Alma Fullerton
Libertad
Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2008

Rating: E*

Libertad and his brother Julio live in extreme poverty in Guatemala City, Guatemala. They do not attend school, but instead spend their days searching the local garbage dump for raw materials such as cardboard to sell for money. They live with their mom; their father has recently moved to the US to look for work. The novel opens with a particularly touching episode, when Libertad pays for his brother to attend school for the very first time. Julio is beside himself with joy, and cannot wait to attend school. However, when their mother dies in a tragic accident at the dump, the boys decide to cross the Rio Grande, and head to the US to be reunited with their father. A chance finding of a ten quetzal note prompts the boys to set off on their journey, and pays for their first bus fare. It is a tough overland journey for the boys and their dog Guerrero. They are helped along the way by various kind people, such as the musicians who offer the boys a safe, warm place to stay, and the kindly farmer couple who offer to adopt the boys. When they get to Mexico City, Julio and Libertad end up with some street children in a gang, and Libertad turns to solvent abuse / glue sniffing to 'forget'. His commitment to beating his addiction as the novel progresses is admirable.

This novel in verse is a heart-wrenching, emotional look at two brothers and their dog, and their quest to reach their father. Their naivety is evident, and the poverty, even seen through the eyes of the young boys is immense and overwhelming. Despite the plight of the main characters, however, this is a story of hope; the author's afterword tells of children just like Julio and Libertad and their dangerous travels, and those who are working to help children in this situation.

All Junior and Middle School libraries should have novels like this as part of their collections. Fans of Deborah Ellis will enjoy this novel, and even students who are wary of novels in verse will find this read enthralling.

Thematic Links: Poverty; Migration

Claire Hazzard
Vol. 14, number 2
December 2008

*Rating System:
E - Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it!
G - Good, even great at times, generally useful!
A - Average, all right, has its applications.
P - Problematic, puzzling, poorly presented.