Libertad

by Alma Fullerton

With their father gone to America to make money for his family, Libertad, his little brother Julio and their mother scrape a living out of a dump in Guatemala City. Although it is too late for him, Libertad is determined that his little brother should go to school. Taught to play the marimba by his father, Libertad uses his talent as a street musician to raise enough money for his brother's school supplies. But his dreams for their future are destroyed when their mother is killed in a freak accident. Libertad must face the inevitable truth; they cannot survive on the streets of Guatemala City alone. There is only one thing to do. They must set out on the long and lonely journey to the Rio Grande River, where they plan to cross the water and enter the United States to find their father.
A moving story about determination and hope, "Libertad" is a stunning free verse novel by the author of "In the Garage" and "Walking on Glass."

Genres: Middle Grade, Fiction, Poetry, Teen, Book Club, Canada, Contemporary

224 pages, Paperback

First published June 10, 2008

About the author

Alma Fullerton was first known for her award-winning free-verse novels for juvenile and young-adult readers, including the Governor General's Award-nominated Libertad. Alma's picture book A Good Trade was a White Ravens Choice, a Bank Street Best Book, and a nominee for a number of awards. In a Cloud of Dust won the Rainforest of Reading Award and was a finalist for the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award. When the Rain Comes was a 2018 USBBY Outstanding International Book, among other honors, and Community Soup was a CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens Starred Selection. Alma lives in Midland, Ontario

Reviews

[Tahreem Sheikh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Libertad is a wonderful and inspirational book, written for everyone in every age group. The story follows the life of a boy, Libertad, and his brother. Julio. Libertad and Julio set out on a journey to find their father. On this journey, they learn many life lessons. This story inspires me to work hard and it teaches me the risks of getting distracted from your goal. This is a book with great emotion that sets a mood from which it is difficult to get out of. Once you start reading this book, you can't and won't put it down. This is a book meant to be read by everyone to give inspiration.

[Ariel Zhang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes we may be the most fortunate people ever. This story 'Libertad' describes the life and his adventure with his brother that was not so fortunate. Not being able to attend school and living in the dump with only their mother Libertad and his brother were being forced to live their lives as one of the bottom people in this world. This story really captured me because even being like general stories with emotion positive plot this story itself got to me thinking what it was like for them. How fortunate we are. Many would think free verse writing would not be descriptive however Libertad. Being a free verse story and yet important details were there and the free verse made this story even better. I would totally suggest this amazing short book about two boys and their dog trying to find their father despite who they are.

[Wendyyy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

[Andrea Wall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was my selection for the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge Prompt #23: A children's or middle grade book (not YA) that has won a diversity award since 2009.

Libertad is simply written but the story itself was very emotional, beautiful, and memorable. This book is even more fitting in the current climate we live in today and serves as a great reminder as to what it means to be free.

[Rosie Gearhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read. Difficult story. Poetic writing. Two Guatemalan boys travel through Mexico to the United States in search of their father. This would be best for high school and adult readers because of the subject matter. Not nearly as gruesome or dark as We Are Not From Here by Sanchez.

Parental cautions (and spoilers): The boys’ mother gets buried alive under a huge pile of trash by a bulldozer. There is an almost-drowning scene.

[Leah Hahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a young boy, Libertad, and his little brother that live with their mother. They are very poor and are struggle to survive. Libertad plays marimba to earn money to pay for his brothers school supplies. When their mother is killed in an accident, the two boys set out to cross the Rio Grande River to find their father who is working in America.

[Linda Easthope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Touching and provocative. And important - Hearts will be opened as young readers share the journey from Guatemala to New Mexico with Libertad and his brother Julio.

[Weylan · Rating 5 out of 5]

it is very cool

[Danna Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A difficult but heart-warming journey in this novel in verse. I love discovering a new book in this genre and this one didn't disappoint!

