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La mia rivoluzione
Lora ha solo tredici anni quando, nel 1961, il governo di Fidel Castro promuove a Cuba la campagna di alfabetizzazione: tutti quelli che sanno leggere e scrivere sono chiamati a insegnare a chi è analfabeta. Lora non è mai stata fuori dall'Avana, eppure, contro il parere dei suoi genitori, decide di mettere la sua vita e il suo sapere al servizio degli altri: parte per andare a vivere sulle montagne, nella casa senza elettricità di una famiglia di contadini, dove per un anno dovrà lavorare nei campi di giorno e insegnare la sera. La sua nuova vita non sarà facile, anche a causa delle minacce costanti dei controrivoluzionari, ma ad attenderla ci sarà un universo pieno di affetti e di scoperte, destinati a cambiarla per sempre nel profondo.
170 pages, Hardcover
First published October 10, 2017
64 people are currently reading
2127 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Paterson
164 books2,384 followersKatherine Womeldorf Paterson is an American writer best known for children's novels, including Bridge to Terabithia. For four different books published 1975–1980, she won two Newbery Medals and two National Book Awards. She is one of four people to win the two major international awards; for "lasting contribution to children's literature" she won the biennial Hans Christian Andersen Award for Writing in 1998 and for her career contribution to "children's and young adult literature in the broadest sense" she won the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award from the Swedish Arts Council in 2006, the biggest monetary prize in children's literature. Also for her body of work she was awarded the NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature in 2007 and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal from the American Library Association in 2013. She was the second US National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, serving 2010 and 2011.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 290 reviews
February 14, 2018
Paterson beautifully captures teenage idealism in a moment of radical social change. But me being me, I have to say this: Cuba is to be commended for this movement, which brought literacy rates to nearly 100%. I have two colleagues who are Cuban exiles, and they say the same thing. However, I couldn’t stop hearing my Cuban manager’s voice as I read: “Yes, everyone in Cuba can read, but they can’t read what they want.” So hooray for the literacy brigades, but let’s hope for a free Cuba, too.
September 12, 2023
I don't think this is a book that would have gotten published if Katherine Paterson hadn't already won a bunch of Newbery's and National Book Awards. Patterson shares the world of the brigadista movement in Cuba in an interesting and age appropriate way. When 13-year-old Lora volunteers to join Castro's rural literacy corps, she learns how to humbly help others and meet people where they're at. It's easy to take for granted the privilege of growing up learning to read and this book will make young people appreciate how fortunate they are to have this skill. Castro is neither demonized or lionized, but you will learn how he encouraged 100,000 young people to volunteer to be literacy teachers (Lora's parents were very reluctant to let her do this), and after just a year over 700,000 people learned to read raising Cuba's literacy rate from ~70% to 96% in 1961.
September 15, 2017
Originally posted at Log Cabin Library
My Brigadista Year, tells the story of 13-year old Lora who volunteers to join a governmental army of literacy teachers tasked with teaching its citizens to read and write in Havana Cuba during the 1960's. Before Lora could enlist, she had to get her parents to sign a permission slip, which they were very hesitant to do. As the eldest of three siblings, Lora was partially responsible for watching over the younger children and her parents were concerned for her safety. As the only girl in the family, Lora's mother also wanted her daughter to be more "ladylike," a role that Lora wasn't eager to take. Lora's Abuela was the only one who seemed to understand her desire to want to feel useful and more like an adult, so she was instrumental in getting her father to agree to sign Lora's permission form. The story chronicles Lora's initial training as a Brigadista or literacy teacher at the Varadero Training Camp, transfer to her host family in the mountains, and subsequent tasks of educating them to be able to read and write so they can pass a competency exam. At the same time, it highlighted the dangerous counter-revolutionaries that were going on across the country and the fighters that were hiding within the same mountains as Lora and who were promising to kill any Brigadista's that they found.
From the author's note, Paterson relates how My Brigadista is a fictional memoir but based on her own extensive research into the history of a major literacy campaign in Havana Cuba which ran from January 28th, 1961 through December 22nd. This was a very interesting look at a time period of which I knew very little about and having the author note and time line for Cuba's history at the back of the book came in handy. Having never taught before, Lora received training and I found the details about the textbooks they used and the manner in which they were to address their students very interesting. Specifically, that they used a book called "We Shall Overcome" and how it featured pictures matched with the words that were relevant to their students daily life or ones that were felt to be important for rebuilding their nation. According to the authors note, many of these volunteer teachers were young girls, between the age of ten to nineteen who volunteered to leave the city and live in the mountains, working side by side with their host families in the field or doing housework, so that they could develop a rapport to be able to teach them to read and write. And they were successful in raising the national literacy rate in only a years time. Overall, this was a fascinating, uplifting memoir and a very nice coming of age story. I'm hoping there will also be a teachers guide for My Brigadista Year because it would make for an interesting historical fiction companion novel to a unit on Cuba, specifically the lesser known literacy campaign that Fidel Castro instituted. Students could also further explore the Cuban revolution and discuss differing views of Fidel Castro's leadership of Cuba.
* In exchange for an honest review, a review copy was received from the publisher.*
My Brigadista Year, tells the story of 13-year old Lora who volunteers to join a governmental army of literacy teachers tasked with teaching its citizens to read and write in Havana Cuba during the 1960's. Before Lora could enlist, she had to get her parents to sign a permission slip, which they were very hesitant to do. As the eldest of three siblings, Lora was partially responsible for watching over the younger children and her parents were concerned for her safety. As the only girl in the family, Lora's mother also wanted her daughter to be more "ladylike," a role that Lora wasn't eager to take. Lora's Abuela was the only one who seemed to understand her desire to want to feel useful and more like an adult, so she was instrumental in getting her father to agree to sign Lora's permission form. The story chronicles Lora's initial training as a Brigadista or literacy teacher at the Varadero Training Camp, transfer to her host family in the mountains, and subsequent tasks of educating them to be able to read and write so they can pass a competency exam. At the same time, it highlighted the dangerous counter-revolutionaries that were going on across the country and the fighters that were hiding within the same mountains as Lora and who were promising to kill any Brigadista's that they found.
