An exceptional historical fiction story about the young people of Cuba volunteering to teach fellow Cubans how to read and write. The characters develop well over the story. Very informative -- would be a good selection for a tween book discussion group.

This story carries with it not only the superb writing of Katherine Paterson but is also a tale of historical significance and as such is as much a story to be read by middle schoolers as adults.

Cuba's triumph of achieving almost 100% literacy in 2017 owes to a significant part to the Cuban literacy campaign of 1962 when the literacy rate jumped from 60-90% in 1 year due to the Conrado Benitez Brigadistas. It was a campaign that dramatically changed lives for the better. The illiterate due to the Brigadista reading education they received, the maturing that took place in the young lives of hundreds of teenagers as they worked and lived alongside their students and families and the lifelong friendships that formed among the Brigadista's themselves and their students.

At the beginning of the story Lora, a young girl on the brink of womanhood faces her parents who believe she will throw away her life if she participates in the literacy campaign. With the support of her dearly beloved and wise Abuela, her Grandmother, she obtains permission from her father to be able to share what she has with those less fortunate living in the rural areas of Cuba. That being, the ability to read and write.

Lora aspires to be a young woman, like most young women in present-day 2017 who don't spend their youth sitting around waiting for a man to make her happy. She takes on the adventure of becoming a Brigadista, to “do something, be someone.” She aspires to live.

My Brigadista Year

by Katherine Paterson

Candlewick Press

Candlewick
Children’s Fiction

Pub Date 10 Oct 2017

I am reviewing a copy of My Brigadista Year through Candelewick Press and Netgalley:

In March of 1961 Lora is thirteen years old. Lora has barely been outside of Havanna and she now says she wants to join Premier Castro’s army of young literacy teachers. Her Mother screeches and her Father roars like a lion when they learn of this. Just months before one of the literary workers had been killed so her parents fear for her safety.

Lora leaves the safety of her home with electricity for a cabin without such luxuries in order to teach others and be part of this volunteer literacy army. For a short time they live in camps then they are sent to live with host families, families without electricity, running water or indoor plumbing.

Lora stays in a two room shack with a family of three young children ages 6,5 and 3. Her new surroundings are frightening at first, especially at night. She learns that some of the men do not like the idea of being taught by young women, but the women and girls seemed more opened, she had to work to gain trust though.

Lora soon realizes that as a Brigadista she faces real danger from Bandito’s.

This is a story of a young girl who even against her parents wishes but with her abuela’s support at thirteen joined Premier Castro’s Literacy Army and travels to a part of Cuba she knows little about, but sets out determined to make a difference.

Five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

What a fascinating book about a positive time in history that is scarcely known about! Castro has just taken control of Cuba and has directed his fellow literate citizens to teach those who haven't been taught yet to read and write. A Cuban teenager, Lora, is caught up in the literacy campaign, and, except for her grandmother, goes against her parents' angst and ventures from the city to rural Cuba to teach her fellow Cubans. She bonds with her students and accomplishes much but also learns from her own experiences when counterrevolutionaries step in.
I learned about a time in history that I never knew of and I think this book will intrigue and teach young, civic-minded students of the future.

I enjoyed learning about the literacy program engaged in by Cuba, it was an ambitious project to be admired. Imagine a 12 year old leaving home to teach adults how to read. I am unsure of the age group that might find this book interesting. It did not really hold my interest, perhaps it was the writing style. I enjoyed the historical perspective.

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 Laura 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.

My Brigadista year is insightful and inspiring. I found a new appreciation for a county that I had previously ignored or stereotyped. The courage of Nora drives the story as she faces obstacles and perseveres through dangerous times. This is a book that everyone must read. It defies the conventional views of Cuba and illustrates the importance of reading and literacy.

