Reviewer: a reader from CA United States - September 14, 2001
Excellent Book!
A very touching and interesting story. The book is easy to read (short chapters), but once you start you can't stop. It is a wonderful story about the strength within all of us and the desire to survive and do better for us and those we love. It is a must read for everyone. The language and imagery will captivate and take you back 50 years to a different world. I highly recommend it.

Kris, a reviewer - August 16, 2001
I feel like I've lived in the jungles of Puerto Rico
This is an excellent, absorbing book that quickly engages the reader into the sad, hard life of a poor family in the back country of Puerto Rico. Although this is something I have never experienced, the author was able to let me smell, feel and experience this life. Through the main character, I escaped my harried daily routines and transplanted myself like fly on the wall into the life of a poor family who had to struggle for the most commonly accepted elements of life. Through this book I've learned more how to feel and understand the differences of other cultures, while also helping me to appreciate my life. This is an educational, entertaining and enjoyable book; I recommend it highly.