From the author's note, Paterson relates how My Brigadista is a fictional memoir but based on her own extensive research into the history of a major literacy campaign in Havana Cuba which ran from January 28th, 1961 through December 22nd. This was a very interesting look at a time period of which I knew very little about and having the author note and time line for Cuba's history at the back of the book came in handy. Having never taught before, Lora received training and I found the details about the textbooks they used and the manner in which they were to address their students very interesting. Specifically, that they used a book called "We Shall Overcome" and how it featured pictures matched with the words that were relevant to their students daily life or ones that were felt to be important for rebuilding their nation. According to the authors note, many of these volunteer teachers were young girls, between the age of ten to nineteen who volunteered to leave the city and live in the mountains, working side by side with their host families in the field or doing housework, so that they could develop a rapport to be able to teach them to read and write. And they were successful in raising the national literacy rate in only a years time. Overall, this was a fascinating, uplifting memoir and a very nice coming of age story. I'm hoping there will also be a teachers guide for My Brigadista Year because it would make for an interesting historical fiction companion novel to a unit on Cuba, specifically the lesser known literacy campaign that Fidel Castro instituted. Students could also further explore the Cuban revolution and discuss differing views of Fidel Castro's leadership of Cuba.
* In exchange for an honest review, a review copy was received from the publisher.*
November 16, 2017
Lora and her family live fairly comfortably in Havana, Cuba. They aren't wealthy but Lora is able to go to a very good school in the city. Then Baptiste is overthrown and Fidel Castro comes in to power. One of Castro's initiatives is the quest to end illiteracy in Cuba. He recruits young people to be teachers in the country. Lora's family doesn't want her to do this, but she is determined to be a brigadista and do her part for her country. She is accepted into the program and heads off to training camp. There she is taught how to teach the farmers she will be living with for the next year. She is sent to the mountains and lives with the Santanas. She also teaches another family, the Acostas. Of course there are hardships as she tries to convince some of the older men they should be literate. There are also rebels in the hills who are against the Castro regime. Lora succeeds in her quest to help end illiteracy and returns to her family triumphant.
I recently reread Bridge to Terabithia so I was a bit excited about a new Katherine Paterson book. I will admit to being disappointed. For one, I felt like this was a bit of a propaganda piece for Cuba. I am not intimately familiar with Cuban history, but I would think those Cubans that fled the Castro regime would not agree with the portrayal hear. This book really made it seem like things vastly improved when Castro took over. People learn to read and write! Youth helped their country improve and went on to successful lives! Rebels kill children! It didn't show any of the negatives that Castro brought to the country, though Paterson does address that in the afterwards. Maybe things were fantastic when he came to power? I just don't know enough to know.
The other thing I wasn't thrilled about was how boring this book was. It reads like a young girl's diary, which it turns out is what it is. But you don't know that until the end of the book. There is a reason most young girls do not publish their diaries. They are boring and of no interest to others for the most part. This book was super thin, but took me forever to read simply because I wasn't excited to pick it up. Even the parts where Lora was in danger were boring and you really knew that nothing bad was going to happen. There was no tension or drama to be had here.
So I was disappointed, but I am sure this book will find its fans. It did offer a glimpse into a time and place that is not often covered in middle grade literature. It also did a good job of showing how even young people can make a difference in the lives of others through sacrifice and service. It was just a bit idealistic for my tastes.
I received it from Netgalley to review.
I recently reread Bridge to Terabithia so I was a bit excited about a new Katherine Paterson book. I will admit to being disappointed. For one, I felt like this was a bit of a propaganda piece for Cuba. I am not intimately familiar with Cuban history, but I would think those Cubans that fled the Castro regime would not agree with the portrayal hear. This book really made it seem like things vastly improved when Castro took over. People learn to read and write! Youth helped their country improve and went on to successful lives! Rebels kill children! It didn't show any of the negatives that Castro brought to the country, though Paterson does address that in the afterwards. Maybe things were fantastic when he came to power? I just don't know enough to know.
The other thing I wasn't thrilled about was how boring this book was. It reads like a young girl's diary, which it turns out is what it is. But you don't know that until the end of the book. There is a reason most young girls do not publish their diaries. They are boring and of no interest to others for the most part. This book was super thin, but took me forever to read simply because I wasn't excited to pick it up. Even the parts where Lora was in danger were boring and you really knew that nothing bad was going to happen. There was no tension or drama to be had here.
So I was disappointed, but I am sure this book will find its fans. It did offer a glimpse into a time and place that is not often covered in middle grade literature. It also did a good job of showing how even young people can make a difference in the lives of others through sacrifice and service. It was just a bit idealistic for my tastes.
I received it from Netgalley to review.
April 29, 2024
Consiglio caldamente questo libro non solo ai ragazzi ma anche ai più grandi.
“La mia rivoluzione” è un libro scorrevole pensato per i ragazzi delle scuole medie ma trasmette concetti importantissimi per tutti come la libertà ma soprattutto, l’importanza della conoscenza e del sapere.
“La mia rivoluzione” è un libro scorrevole pensato per i ragazzi delle scuole medie ma trasmette concetti importantissimi per tutti come la libertà ma soprattutto, l’importanza della conoscenza e del sapere.