Paterson spins an engrossing historical fiction, coming-of-age tale that will surely be discussed come Newbery Medal time. Readers will identify with and likely be inspired by 13 year-old Lora who leaves the sheltered comfort of her family’s Havana home to answer the call of Premier Castro to make Cuba a 100% literate country. The Brigadista program Lora joins is mostly made up of teenagers, young adults and eventually teachers, who after a brief training and with only the supplies they can carry on their backs, go out into the country’s farms and jungles for one year to teach previously uneducated Cubans to read and write. Lora’s parents initially refuse to allow her to go, but her abuela intercedes and persuades her parents to acquiesce, providing Lora comes home if it gets dangerous. And there are dangers: previous Brigadistas have been killed by insurgents, but Lora believes her determination to help, and a warm relationship with the families she is tutoring will keep her safe. More than just historical fiction about a little-known time in Cuban history, the novel follows Lora’s growth and maturity throughout her Brigadista year, inspiring readers to consider how they might share their own skills with those less fortunate. With a masterful writer like Paterson at the helm, of course characterization and setting are top-notch, and the pace moves quickly keeping readers engaged. From an adult reader’s perspective, I would appreciate a Cuban historian’s POV on this title as to whether Paterson has romanticized an authoritarian regime. That might lend itself to a good discussion topic for book groups or classrooms. Recommended purchase for all middle grade collections

Lora's family is poor, but has a decent life in Havana in the late 1950s. Lora wants desperately to go to a better school, but her parents don't have money to send her. Her abuela, who is very forward thinking, offers Lora jewelry that she was saving for her and says she may sell it and use the money for school. Lora does. When she is 13, Lora decides to join the Literacy Brigadistas, which was an idea of Fidel Castro's to raise the literacy rate and help the poorer, less educated people understand concepts in his new government. The Brigadistas, who were often very young and female, were given brief training on how to teach reading and then sent out into remote areas of the country to live and work with families while teaching them to read. They were given hammocks, since the families wouldn't have extra beds, lanterns so that people could learn after their day of working on the farm, and instruction in basic agricultural practice so that they could help on the farms. Lora ends up living with Luis and Veronica, who have three small children, and is also in charge of educating the nearby family. While the women were pleased to learn to read, the men often did not want to learn from young girls. Lora enjoys being with the family and learning of their hardships, but the atmosphere in Cuba is very tense, and the brigadistas are fearful that the resistance will attack them. After making sure that her students all pass their exams, Lora returns to her family, and the experience has a profound effect on her life.
Strengths: I've had several students with Cuban backgrounds who are very interested in reading stories like The Red Umbrella or 90 Miles to Havana. I had never heard of this initiative, and found it interesting that even with a higher literacy rate than other countries, Cuba thought that this was important enough to pursue, and that the country's literacy rate went up from 60% to 96%. The book concentrated more on the positives of teaching people to read, and Lora learned things from the family as well. There are extensive notes in the back of the book about the research, as well as a helpful time line.
Weaknesses: My gut reaction is that some Cubans might not agree with this portrayal, but I just don't have the background in this area of the world to tell whether or not this is a novel representative of the feelings of Cuban's at this time. I am going to read more reviews before I purchase, just to make sure. As I said, it seems that Paterson covered all of her bases, and Lora isn't at all condescending to her students, but I don't have the background to judge competently.
What I really think: I wish the cover incorporated some of the period photographs of brigadistas, so it would be very clear that this was a historical novel. Something about the illustration makes me think that this was published in the 1990s.

This is coming-of-age journey for a young Cuban teenager who volunteers for Fidel Castro’s national literacy campaign.

The setting is disturbing for anyone but especially for this young girl. Her parent's are not happy about her decision as it's during a time of political unrest. A young literacy worker has already been killed by guerrillas and counterrevolutionaries are hiding in nearby fields. Her abuela sides with her reminding her parent's it is a new day. And, she will be teaching other Cuban's to read and write.

During mid-year of the campaign, the school's were closed. Reports came out stating that the campaign was behind, and more teachers were need to join.

This read started off as a work of nonfiction and evolved into a novel. The historical notations throughout make it a very interesting read.

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!

My Brigadista Year by Katherine Paterson was a story I knew nothing about and yet couldn't wait to read. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. The story of a young girl wanting to demonstrate her independence while helping create change and a better world for her people in Cuba was filled with emotion. I was immediately drawn into the characters and felt their emotions alongside them. I loved every page of the book and appreciated the timeline in the post script.