What do you think?
Rate this book
Red Midnight
When guerrilla soldiers strike Santiago's village, they shoot at everyone in their path. Dos Vías is on fire, and the night glows red. "Take the cayuco and sail to the United States of America. Now go!" Santiago's uncle Ramos tells him, and Santiago, twelve, and his four-year-old sister, Angelina, flee. With a map, a machete, and very little food, Santiago and Angelina set sail in their uncle Ramos's sea kayak, built for just such an escape, but not for a sailor who is only a boy. Santiago heads for the United States on a voyage that will take them through narrow channels guarded by soldiers, shark, infested waters, and days of painful heat and raging storms. Santiago knows that he and Angelina probably will die trying to make the voyage, but they certainly will die at the hands of rebels or government soldiers if they do not try. In this tale of courage, survival, and triumph, Ben Mikaelsen introduces readers to a danger and fear that is far too real for many children, and he reminds us of the responsibility and power that the world's richest nation bears to help end it.
224 pages, Library Binding
First published April 26, 2002
49 people are currently reading
384 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
March 29, 2018
Gripping, and not just because I spend my Tuesdays working with women fleeing violence in their home countries, some of them, like the narrator in this book, Q'eqchi' speakers from Guatemala. Ben Mikaelsen does an admirable and mostly successful job of maintaining narrative discipline in conveying the voice of an indigenous teenager fleeing a massacre while carrying his four year old sister, the family's only survivors. He also manages to convey in human terms the immense personal tragedy that lies behind some of the current migration, how dangerous and debilitating the trip can be. By those standards alone, successfully weaving the cultural and political issues into an engaging if terrified character for whom education was largely a matter of learning how to tend the family's small field. Mikaesen brings those issues back on stage in an afterword that seeks to remind the United States of one of the all-too-many things that should never be forgotten--that a major power, bent on its own purposes and willfully ignorant of circumstances and consequences, can not only sanction but become an accomplice to unforgivable crime.
Read
March 29, 2019Santiago lived in a village with his family. One night the village was raided by soldiers and Santiago's family was killed, except for his sister, Angelina. I cannot imagine what that would be like for santiago. Santiago knew that if they wanted to escape, they would have to flee Guatemala and go to the United States. To get to the United States, Santiago would have to sail there in his uncles cayuco. A cayuco is a canoe with a sail. The only experience Santiago had sailing was a short trip he had gone on with his uncle a few years before. Santiago would have to weather through storms, pirates, and starvation before they arrived in the United States. I would probably not be able to endure the hardships that Santiago and Angelina had to go through just to survive. I pray that nobody has to go through anything like the story this book tells
Read
January 16, 2018I really liked how the book started with Santiago's village being destroyed. It really drew my interest and made me want to read what he did to get away from the Guerilla Soldiers. I like how the book wasn't just Santiago taking care of himself, but also taking care of his little sibling because I felt like that really made it harder for him in the book. I wish the book would've used less foreshadowing when talking about the trip to America because I wanted Santiago to have to come up with decisions of what to do on his own. I think that this would've made it even harder for him to reach America and would've made it seem like he had to face a lot more challenges on his way. I like how the author made Angelina (his little sister) actually act like a 6 year old with a lot of different mood changes and questions because if she was just quiet it would've made the book seem less life like. Some of the parts about the sailing trip made the book seem more fictional which I didn't really like. For example, the part about how Santiago kept the boat from flipping by himself in a really bad storm with little practice of sailing really didn't seem realistic with such a small boat. I think it was cool how brave Santiago was and how he seemed to not back down at any point in the book. Where as I would've probably stopped after hearing that my parents had died and jus given up due to how sad I'd be. Overall I felt that the story had a lot of life tips in the case of a major incident like this, and how a person can do just about anything they set their mind to if they have enough drive.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2020
This was a great tale to read. It tells the story of two children sent on a quest to find the United States of America. Their story is an unforgettable journey from Guatemala to the US. I loved the story of hope and loss. It is an all too common story of how refugees try to come to the US. It was a page turner and a great story.