January 3, 2018
My Brigadista Year is set in 1961 Cuba when Fidel Castro inspired volunteers to bring literacy to the entire country. We experience life in Cuba through the eyes of thirteen year old Lora as she joins volunteers in the campaign for nationwide literacy despite a volatile political environment. Spoiler Alert { But Not Really A Spoiler Alert Because This is History }: During this campaign literacy increased in Cuba from 60% to 96% in one year which is pretty phenomenal. No other country has ever accomplished something like this.
The writing style is appropriate for the middle-grade readers. It's candid and straight-forward; no critical thinking or inference necessary - even though I would have appreciated a little. Furthermore, when bad things occurred, Paterson tended to glaze over the tragedy spending no more than a few sentences (or with the incident towards the end a page and a half). It's good to dwell on the positive things in our lives but if the bad things were explored a little bit longer, I think I would have understood the mindset of actual volunteers in Cuba during this time a bit better.
Somethings I really liked was Paterson's brief look into racial tensions between Cubans who are descendants of the Taino people and Spanish Conquistadors and Cubans who are descendants of Africans who either immigrated to Cuba or were brought to Cuba by Spaniards for slave labor. She succinctly explores this tension with characters like Nora and Enrico who are looked down on for being "black" or having "dark-skin". Paterson also talks about Cuba and other countries holding those with lighter skin in higher esteem than those with darker skin - people who are descendants of Africans or people tend to do hard labor, like farming, outside in the sun all day. Lora's attitude towards education and dislike for skirts and dresses helps the reader see some of the gender roles prevalent in Cuba in the 1960's.
When I read about history, whether fiction or non-fiction, I hope for it to be impartial so I can decide how I feel about a matter for myself. It seemed as though the author is a supporter of Fidel Castro. I'm American and growing up my grade school teachers often painted Fidel in a negative light because capitalists are immensely afraid of those with communists ideologies. Communism is not good for capitalists' business. While intrigued by this portrait of Fidel in a positive light, I'd prefer to learn about Cuba with an untainted, neutral lens.
Nonetheless, it's conspicuous that Paterson conducted extensive research before/while writing this book. As someone who knew little about Cuba - aside from the name Fidel Castro, the US embargo, and Cubans fleeing to America on makeshift flotation devices - I found My Brigadista Year an incredibly enlightening read. I'm not fond of the partial tone Paterson writes with nor the diminutive quantity of text dedicated to Lora's hardships and some of the struggles Cubans in Havana and in the countryside face on a daily basis.
Notwithstanding, I still believe this is a great resource for those who know little about Cuba and the incredibly successful 9-month nationwide literacy campaign. My Brigadista Year is a good place to start learning about Cuba -especially if your capitalist teachers paint the nation's leaders/system in a negative light. However, I'd just suggest to continue learning about Cuba, as I hope to do this year. I hope to see Cuba from a broader perspective; I want to know the good as well as the bad. I know there is much that can be learned about Cuba's rich history and the Taino people.
If you read this, I implore you to read the author's note to see the vast extent of research Paterson did and also read the succinct "Brief Timeline of Cuban History" that Paterson generously provides at the end of the book.
One of My Thoughts Whilst Reading:
"I hate when the 'bad guy' has pimples; as if that detail makes them repulsive. Most people get pimples; they are as much a part of life as trees - natural things that aren't depicted as rebarbative! Pimples are impartial. Simply washing your face does not always efface them; so yes, people with pimples can be clean.
This is middle grade so I'd hate for someone that age to feel less than for not having perfect skin."
The writing style is appropriate for the middle-grade readers. It's candid and straight-forward; no critical thinking or inference necessary - even though I would have appreciated a little. Furthermore, when bad things occurred, Paterson tended to glaze over the tragedy spending no more than a few sentences (or with the incident towards the end a page and a half). It's good to dwell on the positive things in our lives but if the bad things were explored a little bit longer, I think I would have understood the mindset of actual volunteers in Cuba during this time a bit better.
Somethings I really liked was Paterson's brief look into racial tensions between Cubans who are descendants of the Taino people and Spanish Conquistadors and Cubans who are descendants of Africans who either immigrated to Cuba or were brought to Cuba by Spaniards for slave labor. She succinctly explores this tension with characters like Nora and Enrico who are looked down on for being "black" or having "dark-skin". Paterson also talks about Cuba and other countries holding those with lighter skin in higher esteem than those with darker skin - people who are descendants of Africans or people tend to do hard labor, like farming, outside in the sun all day. Lora's attitude towards education and dislike for skirts and dresses helps the reader see some of the gender roles prevalent in Cuba in the 1960's.
When I read about history, whether fiction or non-fiction, I hope for it to be impartial so I can decide how I feel about a matter for myself. It seemed as though the author is a supporter of Fidel Castro. I'm American and growing up my grade school teachers often painted Fidel in a negative light because capitalists are immensely afraid of those with communists ideologies. Communism is not good for capitalists' business. While intrigued by this portrait of Fidel in a positive light, I'd prefer to learn about Cuba with an untainted, neutral lens.
Nonetheless, it's conspicuous that Paterson conducted extensive research before/while writing this book. As someone who knew little about Cuba - aside from the name Fidel Castro, the US embargo, and Cubans fleeing to America on makeshift flotation devices - I found My Brigadista Year an incredibly enlightening read. I'm not fond of the partial tone Paterson writes with nor the diminutive quantity of text dedicated to Lora's hardships and some of the struggles Cubans in Havana and in the countryside face on a daily basis.
Notwithstanding, I still believe this is a great resource for those who know little about Cuba and the incredibly successful 9-month nationwide literacy campaign. My Brigadista Year is a good place to start learning about Cuba -especially if your capitalist teachers paint the nation's leaders/system in a negative light. However, I'd just suggest to continue learning about Cuba, as I hope to do this year. I hope to see Cuba from a broader perspective; I want to know the good as well as the bad. I know there is much that can be learned about Cuba's rich history and the Taino people.
