Publisher's Synopsis
Jamil and his family lived in Port-au-Prince, the capital city of Haiti. Their life, which was simple and good, became challenging when their earnings were insufficient to maintain the family. Both Jamil and his wife, Noémie, worked two jobs to make ends meet. Concerned for the welfare of his family whom he loved, Jamil made the difficult decision to undertake the voyage by boat to the United States in order to search for work hoping to earn the money needed to support his family.
How would Jamil fare navigating the rough waters of the Caribbean and what effect did his absence have on the loved ones he left behind?
Teachers: In French, the passé simple is the usual tense for narrating stories in the past, especially in literary texts, fairy tales, and historical accounts. However, for our purpose in this reader, we are focusing on teaching students the passé composé and imparfait, which are the tenses most commonly used in everyday speech and writing. The passé composé is used for completed actions, while the imparfait describes ongoing situations, habits, or background details. By using these two tenses instead of the passé simple, students can better understand how to express past events in practical and conversational contexts.
