91 pages • 3 hours read
Christina Diaz GonzalezThe Red Umbrella
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2010A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Introduction
The Red Umbrella
- Genre: Middle grade historical fiction
- Originally Published: 2010
- Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 590L; grades 3-7
- Structure/Length: 37 chapters; approx. 284 pages; approx. 7 hours, 13 minutes on audio
- Protagonist and Central Conflict: In 1961, following the Cuban Revolution, teenage protagonist Lucia Alvarez and her brother Frankie are sent by their parents to the United States from Cuba during a mass exodus now known as Pedro Pan. After landing in Nebraska, Lucia struggles to adapt to a new culture and way of life.
- Potential Sensitivity Issues: War; violence
Christina Diaz Gonzalez, Author
- Bio: Author of several award-winning novels; lives with her family in Miami, Florida; was a lawyer for many years before becoming a writer; based this novel on her immigrant parents’ experiences
- Other Works: Concealed (2021); Moving Target (2015); A Thunderous Whisper (2012)
- Awards: ALA Best Books for Young Adults (2011); ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers; Top Ten Indie Next Book; International Reading Association – Teacher’s Choice Book
CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:
- Loss of Innocence and Coming of Age
- The Conflict Between Cuba and the US
- Effects of Politics on Relationships
STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Unit, students will:
- Develop their understanding of Cuba, the Cuban Revolution, and the history of The Conflict Between Cuba and the US.
