Before We Were Free

PURE BELPRÉ AWARD WINNER • ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE’S 100 BEST YA BOOKS OF ALL TIME • AN ALA-YALSA BEST BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS

From renowned author Julia Alvarez comes an unforgettable story about adolescence, perseverance, and one girl’s struggle to be free while living in the Dominican Republic under the rule of a dictator.

Anita de la Torre never questioned her freedom living in the Dominican Republic. But by her twelfth birthday in 1960, most of her relatives have immigrated to the United States, her Tío Toni has disappeared without a trace, and the government’s secret police terrorize her remaining family because of their suspected opposition to Trujillo’s iron-fisted rule.

Using the strength and courage of her family, Anita must overcome her fears and fly to freedom, leaving all that she once knew behind.

“A stirring work of art.” — Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“A realistic and compelling account of a girl growing up too quickly while coming to terms with the cost of freedom.” — The Horn Book, Starred Review

“Diary entries written by the child while in hiding will remind readers of Anne Frank’s story . . . . Readers will bite their nails as the story moves to its inexorable conclusion.” — SLJ