Freedom's Prelude

Renowned author Julia Alvarez presents an unforgettable tale of adolescence, perseverance, and one girl's struggle for freedom in the face of a dictatorial regime in the Dominican Republic.

Anita de la Torre never doubted her liberty living in the Dominican Republic. However, by her twelfth birthday in 1960, most of her family members had immigrated to the United States, her Uncle Toni had vanished without a trace, and the government's secret police terrorized her remaining relatives due to their suspected opposition to Trujillo's authoritarian rule.

Drawing upon the strength and courage of her family, Anita must overcome her fears and flee to freedom, leaving behind everything she once knew. This powerful work has been recognized as the recipient of the prestigious Pura Belpré Award, named one of TIME Magazine's 100 Best YA Books of All Time, and selected as an ALA-YALSA Best Book for Young Adults.

"A stirring work of art," praised Publishers Weekly in a starred review. The Horn Book also awarded a starred review, describing the novel as "a realistic and compelling account of a girl growing up too quickly while coming to terms with the cost of freedom." Readers will be captivated by the diary entries written by the child while in hiding, which will remind them of Anne Frank's story, as they bite their nails in anticipation of the story's "inexorable conclusion," as noted by School Library Journal.

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