If you read this, I implore you to read the author's note to see the vast extent of research Paterson did and also read the succinct "Brief Timeline of Cuban History" that Paterson generously provides at the end of the book.
One of My Thoughts Whilst Reading:
"I hate when the 'bad guy' has pimples; as if that detail makes them repulsive. Most people get pimples; they are as much a part of life as trees - natural things that aren't depicted as rebarbative! Pimples are impartial. Simply washing your face does not always efface them; so yes, people with pimples can be clean.
This is middle grade so I'd hate for someone that age to feel less than for not having perfect skin."
January 24, 2018
I thought this book was excellent. Absolutely fascinating bit of history to learn about, and it was done so well. I will look forward to recommending this for middle grade and high school readers, not to mention adults as well.
Read
February 22, 2018RTC
This covers an interesting historical time of revolution in a package suitable for young/middle grade readers.
There is a certain lack of emotion throughout, and a shying away from the more serious elements of the Brigadista experience, but again, maybe this lends itself well to younger readers, as it never goes into great detail about the atrocities taking place.
This covers an interesting historical time of revolution in a package suitable for young/middle grade readers.
There is a certain lack of emotion throughout, and a shying away from the more serious elements of the Brigadista experience, but again, maybe this lends itself well to younger readers, as it never goes into great detail about the atrocities taking place.
did-not-finish
October 8, 2017I skimmed this for acquisition purposes pre-release and my impression is that it may make a great read aloud or book club pick for middle school, but will definitely need adult support for the majority of readers. It is very history-heavy and those without background knowledge of Cuba and its history will struggle to place the story in context. That's not saying it's not a quality book, but it's not going to be a fly-off-the-shelves kid favorite like BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA. It's very much a "teaching" or issue book.
December 5, 2017
Excellent read and good view of history. I grew up during the Cuban missile crisis and it is interesting to me to see the other side of the story. This story does not focus on that, but there is a good timeline at the end of the book that goes into a bit more detail about the actual historical events. The focus of this story is the literacy campaign - and the methods used for its success. It is also a coming of age story, which seems to be a favorite theme for me.
January 5, 2018
Things I did not know about Cuba before reading this book.
#1- Cuba has one of the highest literacy rates in the world, 99.75%. The USA is 86%.
#2- In 1961 Fidel Castro’s idea of turning his beloved country around was literacy, so he campaigned for well read students as young as 12 to go out and teach those who didn’t know how to read.
This is an inspiring story about a 13 year old girl who sets out to be a literacy teacher in order to save her country.
#1- Cuba has one of the highest literacy rates in the world, 99.75%. The USA is 86%.
#2- In 1961 Fidel Castro’s idea of turning his beloved country around was literacy, so he campaigned for well read students as young as 12 to go out and teach those who didn’t know how to read.
This is an inspiring story about a 13 year old girl who sets out to be a literacy teacher in order to save her country.
May 10, 2021
I had never heard of the Cuban brigadista initiative before! This is quick, compelling historical fiction that I would have swallowed whole as a kid.
June 17, 2018
I really enjoyed this book, a topic I knew very little about. Thirteen year old Lora volunteers to help Fidel Castro's team of teachers make his country fully literate. My full review will appear on my blog soon.
February 5, 2018
It's 1961, just a few years after the Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista was overthrown by Fidel Castro and his revolutionaries, when a call went out to young Cubans age 10-19 to become part of a volunteer literacy brigade. The idea was for these young people to go into the rural parts of their country where illiteracy was high and teach the campesinos there to read and write.
Living in Havana with her parents, her brothers, and her abuela, Lora Diaz Llero, 13, also hears the call for volunteers and decides she want to join. At first, her parents are totally against it, after all, Lora lives in Havana, and in the country, there is no electricity, no running water, no indoor toilet. It is her abuela who finally persuades her parents to sign the necessary papers. Soon, Lora is off to Varadero Training Camp, and then to the Escambray Mountains where Lora and the other Conrado Benítez Brigadistas (named after a martyred literacy teacher, murdered by the CIA) are divided into squads and given more orientation.
Finally, Lora is taken to the small farm of Luis and Veronica Santana and their three children. There, Lora's job is to teach the family, along with four neighbors, how to read and write, and in return, she will help the family tending crops, washing clothes on rocks in the river, fetching the day's water supply, and even learn to ride a horse.
Most of the time, things go well. Lora makes friends with the other brigadistas and it takes no time at all for her to bond with the Santanas. Still, the first brigadista year is not without danger. There is mention of the failed Bay of Pigs military invasion by the CIA, shortly after Lora arrives in Varadero and there are still counterrevolutionaries hiding in the mountains, who are specifically targeting the brigadistas. And though Lora has promised her parents that if things got too hard, she would leave the brigadistas and return home, and even though she was tempted to do that at one point, she never gives up.
My Brigadista Year is a coming of age story in which readers can really see how much Lora matures between April and December 1961. As Lora confronts various problems and difficulties, she learns to figure out the best way to solve them. The story is told from Lora's perspective, in the first person, and although I feel like she is a very flat character, she does a good job of narrating what she is going through. In fact, none of the characters really stood out for me, nor did I feel they were very memorable. What probably will stick with me the most is the information Paterson included about the literacy program.
Interestingly, Paterson really seems to have taken pains to keep My Brigadista Year relatively free of partisan politics. She neither promotes Castro's Cuba, only mentioning communism once throughout the novel, nor does she presents the United States as a better alternative. Paterson also touches on social attitudes based on skin color. Lora says her mother kept her out of the sun so her skin doesn't get a dark tan, something that Lora resents. Yet, she is quite taken with Marissa, one of her roommates at Varadero, thinking what a beautiful girl she is with her light tan skin, clearly indicating that light skin is more valued than darker skin. Later, in the country, this is reinforced when her friend Maria falls for a very dark skinned boy, but is devastated when her family forbids her to have anything to do with him. None of this is followed through, however, just there for readers to draw their own conclusions.