[Takoda · Rating 5 out of 5]

libertad is so good, i had to hold back the tears in the middle of class while reading it. i really recommend it <3

[kaitlyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

it was good for a school book and a pretty quick read but i didn’t really enjoy it too much

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Someone recommended this book a few weeks ago and I got it, and finally read it. It is another verse novel, pairing well with Caminar by Skila Brown, which I also enjoyed. This time, the author starts the journey of the main character, Libertad, and his younger brother, Julio, living with their mother in a shack right by the Guatemala City garbage dump where they sift through the trash to find things to sell. Through happenstance, Libertad finds a marimba, which he repairs, and practices playing. This reminds him of his father, a musician, who has gone to America. They have one slip of paper with his phone number, but really no way to call, and of course, no money anyway to make a call. Through a tragic accident, their Mami is killed and they begin an even longer journey to the US, to find their father. The back matter speaks of so many children alone, fending for themselves, being attacked or burglarized for even the few coins they earn at the dump. And this too happens to the boys, although there are good moments and kindnesses from some people along the way, too. The story of those good things, and then the scarier moments, sometimes seems unrealistic to me, but I will rely on the author's note about her research in this serious plight of children in South America. It is not as frightening a story as others, and perhaps would be a good read aloud for middle grade students, to introduce them to another story of children in need. The poetry is clear prose, arranged for effect, often poignant, and sometimes startling in the content. For example, "Shoes": Julio sits on a bench/and swings his feet so the cool air/flows through the holes/our journey/has made in the soles/of his shoes." To include rhyme, and even a positive comment during this miles-long walk the boys are doing seems beautifully done to me.

[Sathursan.K · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book, "Libertad" is about the life of two boys named "Libertad and Julio" after having to find their dad after a freak accident killed their mom. They have to travel from Guatemala City to America in order to find their father. They have to earn money, travel by train and by foot to achieve it. As Libertad and Julio along with Guerrero, their dog, travel, they meet many generous people who let them some money, have a home and be nice to them during their journey. There are goo and bad times in their journey. They meet new people they couldn't have seen when they were in the dumps with their mom. At last, with their father address with them, they made it to Texas. With the help of a woman, they were able to find and meet with their father.

I chose this book because this book was a silver birch book when I was in Gr.6. I miss how many people included me in my school had loved reading this book. So I decided to choose this book for Goodreads.

I read this book because this book is by a Canadian author. This book is also base on a true story about a boy named "Mariano" trying to escape to America for freedom. This book was very interested to me by a lot.

I would recommend this book to those who like to read a 2011 silver birch book. Also for those who like to read about the effort for freedom for many people in the world. This book will touch many people deeply in their heart.

[Ms. Bees · Rating 5 out of 5]

Libertad by Alma Fullerton is a book that exposed me to a completely different world. I have read a number of books about life in Asia and Africa, but I have never focused on Central America. Libertad is the story of two brothers, Libertad and Julio, who live beside a garbage dump in Guatemala city. When their mother dies, they set out in search of their father. This starts a cross-country trek across Mexico. During their journey, the reader learns about ways of life in Guatemala and Mexico, which I had never considered before.

I would definitely recommend this book to any young adult who wants to learn more about the world. It is beautifully written, and won a Manitoba Young Reader's Choice Award. One reason for this is because it is written in a drastically different way from most young adult books. The author chose to write the book as a series of free verse poems. While with other topics, this might get old fast, in this book it really works. The author ends up selecting her words very carefully, so that you can picture what is happening. With so few words, a great deal of what is said ends up packing an emotional punch, as the characters struggle to survive. It is even more effective when you realize that the fictional characters are actually based on the lives of real children. Pick up this book and check it out!

[Dustin Keller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just found out that my 10 year old DD read this book with her class couple of Months ago. This is absolutely the kind of book I would hope her teacher would be reading to her class, followed by conversations about the issues rapid in the book. The emotional content, the cultural content, the political content which can be discussed with children through literature are so important in he building of thoughtful adults.

The poetic form of Libertad, allows Children (people) to start processing their lives in relation to the lives others. The richness of the poetic form of this book allows children to fill those holes their own images, their own connections, their own responses.

