"Engle’s lyrical poems take various forms, and despite the fictional tale, the fight for women’s rights in Cuba is based on history and reflective of many of today’s social struggles. Rima’s passion and courage is sure to inspire today’s readers to take up their own fight for equality and justice."

– Booklist

"As Engle’s absorbing verse novel opens in Cuba, 1923, narrator Rima is growing up in a household of three strong women . . . Engle smoothly inserts enough historical context to demonstrate how grievously the political/social/Church deck was stacked against Cuban women’s progress."

– The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"This historical novel in verse, set mainly in 1920s Cuba, is an engrossing look at the protracted fight for women’s suffrage there. . . Engle’s spare, lyrical writing and the believable human emotions shown through Rima’s individual perspective bring to life the complex fight for equality and civil rights."

– Horn Book Magazine

"Fast-moving free-verse lines encapsulate Rima’s voice and the bravery she displays throughout this feminist journey to self-worth and women’s equality."

– Publishers Weekly