February 28, 2017
When guerrilla soldiers strike Santiago's village, they destroy everything in their path. They kill his whole family except him and his little sister. Running away meant really far away. On the path finds helpful people but surviving is not easy. He needs to survive with only limited supplies. His destination is the United States of America. He uses Uncle Ramos's sea kayak. Sailing through narrow channels guarded by soldiers, shark-infested waters, and days of painful heat and raging storms, Santiago and Angelina face an almost impossible voyage hundreds of miles across the open ocean. This is a great book and i recommend reading it for everyone any size.
December 19, 2019
It was a good book! One of the only things i didn't like about it was the ending was kind of rushed. Even after that it was still a good book!
November 30, 2010
Listened to this powerful novel on CD. Santiago and his little sister Angelina escape from Guatemala after their entire village is slaughtered by soldiers (in the 1980s). They try to sail all the way to the U.S. in a small sailing kayuko. Santiago's only 12, and he's terrified and devastated, but he holds it together for the sake of his sister. Turns it into kind of a game, a la the film Life Is Beautiful.
The opening chapters have some brutal violence in them, but this is an exciting, heartbreaking adventure tale that upper elementary and middle school kids would love.
The opening chapters have some brutal violence in them, but this is an exciting, heartbreaking adventure tale that upper elementary and middle school kids would love.
November 9, 2009
Red Midnight was really good and well written. But, it was so sad, I cried on the first page.
March 20, 2017
Red Midnight, written by Ben Mikaelsen, was a great read and had me yearning for more every page. In the book, the main character is a young boy, around 12-years-old, named Santiago. Around midnight, his village is raided by soldiers and a voluminous amount of people were killed along with it. Despite the egregious event, Santiago found a way to escape with his four-year-old sister named Angelina. Before leaving the village, Santiago’s uncle named Ramos, gives him an escape plan. The plan was to get to the U.S. After escaping from the village, the two fearful kids made their way to the village of Los Santos and find the village raided and people killed as well. After making their way through the village, they stop and sleep at their Uncle Ramos’s house. They are awoken by Ramos’s friend named Enrique, who gives them supplies for their tremendous journey ahead. Through the brisk morning, they travel to the shore with Enrique in his boat. Before heading off into the open sea, Enrique wishes them luck and heads back home. Santiago had the hopes of arriving in the U.S in 20 days. This goal unfortunately did not happen, and he and his sister began to starve and become dehydrated. With multiple attempts at catching fish for food, they were left with nothing and had to endure the rest of the trip, with the greatest chance of dying. Ten days or so after they expected to arrive, the made it to Florida, where they made major news and were greeted by everybody there.
The name of the book, Red Midnight, comes from the light of the fires bouncing off the clouds and the time at night the raid occurred. I thought this was a very sophisticated way of incorporating the name into the book. In my opinion, the book was very exhilarating and detailed. Every page had you urging to read the next and I could not put the book down. I read the book in about three days on my own leisure and I enjoyed all of it. There are a multitude of examples of detail in the book I could support this. When Santiago is running away from his village in fear, his Uncle stops to tell him where to go, “Pain makes Uncle Ramos bite his lip until it bleeds.’What you have seen tonight makes you a man,’ he says, his voice weak” (3). The amount of detail Mikaelsen put into this book is just astonishing. I believe that these small imagery details can cause a reader to keep going. Another example of his detail is when Santiago and his sister are in the boat rationing food, “Angelina takes the doll and stares at it. ‘I think the doll is hurt and needs a friend,’I say, ‘Will you help her?’ Angelina turns the doll in her hands and nods. ‘I think the doll is very hungry,’ she says”(144). I found this dialogue very amusing, and it almost brought a good mood to a terrible situation that they were in. Finally, Santiago and Angelina are cutting notches in the boat to signify how many days they have been on the water, “This is the only time each day that I enjoy, because I can count the notches. Each notch means we have survived another day”(166). This line really hit me hard. Santiago is basically saying that the only thing to do to fight the boredom, is to count the amount of days they had a second chance at. These small pieces of dialogue that Mikaelsen added in just make the book ten times better if you think deeply about the things the characters say. In conclusion, I recommend this book for somebody who anticipates adventure and is older than thirteen. Some things in the beginning of the book could be difficult for a younger audience to read because of how real and gruesome it is. Once you pick it up, you will not put it down. I would easily give this book a 9/10. The only thing I thought it needed, was to be lengthier. All-in-all though, great book.
