Sonia Manzano (1) (1950–)

Four young people deal with the harsh realities of Castro’s Cuba in this novel by author and Sesame Street actress Manzano.

In overlapping short stories, readers hear from Ana, Miguel, Zulema, and Juan about how Castro’s revolution affected their lives. They come from different backgrounds, reflect Cuba’s racial diversity, and suffer varied consequences in the aftermath of Castro’s rise to power. Ana’s father is home from fighting in the mountains with Fidel; her family, like many show more Cubans, wanted to build a better country only to realize too late that Fidel had fooled them. Miguel, on the other hand, is one of thousands of Pedro Pan children, sent to the U.S. alone to protect them; he arrives in Miami and goes to live in an orphanage. Zulema and her rural community learn to read thanks to young brigadistas—but they’re only allowed access to state-sanctioned propaganda. In Havana, Juan loses his best friend, who eagerly participates in the militaristic pioneros; being on opposing sides wreaks havoc in their lives. Through these young people’s experiences, the realities of Cubans’ lives are presented in nuanced and complex ways in this thoroughly researched work. Many moments will ring true to young Cubans who have grown up on family stories, down to the slang and details of daily life at the time.

A well-researched, thoughtful, and moving look at post-revolutionary Cuba. (author’s note, historical notes, timeline, resources) (Fiction. 9-13)

-Kirkus Review show less

Narrated by the author. Sonia Manzano performs her memoir with a brassy Bronx gusto that illuminates her chaotic upbringing into young adulthood. There is her alcoholic, abusive father; long-suffering mother (whose regular cries of "Ave Maria purisima!" hilariously sum up her exasperation); and a passel of loving and dysfunctional relatives. Manzano may be a star of "Sesame Street" but this entertaining memoir is strictly for older teens and adults who remember her from the show. A wonderful show more story and performance by a beloved actress. show less

Evelyn's grandmother comes to visit and Evelyn gets swept up in her grandmother and mother's feud. Her grandmother was a revolutionary in Puerto Rico and her mother was frequently left behind, so there are a lot of hurt feelings. Then all three of them get swept into a demonstration by the Young Lords, a group that was trying to make things better for Puerto Rican's in the 1960s.

This book is a quick read that is packed with historical details and information. The author clearly did her show more research. I loved watching Evelyn and her mother grow and change into stronger people with a better sense of community and I was glad that Evelyn finally understood the truth about her abuela. Everything was shown not told. I enjoyed learning about the revolution in East Harlem and taking over the church and I loved the author's note at the end explaining what parts were true and weren't and explaining how she rearranged things for her own convenience. She also gave one of the most thorough bibliographies I've seen in a long time.

The only thing that drove me nuts was the constant translation, however I do speak spanish and feel like other nonfluent readers probably appreciate the information. show less

Well, despite this containing stories of abuse and poverty, hearing Manzano read it is practically soothing if you grew up with Sesame Street. She provides a wonderful sense of place and enough humor to balance out the severity of the plot.