I have recently joined safe passages and would encourage others to support this group as well.

http://www.safepassage.org/h

[Ariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book well is not the best. It is very confusing and blurry and I wish the author would talk more about the reunion with Papi not the way to get there and more about his life in the dump with Julio. This book is about Libertad a young boy who is in Desperate need to find his Papi all the ways in Texas and he is Guatemala City since his mother had died in a fluke accident and is no longer to take care of himself.The journey is made even harder because his brother is very young and money is very scarce they make money by playing a marimba in the streets on the way through this travels. Very sad but and a quick read. Very god for young readers who like quick reads or historical fiction. Although the way the author wrote it was different but somewhat fun!!

[Abby Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Libertad lives in poverty in Guatemala with his Mami and his younger brother Julio. They live in the town dump, scavenging for stuff to sell so they can buy food. Eventually Libertad and Julio set off for America so they can find their Papi and live in freedom.

This book has a unique perspective and tells an important story, but I found the boys' passage to the United States too easy to be believable. An author's note provides some information about the thousands of children who undertake similar journeys each year. For a tale of border crossing, I prefer Ann Jaramillo's LA LINEA.

[Yolanda Ridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow - I really enjoyed this book! At first I wasn't sure about reading a novel in verse but after a few pages I got so caught up in the characters and plot that I forgot all about how it was written. It probably still isn't my story telling device of choice, I would have liked more detail and less telling/more showing, but it's part of what makes this an amazing and ground breaking book. Libertand's loss of his Mami, journey to find his Papi, and his love for his brother, Julio... it's all heart wrenching and wonderful.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this one best of all the books she's written so far. I felt so bad for the poor boys who were trying to make their way from Guatemala to the U.S. to unite with their father. How can people in the U.S. have so much and others so little? I wanted to give these boys a new set of clothes and some food! This would be a great book for upper elementary or middle school readers studying illegal immigration or the migrant experience. Recommended!

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

FAVOURITE! This beautifully written book tells the story of two boys' journey to America. It portrays the struggles and good parts of their quest. It's really the kind of story that stays with you forever. It also includes Central American culture and a bit of Spanish, which I loved! This book is great for anyone, really, but I think it would be a great book to give to children so they can see the way that other children are living in other parts of the world. 5 stars for Alma Fullerton!

[Kathy Erskine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful novel in verse made all the more poignant by the fact that it's based on a true story -- many true stories of children making a living in horrible circumstances and trying to escape to freedom. The author did much research for the story, lending credibility and importance to the issue of border crossings.

[Jayme · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet and sad story about two brothers traveling from Guatemala to America to find their father after the accidental death of their mother. This was a very quick read, the entire book was more like a poem than a novel. I thought the writing style suited the story told from the older brother, Libertad's, view. It gave it an unfinished, childlike quality that I really enjoyed.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book by my dear friend Cassandra - what a great read. I had asked my son Joe what he thought as he read it prior to me and he said, "It's a really good book!" I agree Joe, it is a REALLY GOOD BOOK! I didn't want it to end and I loved the short phrasing! Thanks Cass!

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really interested in reading this book because of the way it was written all in prose. To look at it there seems like there isnt enough text to tell such an emotional story. I think because of the prose there is more meaning conveyed and the story flows along with a lot of depth.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of two boys who lose there mother and then journey from Guatamala to the United States to find their father. I felt like this could have really happened and enjoyed this story.

[Sydney]

Spare, beautiful, heartbreaking, and hopeful.

[Saeedeh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very sad children story, but narrated so well that you cannot put it down until you've read it all.

[Ecila · Rating 5 out of 5]

ONE OF THE SILVER BIRCH BOOKS!
MY FAV!
BUT DIDN'T WIN!...

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

i liked how it was in poems

[Charank20 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great! It was so good that i finished it in less than a day! it's for people who like adventure and mystery so try to get your hands on this book:)