Before We Were Free

by Julia Alvarez

Published 1 January 2002
In the early 1960s in the Dominican Republic, twelve-year-old Anita learns that her family is involved in the underground movement to end the bloody rule of the dictator, General Trujillo.

Finding Miracles

by Julia Alvarez

Published 1 October 2004
A new paperback edition of Julia Alvarez’s beloved story about family, identity, and first love.
 
Milly Kaufman is an ordinary American teenager living in Vermont—and then she meets Pablo, a new student at her high school. His exotic accent, strange fashion sense, and intense interest in Milly force her to confront her identity as an adopted child from Pablo’s native country. As their relationship grows, Milly decides to undertake a courageous journey to her homeland and, along the way, discovers the story of her birth is intertwined with the story of a country recovering from a brutal past.
 
Beautifully written by renowned author Julia Alvarez, Finding Miracles examines the emotional complexity of familial relationships and the miracles of everyday life.
 
“An outstanding YA novel.” —KLIATT

“Complex multicultural characters and skillful depiction of Latino culture raise this readable novel, which is a school story, a family story, and a love story, to far above average.” —VOYA
 
“Written with immediacy and charm, there is accessibility to the very American Milly’s attitudes and ideas that will help readers accompany her on her journey of discovery and growth.” —Kirkus Reviews
 
“This is a deeply moving, but also pleasantly humorous, coming-of-age story with thoughtful infusions about human rights issues.” —SLJ