My Brigadista Year is a very interesting though rather at times a didactic work of historical fiction based in real events. And although Cuba's past is not a history most young Americans are familiar with, this book will only give them cursory information about Cuba in the early 1960s. It is up to the reader to explore Cuba's history further. By the way, the literacy program was one of Cuba's most successful campaigns after Castro took over, bringing the literacy rate there down from approximately 23% to 4%.
Be sure to read the Author's Note for background information on the brigadista program and Paterson's reasons for writing this novel. There is a helpful map at the front of the novel, and a very useful timeline of Cuban history at the back of it.
Living in Havana with her parents, her brothers, and her abuela, Lora Diaz Llero, 13, also hears the call for volunteers and decides she want to join. At first, her parents are totally against it, after all, Lora lives in Havana, and in the country, there is no electricity, no running water, no indoor toilet. It is her abuela who finally persuades her parents to sign the necessary papers. Soon, Lora is off to Varadero Training Camp, and then to the Escambray Mountains where Lora and the other Conrado Benítez Brigadistas (named after a martyred literacy teacher, murdered by the CIA) are divided into squads and given more orientation.
Finally, Lora is taken to the small farm of Luis and Veronica Santana and their three children. There, Lora's job is to teach the family, along with four neighbors, how to read and write, and in return, she will help the family tending crops, washing clothes on rocks in the river, fetching the day's water supply, and even learn to ride a horse.
Most of the time, things go well. Lora makes friends with the other brigadistas and it takes no time at all for her to bond with the Santanas. Still, the first brigadista year is not without danger. There is mention of the failed Bay of Pigs military invasion by the CIA, shortly after Lora arrives in Varadero and there are still counterrevolutionaries hiding in the mountains, who are specifically targeting the brigadistas. And though Lora has promised her parents that if things got too hard, she would leave the brigadistas and return home, and even though she was tempted to do that at one point, she never gives up.
My Brigadista Year is a coming of age story in which readers can really see how much Lora matures between April and December 1961. As Lora confronts various problems and difficulties, she learns to figure out the best way to solve them. The story is told from Lora's perspective, in the first person, and although I feel like she is a very flat character, she does a good job of narrating what she is going through. In fact, none of the characters really stood out for me, nor did I feel they were very memorable. What probably will stick with me the most is the information Paterson included about the literacy program.
Interestingly, Paterson really seems to have taken pains to keep My Brigadista Year relatively free of partisan politics. She neither promotes Castro's Cuba, only mentioning communism once throughout the novel, nor does she presents the United States as a better alternative. Paterson also touches on social attitudes based on skin color. Lora says her mother kept her out of the sun so her skin doesn't get a dark tan, something that Lora resents. Yet, she is quite taken with Marissa, one of her roommates at Varadero, thinking what a beautiful girl she is with her light tan skin, clearly indicating that light skin is more valued than darker skin. Later, in the country, this is reinforced when her friend Maria falls for a very dark skinned boy, but is devastated when her family forbids her to have anything to do with him. None of this is followed through, however, just there for readers to draw their own conclusions.
My Brigadista Year is a very interesting though rather at times a didactic work of historical fiction based in real events. And although Cuba's past is not a history most young Americans are familiar with, this book will only give them cursory information about Cuba in the early 1960s. It is up to the reader to explore Cuba's history further. By the way, the literacy program was one of Cuba's most successful campaigns after Castro took over, bringing the literacy rate there down from approximately 23% to 4%.
Be sure to read the Author's Note for background information on the brigadista program and Paterson's reasons for writing this novel. There is a helpful map at the front of the novel, and a very useful timeline of Cuban history at the back of it.
January 19, 2018
[I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
From the award-winning author of "Bridge To Terabithia" and "Jacob Have I Loved", this fictional memoir is set during and shortly after the Cuban revolution, as seen through 13-year old Lora's eyes. While now most of the Western world views Fidel Castro as an evil dictator, at the time he was seen as a liberator by many of the Cuban people and the atmosphere was very hopeful. One of Castro's goals was increased opportunities for education, and his regime created a sweeping literacy program that recruited young educated people, the "Brigadistas", to go and live with illiterate families in the country to teach them to read and write while also working in the fields along side them.
Thirteen-year old Lora sees the recruitment poster at school, and is eager to do her part to help her country. Though her parents are understandably concerned about her safety and initially refuse to give permission, her grandmother persuades Lora's father to let her go, with the promise that Lora will come home if it becomes to hard or dangerous. Lora is very excited to be a part of something bigger than herself, and quickly forms strong friendships with her host family and their neighbors.
However, despite her enthusiasm and dedication, Lora has to adapt to a much harder life that she is used to and faces many dangers and challenges along the way, causing her to doubt herself. Will Lora be able to see her mission through until the end, or will the threat from the members of the Batista regime who have hidden in the mountains prove to much? One young literacy worker has already been murdered; will there be more?
This is wonderful coming of age story that I hope finds its audience. The voice is somewhat unique, while the events being described happened when the protagonist and narrator was 13, she is telling the story as an adult, thus the voice and point-of-view is more mature and sophisticated than that of many popular middle-grade books. Again, while this is historical fiction, I think being written as a memoir helps hook the reader and makes it seem more real, and I loved that it came complete with an epilogue, where the now grown Lora summarizes her life up to the present, which was a wonderful bonus to an already satisfying ending.