The name of the book, Red Midnight, comes from the light of the fires bouncing off the clouds and the time at night the raid occurred. I thought this was a very sophisticated way of incorporating the name into the book. In my opinion, the book was very exhilarating and detailed. Every page had you urging to read the next and I could not put the book down. I read the book in about three days on my own leisure and I enjoyed all of it. There are a multitude of examples of detail in the book I could support this. When Santiago is running away from his village in fear, his Uncle stops to tell him where to go, “Pain makes Uncle Ramos bite his lip until it bleeds.’What you have seen tonight makes you a man,’ he says, his voice weak” (3). The amount of detail Mikaelsen put into this book is just astonishing. I believe that these small imagery details can cause a reader to keep going. Another example of his detail is when Santiago and his sister are in the boat rationing food, “Angelina takes the doll and stares at it. ‘I think the doll is hurt and needs a friend,’I say, ‘Will you help her?’ Angelina turns the doll in her hands and nods. ‘I think the doll is very hungry,’ she says”(144). I found this dialogue very amusing, and it almost brought a good mood to a terrible situation that they were in. Finally, Santiago and Angelina are cutting notches in the boat to signify how many days they have been on the water, “This is the only time each day that I enjoy, because I can count the notches. Each notch means we have survived another day”(166). This line really hit me hard. Santiago is basically saying that the only thing to do to fight the boredom, is to count the amount of days they had a second chance at. These small pieces of dialogue that Mikaelsen added in just make the book ten times better if you think deeply about the things the characters say. In conclusion, I recommend this book for somebody who anticipates adventure and is older than thirteen. Some things in the beginning of the book could be difficult for a younger audience to read because of how real and gruesome it is. Once you pick it up, you will not put it down. I would easily give this book a 9/10. The only thing I thought it needed, was to be lengthier. All-in-all though, great book.
March 7, 2021
"I know that the night will be long - this, I cannot change. But I also know that when the morning comes, the red will disappear and the sun will shine and the sky will be blue again."
What a beautifully written book.
Red Midnight is a survival story about a 12 year old boy, Santiago, and his 4 year old sister, Angelina. After being woken up in the middle of the night, Santiago's mother tells him that the soldiers have come to his small Guatemalan village and that he must take his sister and flee. Soon after, Santiago watches as the soldiers kill his family and everyone else in the village. The fires the soldiers set burn the midnight sky red. As he is escaping with his sister, Santiago finds his uncle wounded by a gunshot and barely alive. His uncle tells Santiago to take his cayuco and sail to the United States where they can be safe and tell people about the atrocities in Guatemala. What follows is a beautiful yet heart-wrenching story about a young boy trying desperately to keep himself and his sister alive long enough to reach Florida.
From the very beginning, you can see the care and effort Mikaelsen took in writing this story. It's really fantastic work and was such higher quality than other books I've been reading lately. It's hard to explain, but his attention to detail is fantastic and every passage feels incredibly well-crafted. I knew from the beginning, this would be a 5-star read.
I appreciate Mikaelsen's approach to writing a story like this. He never shied away from speaking about the atrocities committed and what these young children had to ordeal. Mikaelsen also did a great job explaining the background history so that any reader, regardless of their previous knowledge of the topic, can understand what is happening and why. Mikaelsen also touched upon immigration and negative attitudes towards immigrants from Americans. It's sad but This story really just highlights how, as a country, we need to treat situations like these with more compassion and understanding. I would honestly recommend this story to everyone and I think it will leave a lasting impression on me.
