The Red Umbrella

This was great!!! It was a wonderful look at the early days of Castro's revolution and Cuban and American relations in 1961. The story is told from a 14 year old girl's point of view, Lucia. Lucia has normal 14 year old growing pains. She likes boys, wants to wear make up, is irritated by her younger brother, Frankie, but instead of having a normal teenager's life, Cuba, her country and home, goes into turmoil. When Castro and his revolutionary followers take over the government, not only is there soldiers everywhere, but also people being branded as traitors to the revolution. Unfortuneately, because her parents believe it's ok to have a different opinion from Castro, Lucia's family is branded as traitors. To save her, Lucia's parents send both her and her brother to the United States. Lucia and Frankie go to live with a foster family in Nebraska until her parents can join them or the revolution ends. Lucia must learn a new language, eat new foods, and make new friends. She adjusts rather well, but all the time she worries about her mother and father back in Cuba and wonders if she will ever see them again because the revolution doesn't seem to be ending and American/Cuban relations are getting very tense... The first half of the book takes place in Cuba and offers an amazing look into life in Cuba during Castro's early days and the fear or fanaticism some people felt. The second half of the book is about Lucia adjusting to American life and presents an idea of what it was like to be a Latina immigrant in 1961. Superb. The ending brought tears to my eyes. I really connected to Lucia. This is a book I will read again.

I do not read fiction. I read this book because it's about a moment in history of which I was a part of. I was a "Pedro Pan" child. I was fortunate enough to have my aunt, uncle and two cousins waiting for me at Miami International Airport the night I arrived from Cuba in 1961. I was seven years old. My mother and twelve year-old sister arrived the next day. We were very lucky to all have been reunited after one day. Many children weren't. Some never saw their parents again. This easy reading, fictional true to life story taking place after Fidel Castro's revolution in 1959 is very well written. You get to know and love the characters and how the revolution gripped the country and changed their lives, for the worst. Their problems are real, just as they were when my mother was deciding whether she should send me out of Cuba, not knowing if she would see me again and then leaving her home, family and literally her life behind in a span of two days (not knowing if the "underground" plans would change at the last minute). I have to admit I cried while reading this book because it brought back memories of small events and things I had completely forgotten about (example, my family in Miami waiting for hours or days to get a telephone connection to Cuba) that came back to me. Schoolmates that wore Cuban revolutionary clothes, in the PRIVATE school I attended (CIMA). At one point I wanted to get one of those outfits. I thought it was "cool". My mother was adamantly opposed to it. I was upset, but now I understand. No different from a child wanting a Hitler Youth outfit in 1940s Germany if the parents opposed the Third Reich. Beautifully written, this book should be welcomed at any public or private school library. Nothing objectionable, excellent fun and educational reading for both girls, boys and adults. The "red" umbrella is very meaningful in this story. You too will cry. I highly recommended it. I'm looking forward to Christina's next book.

This book really hit home as my parents too left Cuba through Operation Pedro Pan. My father had a hard time reading the book as it so closely paralleled his own experience during this era. The book is a must read for any American it shows the best side of our great country. God bless all the families which opened their doors to these children.

Lucia Alvarez wants what any fourteen year old girl wants-- to spend time talking about boys with her best friend Ivette, to go to the movies and dances, and to avoid babysitting her annoying younger brother Frankie. It's just that her parents are so old-fashioned. Can't they see Lucia is old enough for a little independence? When soldiers from Castro's Revolution arrive in Lucia's small town, her life becomes more oppressive, not less. Freedoms and friends disappear overnight. Finally her parents make the heart-wrenching decision to send Frankie and Lucia to the U.S. Alone. The Red Umbrella, set in Cuba during 1961, by debut author Christina Gonzalez brings a culture and its past to life with this story of two children who were part of Operation Pedro Pan. It is, in fact, a personal family story for Ms. Gonzalez as both of her parents were part of the exodus of 14,000 unaccompanied minors who were sent to the U.S. in the early 60's to escape Castro's regime. The story of Lucia and Frankie Alvarez is a part of history that's generally not well known. The Red Umbrella deals with their upheaval with warmth, pathos and sometimes heart-breaking sadness. -- Reviewed by Michelle Delisle

From the moment I started reading The Red Umbrella, I could not put it down! Somehow, Christina Diaz Gonzalez manages to weave intense dramatic scenes with bits of humor (at times, you can't help but laugh and cry simultaneously!). You will be captivated by the author's wonderful descriptions of the characters and beautiful way of making you feel like you instantly know and care about them. "Living through" the revolution through the eyes of the young Lucia truly takes you on a journey from the carefree innocence of childhood to the increasingly complicated life of a young woman who has been forced to deal with more adult situations than any teenager should have to go through. So thankful to the author for bringing this very real part of American and Cuban history to life!