The story is well-paced, with characters the reader will grow to love and care about. While the focus is on dedication, giving back, and being a part of something important, it gives a glimpse into the events of the revolution, and the lives of the campesinos, and there is an element of adventure and danger. I would recommend this for ages 10-14, and for readers who like historical fiction, or like inspiring stories about children accomplishing great things and being involved in important causes. Readers who may be interested in mission work, social causes, or teaching in particular would enjoy this book.
While historical fiction typically doesn't find much of a readership among my patrons, I would talk up the revolution and adventure aspect and try to relate it to some of the dystopian novels that are popular to peak their interest, since they often deal with revolution, repressive regimes, and fighting illiteracy and misinformation as well.
From the award-winning author of "Bridge To Terabithia" and "Jacob Have I Loved", this fictional memoir is set during and shortly after the Cuban revolution, as seen through 13-year old Lora's eyes. While now most of the Western world views Fidel Castro as an evil dictator, at the time he was seen as a liberator by many of the Cuban people and the atmosphere was very hopeful. One of Castro's goals was increased opportunities for education, and his regime created a sweeping literacy program that recruited young educated people, the "Brigadistas", to go and live with illiterate families in the country to teach them to read and write while also working in the fields along side them.
Thirteen-year old Lora sees the recruitment poster at school, and is eager to do her part to help her country. Though her parents are understandably concerned about her safety and initially refuse to give permission, her grandmother persuades Lora's father to let her go, with the promise that Lora will come home if it becomes to hard or dangerous. Lora is very excited to be a part of something bigger than herself, and quickly forms strong friendships with her host family and their neighbors.
However, despite her enthusiasm and dedication, Lora has to adapt to a much harder life that she is used to and faces many dangers and challenges along the way, causing her to doubt herself. Will Lora be able to see her mission through until the end, or will the threat from the members of the Batista regime who have hidden in the mountains prove to much? One young literacy worker has already been murdered; will there be more?
This is wonderful coming of age story that I hope finds its audience. The voice is somewhat unique, while the events being described happened when the protagonist and narrator was 13, she is telling the story as an adult, thus the voice and point-of-view is more mature and sophisticated than that of many popular middle-grade books. Again, while this is historical fiction, I think being written as a memoir helps hook the reader and makes it seem more real, and I loved that it came complete with an epilogue, where the now grown Lora summarizes her life up to the present, which was a wonderful bonus to an already satisfying ending.
The story is well-paced, with characters the reader will grow to love and care about. While the focus is on dedication, giving back, and being a part of something important, it gives a glimpse into the events of the revolution, and the lives of the campesinos, and there is an element of adventure and danger. I would recommend this for ages 10-14, and for readers who like historical fiction, or like inspiring stories about children accomplishing great things and being involved in important causes. Readers who may be interested in mission work, social causes, or teaching in particular would enjoy this book.
While historical fiction typically doesn't find much of a readership among my patrons, I would talk up the revolution and adventure aspect and try to relate it to some of the dystopian novels that are popular to peak their interest, since they often deal with revolution, repressive regimes, and fighting illiteracy and misinformation as well.
April 2, 2024
This is a short upper-elementary read. It's a very nice book that goes a little into Cuban history and it's literacy campaign along with what the Cubans' hope was for their new form of government.
I'd definitely recommend reading the author's note at the end
I'd definitely recommend reading the author's note at the end
December 16, 2017
Lora is a young girl who, at 13, decides to volunteer for Fidel Castro's literacy campaign to raise Cuba's literacy rate in a year. Lora struggles initially, but through the challenges is able to successfully teach the "students" under her tutelage. Despite my lack of knowledge of Cuba and the rocky history between Cuba and the US, I think this was a remarkable book.
November 12, 2017
While I would have appreciated a fuller ending that didn't feel rushed, this book is so easy to read that it makes the story accessible for anyone. And the value in understanding what happened in Cuba as Fidel took power and declared that the entire country would be literate is amazing. As a reader, anyone can value the goal in this and our teenaged main character, Lora is the perfect person to tell the story.
Needing to convince her family (through her grandmother who she was close with) that as a young teenager she'd be able to go into the countryside in Cuba to teach farmers who could not read and write to do those things was hard enough. Then the actual events that unfolded in which she would fear for her life, overcome obstacles that were different from her upbringing, and then sharing in the joy of watching people be proud of their abilities was a wonderous adventure that felt a bit too short at times. The timeline chapters moving us through the year of the brigadistas grounded readers as they explored Lora's world in the fields working alongside her host family and others in the area and then educated them at night. It was a profile of men, women, and children's attitudes toward the work and how they were raised. Then what their hopes and dreams were for their own children.
It was a touching historical fiction story and I was honored to listen to Paterson discuss it at Day of Dialog last spring and discuss the catalyst for the story.
Needing to convince her family (through her grandmother who she was close with) that as a young teenager she'd be able to go into the countryside in Cuba to teach farmers who could not read and write to do those things was hard enough. Then the actual events that unfolded in which she would fear for her life, overcome obstacles that were different from her upbringing, and then sharing in the joy of watching people be proud of their abilities was a wonderous adventure that felt a bit too short at times. The timeline chapters moving us through the year of the brigadistas grounded readers as they explored Lora's world in the fields working alongside her host family and others in the area and then educated them at night. It was a profile of men, women, and children's attitudes toward the work and how they were raised. Then what their hopes and dreams were for their own children.
It was a touching historical fiction story and I was honored to listen to Paterson discuss it at Day of Dialog last spring and discuss the catalyst for the story.
November 28, 2017
I really enjoyed this. This is nicely paced historical fiction about the literacy campaign in Cuba in the 1960's. It's told from the perspective of a 14 year old girl who volunteers as a teacher for the campaign.
Parents and teachers will love the historical notes at the end of the book as well as the listed source material.
