampirata' which was the former title of this book) to accompany this book, so you can listen while you read and improve your comprehension and pronunciation! Get your discount with the discount package!

Information for teachers

Themes and places for you to explore further:
* Vampires in Rhode Island– especially Mercy Brown of Exeter, RI
* Piracy in the American Colonies– Thomas Tew of Rhode Island, Sam Bellamy of MA
* Religious tolerance and intolerance
* Colonization– Spanish conquistadors compared to New England colonists
* Economic role of port cities
* Piracy in the Caribbean
* Female pirates– Anne Bonney, Mary Read
* Amsterdam
* Spanish Inquisition
* Gómez, López– last names of Sephardic Jews in the American Colonies
* Newport as a safe haven for Jews since 1647, oldest active synagogue in North America since 1763
* Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson– separation of church and state, religious tolerance
* Dominican Republic and Colombia
* Emeralds– Colombia produces 60% of the world’s supply
* Cartagena– port city for Spanish fleet system– Tierra Firme
* Don Blas de Lezo– a one-eyed, one-armed, one-legged Spaniard who defended Cartagena against the British and American Colonists in April 1741
* Weather/geography– New England, Dominican Republic, Cartagena, jungle of Colombia
* Architecture– patios, balconies, influence of colonizing country
* Jaguars in Native American cultures
* Tayrona Indians
* Lost City– Ciudad Perdida south of Santa Marta, Colombia– fictional site of novel’s Temple
* Bullying, judging others, self-esteem, self-worth, risk-taking