My Brigadista Year

Gr 5–8—The year is 1961, and 13-year-old Lora is determined to join Fidel Castro's army of volunteer teachers. Castro's goal is to eradicate illiteracy from Cuba in one year by sending volunteer teachers into the rural mountains and countryside to work alongside farmers during the day and teach them to read and write during the evening. Although Lora's family is hesitant to let her go, Lora joins the literacy campaign and spends a year living in the mountains with her host family: Luis, Veronica, and their three children. This coming-of-age story chronicles Lora's year away from home and the highs and lows of her volunteer experience. Narrator Frankie Corzo brings Lora's story to life through her passionate storytelling. She intuitively understands Lora's successes, uncertainties, and fears, and her focused narration drives the story forward.