Kids will love that it's an adventure story that moves along nicely with enough suspense to hopefully keep kids reading. I really enjoyed reading more fiction based on Cuban history, my first exposure being "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao". Though there is some overlap in timelines, I do not remember the literacy campaign being mentioned in that book, so, it was all new to me.
There is some violence in the book but it isn't described, it's just reported. There is no romance really in the book other than a friend of the main character has a crush on a boy which doesn't seem to be reciprocated. I never realized that having lighter skin was important in some sectors of Cuban culture until I read Oscar Wao. That also appears here, but, briefly.
The only thing that gives me any pause is that Katherine Paterson is not Cuban. I could not find any complaints about inaccuracies in this book, so, for now I'm overlooking that.. lol
Overall, I definitely recommend this to kids who enjoy historical fiction and adults who like reading juvenile fiction.
Parents and teachers will love the historical notes at the end of the book as well as the listed source material.
Kids will love that it's an adventure story that moves along nicely with enough suspense to hopefully keep kids reading. I really enjoyed reading more fiction based on Cuban history, my first exposure being "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao". Though there is some overlap in timelines, I do not remember the literacy campaign being mentioned in that book, so, it was all new to me.
There is some violence in the book but it isn't described, it's just reported. There is no romance really in the book other than a friend of the main character has a crush on a boy which doesn't seem to be reciprocated. I never realized that having lighter skin was important in some sectors of Cuban culture until I read Oscar Wao. That also appears here, but, briefly.
The only thing that gives me any pause is that Katherine Paterson is not Cuban. I could not find any complaints about inaccuracies in this book, so, for now I'm overlooking that.. lol
Overall, I definitely recommend this to kids who enjoy historical fiction and adults who like reading juvenile fiction.
July 3, 2017
Thank you Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
When Castro came into power he created a program to bring literacy to the entire country. With the help of volunteers he accomplishes this goal. The amazing part is that the volunteers were children, mostly ages thirteen to college age, but sometimes younger. All committed to a year, living away from their families, sometimes in dangerous situations. Katherine Paterson brings to life this little-known period of Cuban history. Although the characters in her book are fictitious, their situations are very real. The impact children made by their actions is astounding!
Not much beyond The Bay of Pigs is ever taught about Cuba so the historical information at the end of the book was interesting and informative. I loved this book so much I read it in one sitting!
When Castro came into power he created a program to bring literacy to the entire country. With the help of volunteers he accomplishes this goal. The amazing part is that the volunteers were children, mostly ages thirteen to college age, but sometimes younger. All committed to a year, living away from their families, sometimes in dangerous situations. Katherine Paterson brings to life this little-known period of Cuban history. Although the characters in her book are fictitious, their situations are very real. The impact children made by their actions is astounding!
Not much beyond The Bay of Pigs is ever taught about Cuba so the historical information at the end of the book was interesting and informative. I loved this book so much I read it in one sitting!
June 28, 2017
My Brigadista Year by Paterson was an exceptional middle grade novel about the Cuban literacy crisis and a young girl's involvement in the solution. Children should read this novel to learn about and understand that challenges Cuba faced during this time and what children were asked to do for their country. In America, this book is an important read for children to see that no matter their age, they can and should stand up for what they believe in. The power of children is clear and they need to see and believe in that.
November 24, 2017
Lora is thirteen in 1961 when she learns her country's new leader, Fidel Castro, wants to combat illiteracy in Cuba.
Lora joins the Literacy Brigadista despite her parents' objections to the dangers involved, but Lora's aubela sides with Lora, who after receiving training, goes to the countryside to teach farmers and their families to read.
My perceptions of Fidel Castro were somewhat elevated by this story. We in the U.S. preceived him only as a dictator, but he was Cuba's literacy liberator.
Lora joins the Literacy Brigadista despite her parents' objections to the dangers involved, but Lora's aubela sides with Lora, who after receiving training, goes to the countryside to teach farmers and their families to read.
My perceptions of Fidel Castro were somewhat elevated by this story. We in the U.S. preceived him only as a dictator, but he was Cuba's literacy liberator.
July 1, 2017
Wow! What a powerful book. I don't know much about Cuba's history, but the author's note and timeline at the end of this book helped fill me in on the basics. I couldn't put this down, historical fiction lovers will enjoy this book. I would recommend this to fifth-eighth graders.
December 1, 2017
How does Katherine Paterson do this at 85??...continue to write fascinating stories... and I have to give it four stars as the main character becomes a brigadista for literacy!! some political Cuban history along with a good plot..
June 11, 2017
Love this book
July 5, 2017
3.5 stars. I knew nothing about this period--so fascinating.
January 25, 2025
I learned about this book by US author Katherine Paterson and was interested to see her take on the Cuban Literacy Campaign. It’s an event that isn’t widely known in the US and one that even many anti-Castro Cuban-Americans concede had good outcomes.
Paterson has researched this topic well. Some of the details that might seem like an exaggeration are grounded in fact. For example, main character Lora is 13, and there are a couple of younger kids she encounters who also are brigadistas. Although not all of them were this young, there were indeed some brigadistas who were. The threat of danger was also real. The book mentions the names of 2 young brigadistas who were murdered by counter-revolutionaries, Carlos Benitez and Manuel Ascunce. They were real people.
Paterson also touches upon other issues in Cuban society, such as racism/colorism and sexism. For the former, some characters express their prejudices, with Lora perceiving that these views are wrong. With regard to the latter, many brigadista characters are women, and some upset their families by joining because they were stepping out of their sheltered roles at home. Lora feels empowered and expresses that she can do what the boys do. In the authors note, Paterson points out that many brigadistas were women, and that their participation defied traditional ideas about what women and girls could do.
