All About Middle Grade Review: My Brigadista Year

 

My Brigadista Year by Katherine Paterson, October 24, 2017. 208 pages. Published by Candlewick Press. Source: ARC from Publisher.

In an engrossing historical novel, the Newbery Medal-winning author of Bridge to Terabithia follows a young Cuban teenager as she volunteers for Fidel Castro's national literacy campaign and travels into the impoverished countryside to teach others how to read.
When thirteen-year-old Lora tells her parents that she wants to join Premier Castro's army of young literacy teachers, her mother screeches to high heaven, and her father roars like a lion. Lora has barely been outside of Havana -- why wold she throw away her life in a remote shack with no electricity, sleeping on a hammock in somebody's kitchen? But Lora is stubborn: didn't her parents teach her to share what she has with someone in need? Surprisingly, Lora's abuela takes her side, even as she makes Lora promise to come home if things get too hard. But how will Lora know for sure when that time has come? Shining light on a little-known moment in history, Katherine Paterson traces a young teen's coming-of-age journey from a sheltered life to a singular mission: teaching fellow Cubans of all ages to read and write, while helping with the work of their daily lives and sharing the dangers posed by counterrevolutionaries hiding in the hills nearby. Inspired by true accounts, the novel includes an author's note and a timeline of Cuban history.

First Sentence

"Ai-ee!" In all my thirteen years, I hadn't heard a screech that since the time I accidentally stepped on the cat's tail. 

When I was approached about possibly featuring My Brigadista Year on my blog, I said yes for two simple reasons. It sounded interesting and I had previously enjoyed another book, Jacob Have I Loved, by Katherine Paterson, the author of the book. So, what did I think of it?

• To be quite honest, I cannot commit on how much of the book is actually factual and how much is not, when it comes to the brigadistas and their cause to promote literacy in Cuba, as this book was the first time I had even heard of that initiative. That being said, it was fascinating to learn something new about Cuba that had nothing to do with, well, it was just nice to see a positive historical fact, yes I looked into it, from Cuban history. Though the initiative, of raising literacy, really rather cool (I was curious and did some [skimming the surface] research on it).  

• Beyond the historical aspects of the book, I want to now discuss Lora and what she experienced during the year she was in a brigadista. From the start, I knew she was going to be an interesting character to read about; as she decided and insisted at such a young age that she would help too, teach those who didn't have access to the schooling that she did, bring literacy. She's thirteen and wants to go out away from home to teach her fellow countrymen! That is pretty incredible, you know! While I don't want to spoil what happened during the year, I do want to mention how much it changed her. Not only did she assist her "family" in learning to read, they also taught her the value of working with your hands. There was definitely give and take during the whole endeavor. 

• So as not to spoil too much of the book, let's talk about the writing! I actually enjoyed Katherine Paterson's writing more in this book, as I thought she did a great job with the setting and character development, than that of her last book that I read. Case in point, I meant to only read the first page to 'check out' the story, and then next thing I knew I was closing in on the end. Her writing and the overall storyline just really drew me in.

Final Verdict: My Brigadista Year- Was an incredible journey to read about! Lora's voice just flew off the page and her story kept me glued to the page (even when I should have been doing other things). 

My Brigadista Year earns

An advanced copy of this book was received for review consideration. All thoughts are my own.