#14

I feel like it's finally summer ~ because I was able to read a book quickly!  #14 is The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez.  Another great YA historical fiction {& a BOOK FAIR find}.  The greatest exodus of unaccompanied children ever in the history of the Western Hemisphere happened when Castro came to power in the late 50's early 60's.  Over fourteen thousand Cuban children were sent to the United States to escape being sent to Russian "boarding schools" to learn to love the revolution.  This is another part of history I didn't really know about.  Can you imagine sending your kids to another country and not knowing for sure if you'd ever see them again?  The unthinkable became reality when Castro became leader of Cuba.
This is the story of a girl, Lucia, and her brother Frankie who were sent to the United States, alone. The reader is given a rich background to a country that has been an unknown to my generation and details how a people can turn against one another and allow 'evil' to take over.  Themes of standing up for your beliefs, the power and importance of freedom, no matter the cost, the meaning of family and friendship...important for young adults to think about...  The lesson  ~ home is where the people you love are ~ rings true no matter your culture, religion, race.
Great read that left me in happy tears.
fl: I watched as a white heron circled the beach and then headed north toward the open waters of the tropics.  ll: It was good to be home.