I had mixed feelings while reading this. I can imagine that as a teen in that context, I may have wanted to participate, and the cause was noble. But as a parent, I can imagine not wanting my kid to go because of the possible dangers and because going from life in the city to a remote farm where you don’t know anyone can be quite a culture shock.
However you might feel about whether you would go or whether you’d let your child go, Paterson shows that the campaign was transformative for the brigadistas. So often people mention the results of the campaign: those who learned to read. Their lives were changed by becoming literate. Less seems to be said about the brigadistas, who were mainly teens and young adults leaving home for the first time to live with strangers, often in a rural environment and doing farm chores that were new to them. Lora shares how her life is changed as well.
Some might worry that this book is too positive a treatment of the Castro regime, but I thought this was handled well. The characters who are in favor of the revolution are largely focused on literacy rather than communism in general. There is an author’s note at the end where Paterson makes it clear that the literacy campaign was a bright spot in a regime that has repressed many freedoms. She also includes a timeline of Cuban history. Unless you are well-versed in Cuban history, this supplemental material is a must-read.
Paterson has researched this topic well. Some of the details that might seem like an exaggeration are grounded in fact. For example, main character Lora is 13, and there are a couple of younger kids she encounters who also are brigadistas. Although not all of them were this young, there were indeed some brigadistas who were. The threat of danger was also real. The book mentions the names of 2 young brigadistas who were murdered by counter-revolutionaries, Carlos Benitez and Manuel Ascunce. They were real people.
Paterson also touches upon other issues in Cuban society, such as racism/colorism and sexism. For the former, some characters express their prejudices, with Lora perceiving that these views are wrong. With regard to the latter, many brigadista characters are women, and some upset their families by joining because they were stepping out of their sheltered roles at home. Lora feels empowered and expresses that she can do what the boys do. In the authors note, Paterson points out that many brigadistas were women, and that their participation defied traditional ideas about what women and girls could do.
I had mixed feelings while reading this. I can imagine that as a teen in that context, I may have wanted to participate, and the cause was noble. But as a parent, I can imagine not wanting my kid to go because of the possible dangers and because going from life in the city to a remote farm where you don’t know anyone can be quite a culture shock.
However you might feel about whether you would go or whether you’d let your child go, Paterson shows that the campaign was transformative for the brigadistas. So often people mention the results of the campaign: those who learned to read. Their lives were changed by becoming literate. Less seems to be said about the brigadistas, who were mainly teens and young adults leaving home for the first time to live with strangers, often in a rural environment and doing farm chores that were new to them. Lora shares how her life is changed as well.
Some might worry that this book is too positive a treatment of the Castro regime, but I thought this was handled well. The characters who are in favor of the revolution are largely focused on literacy rather than communism in general. There is an author’s note at the end where Paterson makes it clear that the literacy campaign was a bright spot in a regime that has repressed many freedoms. She also includes a timeline of Cuban history. Unless you are well-versed in Cuban history, this supplemental material is a must-read.
February 11, 2018
I really liked the book, I LOVE the concept. I had no idea Cuba has a literacy rate of 99.8! Astounding, considering all the challenges this tiny country has faced.
It really got me thinking if a Cuban style literacy campaign would well in my home country India. Take a year off and go into the villages to teach. Granted the society is much more complicated and entrenched than in Cuba. But what if? Just thinking about it is so exciting. Education I believe is slowly being recognized as the only cure all to the cancer of the caste system and the systemic endless cycles of poverty and ignorance. I am a real believer in the notion that if you educate the women the society as a whole will benefit. A campaign to do that will bear fruit endlessly as each generation of educated women stand up for their daughters and their sons to go to school. Paraphrasing Tagore's words - Where Knowledge is Free, into that heaven of freedom my father let my country awake.
It really got me thinking if a Cuban style literacy campaign would well in my home country India. Take a year off and go into the villages to teach. Granted the society is much more complicated and entrenched than in Cuba. But what if? Just thinking about it is so exciting. Education I believe is slowly being recognized as the only cure all to the cancer of the caste system and the systemic endless cycles of poverty and ignorance. I am a real believer in the notion that if you educate the women the society as a whole will benefit. A campaign to do that will bear fruit endlessly as each generation of educated women stand up for their daughters and their sons to go to school. Paraphrasing Tagore's words - Where Knowledge is Free, into that heaven of freedom my father let my country awake.
August 1, 2018
Set in 1961 on the island of Cuba, this historical fiction novel tells the story of 13-year-old Lora who lives in the large city of Havana but wants to go into the countryside to help rural families learn to read. Her parents reluctantly allow her to join the corp of "brigadistas" - hundreds of young volunteers who were recruited for Fidel Castro's year-long campaign to improve literacy across the entire country. It's a fascinating piece of history that I knew nothing about (the campaign was enormously successful) and Lora is a likeable, brave character who faces many challenges and ultimately succeeds. Not particularly action-packed, but a good choice for readers who like character-driven historical fiction. One concern is that Paterson does not address Cuba's political situation to any extent and readers may get a positively skewed impression of life under Castro. Also, the title is somewhat problematic since few will know what the word "brigadista" means (I certainly didn't...) and may hesitate to pick the book up as result.
April 3, 2019
Kristy Cooper's review which starts with speculation about the possibility of this book being published if it had not been written by a Newberry/National Book award winner added to my appreciation of everything I have read by Katherine Paterson made it an easy call to move this Juvenile novel up to the top of my want-to-read list. The story of Lora, one of the 100,000 young volunteers in the 1961 Cuban literacy campaign, is told via her journal of her year teaching farm families to read while learning about being a person. Paterson's exposure as a child to other cultures gives her an degree of empathy that aids her in telling this story in an unbiased way. The purpose is not to glorify the whole Cuban experiment, but rather to commend the dedication and idealism of young people who were seeking a brighter future for themselves and those they lived among for that year.
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