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2025 Pura Belpré Young Adult Author Honor Book

“In this powerful debut, Zaldívar recreates the tumultuous world of 2017 Tegucipigalpa, Honduras, and the societal climate’s effects on 18-year-old Libertad (Libi) Morazán and her family, including her cherished brothers—25-year-old Maynor and 12-year-old Alberto—and hardworking grandmother and mother. …Through the eyes of a strong, sympathetic protagonist, Zaldívar crafts a hefty novel that offers detailed depictions of life in Honduras where characters experience random power outages, widespread corruption, and violent political demonstrations, and the personal tragedies they often bring, alongside daily comforts such as snacking on fried plantains and cold Coca-Cola.”
—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

Libertad

Written by Bessie Flores Zaldívar
Published by Dial Books

A queer YA coming-of-age set during the rigged Honduran presidential election.

As the contentious 2017 presidential election looms and protests rage across every corner of the city, life in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, churns louder and faster. For her part, high school senior Libertad (Libi) Morazán takes heart in writing political poetry for her anonymous Instagram account and a budding romance with someone new. But things come to a head when Mami sees texts on her phone mentioning a kiss with a girl and Libi discovers her beloved older brother, Maynor, playing a major role in the protests. As Libertad faces the political and social corruption around her, stifling homophobia at home and school, and ramped up threats to her poetry online, she begins dreaming of a future in which she doesn’t have to hide who she is or worry about someone she loves losing their life just for speaking up. Then the ultimate tragedy strikes, and leaving her family and friends—plus the only home she’s ever known—might be her only option.

Primary ISBN: 9780593696125
Publication Date: August 2024
Available As: Hardcover, Audiobook, eBook
Young Adult, Age 14 or older

Community Represented:

Themes: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Setting: Honduras (Tegucigalpa)

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Home Country

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

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