What a beautifully written book.
Red Midnight is a survival story about a 12 year old boy, Santiago, and his 4 year old sister, Angelina. After being woken up in the middle of the night, Santiago's mother tells him that the soldiers have come to his small Guatemalan village and that he must take his sister and flee. Soon after, Santiago watches as the soldiers kill his family and everyone else in the village. The fires the soldiers set burn the midnight sky red. As he is escaping with his sister, Santiago finds his uncle wounded by a gunshot and barely alive. His uncle tells Santiago to take his cayuco and sail to the United States where they can be safe and tell people about the atrocities in Guatemala. What follows is a beautiful yet heart-wrenching story about a young boy trying desperately to keep himself and his sister alive long enough to reach Florida.
From the very beginning, you can see the care and effort Mikaelsen took in writing this story. It's really fantastic work and was such higher quality than other books I've been reading lately. It's hard to explain, but his attention to detail is fantastic and every passage feels incredibly well-crafted. I knew from the beginning, this would be a 5-star read.
I appreciate Mikaelsen's approach to writing a story like this. He never shied away from speaking about the atrocities committed and what these young children had to ordeal. Mikaelsen also did a great job explaining the background history so that any reader, regardless of their previous knowledge of the topic, can understand what is happening and why. Mikaelsen also touched upon immigration and negative attitudes towards immigrants from Americans. It's sad but This story really just highlights how, as a country, we need to treat situations like these with more compassion and understanding. I would honestly recommend this story to everyone and I think it will leave a lasting impression on me.
March 11, 2023
This is an authentic read about the plight of people living in Central American countries ruled by dictators. It helps people like me, living in the land of the free, understand why these people are so desperate to get to America. In cases like Guatemala, where soldiers or gangs raid villages, killing everyone in sight, it's either stay and die or take your chances with the long journey to America.
Santiago barely escapes with his young sister when soldiers raid his village and kill his family. First they must get through a series of challenges, riding undetected in the backs of trucks, to get to his uncle's house. His uncle has a boat that's basically a sea kayak with a sail, that can get him through the waterways of Guatemala to the open sea. Though his uncle perished with his family, a neighbor helps them prepare for the voyage and accompanies them to the open water. The rest of the journey will take about 20 days, up the coast, around the Yucatan peninsula, across the gulf, to Florida.
Santiago has many challenges. Managing the boat during storms, scorching sun, catching fish, avoiding pirates, finding time to sleep, and most importantly helping his sister cope. He's an excellent example of a good big brother. Seeing how well he cares for his sister's needs is touching. He's also resourceful, anticipating problems before they become insurmountable. I love the ending. Very realistic. When they wash up on shore, barely able to walk, a few people yell denigrating remarks. But others take appropriate action to help the kids and get them to a hospital.
Still relevant 20 years after the initial publication and worth a read. Won't capture kids as much as some of the more recent survival books on the market, but the fact that it has a historical anchor makes it especially important to push.
Santiago barely escapes with his young sister when soldiers raid his village and kill his family. First they must get through a series of challenges, riding undetected in the backs of trucks, to get to his uncle's house. His uncle has a boat that's basically a sea kayak with a sail, that can get him through the waterways of Guatemala to the open sea. Though his uncle perished with his family, a neighbor helps them prepare for the voyage and accompanies them to the open water. The rest of the journey will take about 20 days, up the coast, around the Yucatan peninsula, across the gulf, to Florida.
Santiago has many challenges. Managing the boat during storms, scorching sun, catching fish, avoiding pirates, finding time to sleep, and most importantly helping his sister cope. He's an excellent example of a good big brother. Seeing how well he cares for his sister's needs is touching. He's also resourceful, anticipating problems before they become insurmountable. I love the ending. Very realistic. When they wash up on shore, barely able to walk, a few people yell denigrating remarks. But others take appropriate action to help the kids and get them to a hospital.
