THE RED UMBRELLA

Kyla Garcia masterfully narrates the story of Lucia, a 14-year-old social butterfly living a placid life in 1960s Cuba. When communists invade Lucia's sleepy town, everything changes. First, their freedoms disappear, one by one. And then, their neighbors begin to disappear. Escape to the United States becomes the only solution, so Lucia and her brother, Frankie, make the dramatic journey. Garcia does a magnificent job balancing the suspense of their escape and the more commonplace joys and sorrows of youth. She's equally at home voicing the siblings and their Nebraskan foster parents. Listeners will cheer for this engaging and well-told story. L.L. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2017]