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captainroz's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
bougainvillea's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this, but the second half was not as good as the first half. The depiction of Cuba in the early days of the Castro regime was really well done with lots of nuance and complexity. The depiction of Nebraska had no nuance at all. Everything and everyone was perfect. This is the US in the 1960's. Things were far from perfect.
People "drop their shoulders" a lot in this book. I'm not sure what that means.
People "drop their shoulders" a lot in this book. I'm not sure what that means.
jshettel's review against another edition
4.0
Loved this historical fiction novel about Operation Pedro Pan in Cuba.
jessalynn_librarian's review against another edition
3.0
A fascinating look at a period of history that was mostly unfamiliar to me - the lives of children who were sent from Cuba to live in the US after the revolution. Since the story starts in Cuba, the reader gets a great sense of contrast between the two worlds, and the characters are sympathetic. It also gives a glimpse into the way propaganda can shape a person's impressions of a country or political movement. The historical setting is vivid, and the characters realistic in their faults and strengths. It's a pity it doesn't have a more tween-friendly cover, since I can see this appealing to girls, especially, who like historical fiction and stories dealing with everyday life for teens.
kariadams's review against another edition
4.0
I thought this was a great book. It explained the Cuban Revolution and the Children's Exodus from Cuba in a heart-warming story.
lemon_drop's review against another edition
4.0
This pairs up wonderfully with Wiles' "Countdown" to understand the conflict with Cuba in early 1960s.
prof_shoff's review against another edition
4.0
Easy-to-read, well-paced story of a little understood historical moment: the “immigration” of 14,000+ children to the US (14,000!) during the Cuban Revolution. This would work nicely with book groups exploring the refugee experience.
leslie_d's review against another edition
4.0
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/2010/12/03/the-red-umbrella/
kellbethreads's review against another edition
5.0
This was a wonderful book. As a mother, it tore my heart out to see what these sweet little ones had to go through.