Still relevant 20 years after the initial publication and worth a read. Won't capture kids as much as some of the more recent survival books on the market, but the fact that it has a historical anchor makes it especially important to push.
December 9, 2019
At first, this book was extremely slow, and I didn't really have much interest in it. But then I continued reading, deciding to give it a chance, and it got better! It was still a bit, I don't know, youngish, or something? But it definitely improved once Santiago and his little sister were on the run. That's when things started happening!! :)
Most of the book took place in the boat, or the cayuco. They had to learn how to sail the boat in storms, make sure they had enough food--food can go bad when it gets wet, too--find a way to get more, and just stay alive. At this point, the book had picked up more and I read nearly the entire thing last night in one sitting (except for the first 30 pages or so).
Content:
Language--very mild (a few uses of h*ll or **mn-probably only once or twice)
Violence--medium (at the beginning of the book Santiago's village is attacked by soldiers so there are a few things here.
Extra--
Most of the book took place in the boat, or the cayuco. They had to learn how to sail the boat in storms, make sure they had enough food--food can go bad when it gets wet, too--find a way to get more, and just stay alive. At this point, the book had picked up more and I read nearly the entire thing last night in one sitting (except for the first 30 pages or so).
Content:
Language--very mild (a few uses of h*ll or **mn-probably only once or twice)
Violence--medium (at the beginning of the book Santiago's village is attacked by soldiers so there are a few things here.
Extra--
May 12, 2017
Red Midnight by Ben Mikaelsen is a story of a boy named Santiago and his sister Angelina. Guerrillas came and destroyed their village. Santiago and Angelina escape and go on their uncle's kayak and explores to find a new and safe land. They go on these adventures that are life-threatening. I enjoyed this book. It gave a lot of description and it was adventurous. It was sad because they were away from their family and had to live on their own. I liked how the author described things and it made it feel so real to me. I loved the story of the book because it was sad, intense, adventurous, and a mix of everything! I loved the story because it made me really interested in it. I didn't like how some parts were slow going and sometimes they dragged on a lot and it wasn't interesting. But the rest of the story was really good! I liked how it was this boy and his little sister together, trying to find a safe place to stay and they didn't have any family with them to love and that they had each other and created a special bond between the two of them. The story is well written and it is easy to understand and follow for the most part. Some of the words they used confused me a little bit, but overall this was an amazing book!
October 19, 2018
When I read this book, I liked the tension the book created with Santiago Cruz and his sister riding through the forest. As a little kid, it must have been hard for Santiago to help his little sister through the trip. Getting through many hardships in a small wooden boat across the Caribbean to America is a significant journey. They meet pirates and a tourist boat which they are able to proceed with their journey. At one point in the trip they expect to reach land in 20 days. Unfortunately they did not reach land in 20 days and began to starve and become dehydrated. Santiago and his sister resorted to fishing; they caught nothing. 10 days after the expected arrival time they finally reached Florida. After landing in Florida they recover in a hospital. Normally, they would have been deported, but because of all the suffering they went through the authorities let them stay. I also liked how the author made you feel like you were a part of Santiago throughout his journey. The detail the author put into the book is tremendous. I like this book’s genre as it takes me through a journey. I’m not sure if I would recommend it though, because it gets a little weird sometimes.
April 16, 2018
The author amazed me with this book. I could almost feel Santiago's feelings for the entire book. I could know the struggle of every single movement. Santiago was really clever because he thought ahead by multiple days. This is much better than most books that I have read. Santiago was so likable that I didn't want to put this book down. It had really good deep meanings. I have one complaint about the book though. I feel like Angelina should have been more emotional because she didn't seem that sad when (MINOR SPOILERS FOR BEGINNING OF BOOK) Her parents got shot. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a very likable character and a really action packed adventure.
August 5, 2021
Mikaelsen also did a great job explaining the background history so that any reader, regardless of their previous knowledge of the topic, can understand what is happening and why. He also explains it in a way young readers can understand, but not to the point of scarring them or glossing it over.
