Your Heart, My Sky: Love in a Time of Hunger

A love story written in verse, this historical novel follows the story of two teenagers, Liana and Amado, as they fall in love and try to survive during a period of economic and political turmoil. The story takes place in Cuba in the 1990s when the country’s people suffered from famine and uncertainty. Together with a singing dog, the two unite in hope and hunger to help tell a tale rich in figurative language and imagery to convey the country's complex situation of insecurity and poverty. Suitable for a secondary-level audience, this novel offers opportunities in the classroom for reflective writing and further research activities. Students may be encouraged to respond to and discuss the themes of love, sacrifice, hunger, and culture.