He also covers the topic of immigration in a heartbreaking truthful way: as Santiago and Angela reach the US and the long-hoped for freedom, they were met with Americans being upset to see "boat people" come in the night.
I read this book in middle school, and I think it is a great book for the age group (and older) to be introduced to these themes.
He also covers the topic of immigration in a heartbreaking truthful way: as Santiago and Angela reach the US and the long-hoped for freedom, they were met with Americans being upset to see "boat people" come in the night.
I read this book in middle school, and I think it is a great book for the age group (and older) to be introduced to these themes.
May 11, 2017
Soldiers have invaded his Guatemalan village and 12-year-old Santiago witnessed the horrific deaths of nearly his entire family. Now he and his four year old sister Angelina are running away. His uncle has a small boat called a cauyco, and made Santiago promise to try to sail to the United States and tell everyone what is happening in their villages. So the 2 children set out through dangerous waters, storms and even pirates. They are playing a game called "staying alive." True to form, Mikaelsen's novel is full of adventure, suspense and danger. An intense read.
May 14, 2017
A departure from Mikaelsen's books about Montana, but a gripping tale about two children who escape from a massacre in their Guatemalan village. Some graphic descriptions of the violence and terror are appropriate and necessary to explain the desperation that motivates Santiago to try to reach the US in a small sailboat. The descriptions compare favorably to the eyewitness accounts I've read about adults who have been lost at sea. Kids will readily believe that a boy with the courage and determination of Santiago could have done it.
January 11, 2023
Red Midnight was not the greatest book in my opinion but it still deserves at least 2 stars. It is about this young boy who needs to get away from everyone in his home. He takes his sister as the adventure around the world to get to the U.S.A. They are traumatized from many things but they keep going. No matter what. No one gave up. They loved everyone, tried, and a little bit off scared. They all have hardships but they always got through them.
May 11, 2017
Reading for JSD Literature Selection Committee (5 of 5 books for the meeting in May 2017).
3.5 - 4.0 so I'll round up. Author's Note at the end about Guatemala during the 1980s is well written and touching.
3.5 - 4.0 so I'll round up. Author's Note at the end about Guatemala during the 1980s is well written and touching.
December 2, 2018
This is an excellent survival at sea story with many sad details about the brutal massacres in Guatemala. It definitely kept you in suspense while rooting for the two main characters to stay strong throughout their dangerous journey to the US.
April 11, 2019
Recommend to all Americans
This is a story of how two children made it across the ocean from Guatemala to America. It is an accounting of what America helped to do killing men women and children in Guatemala in the1980’s.
This is a story of how two children made it across the ocean from Guatemala to America. It is an accounting of what America helped to do killing men women and children in Guatemala in the1980’s.
December 7, 2020
This is the story of a teenager and his younger sister who are trying to escape Guatemala after their parents and rest of the family are killed. It is an interesting read and some of the material at the back of the book is even more interesting.
December 15, 2022
In this tale of courage, survival, and triumph, Ben Mikaelsen introduces readers to danger and fear that is far too real for many children, and he reminds us of the responsibility and power that the world's richest nation bears to help end it. Definitely recommend
January 7, 2024
Enjoyed this book more than I expected to! My son and I read this together for a program his school has. He is not a reader, but this book kept him coming back to it! He is in 7th grade and doesn’t love reading, but after this book I feel like he will be reading more of this authors books!
August 25, 2017
Cool
It's a pretty lit book if I do say so my self. So yeah read it people for a story
It's a pretty lit book if I do say so my self. So yeah read it people for a story
January 19, 2018
If u like war books here is a good one to read
April 13, 2018
This book wasn't that good.
September 20, 2018
red midnoght
I think this book is good because it was from my very own country Guatemala I recommend this book to grownups and children above 10-year-old it was a great book
I think this book is good because it was from my very own country Guatemala I recommend this book to grownups and children above 10-year-old it was a great book
January 22, 2020
Red Midnight is a page turner for middle schoolers. I was cheering for Santiago and Angelina. It was similar to Refugee, but with one story line.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews