The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano

Written by Sonia Manzano in 2012, The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano is a middle grade coming-of-age story set in the heart of Spanish Harlem, New York, in 1969. The novel introduces Evelyn Serrano, a young Puerto Rican girl caught between her conservative family and the vibrant, radical spirit of the Young Lords Movement. As Evelyn becomes more involved with the movement, she starts to uncover her family’s complex history and the struggles of the Puerto Rican community in the United States.

Sonia Manzano is best known for her role as Maria on Sesame Street and has been influential in the lives of young adults and children for decades. Her childhood experience of visiting her grandmother in Spanish Harlem serves as the inspiration for the novel, which is based on real-life events from the 1960s.

This guide refers to the 2012 paperback version published by Scholastic Press.

Content Warning: Both the source text and this guide feature depictions of abuse and anti-Puerto Rican sentiments.

Plot Summary

Fourteen-year-old Evelyn Serrano lives in East Harlem with her mother and stepfather, who own and run a local bodega. Evelyn feels annoyed with her mother before she goes to her first day at work. She insists that her mother call her Evelyn because she believes that the name sounds less “Puerto Rican.” She is also self-conscious about her curly hair, which refuses to straighten no matter what methods she tries. As she heads to work, she notices the unchanged streets of El Barrio.

In order to avoid speaking to a colleague at work, Evelyn lies and claims that she cannot understand Spanish very well. She rushes back home when her shift is over. Upon her arrival, she is surprised to see her Abuela, her grandmother, for she has not seen the woman in years and doesn’t know her very well. Evelyn’s mother tells her that Abuela has come from Puerto Rico to stay with the family. Her grandmother is confident and extravagant—very different from her more reserved and cautious mother.

Wilfredo, the brother of Evelyn’s friend, comes by the store and asks Evelyn to duplicate a key even though there is a sign on the key itself prohibiting this. Evelyn refuses to make the key, and their interaction leaves her feeling self-conscious.

Abuela begins to tell Evelyn stories of her family back in Puerto Rico, and Evelyn is intrigued to learn that her grandmother is an activist and a revolutionary. As Abuela emphasizes the importance of activism, escalating tensions between Evelyn’s mother and grandmother lead to recurrent arguments. One day, Evelyn discovers one of her grandmother’s photo albums, which contains pictures of policemen shooting into a crowd of bystanders in Puerto Rico. This discovery sparks unanswered questions about her grandmother’s past.

After attending church, Evelyn and her mother encounter a group of activists known as the Young Lords cleaning the streets, and some residents discuss the group’s presence in El Barrio. Tensions escalate as the Young Lords and residents set garbage on fire in order to protest the lack of garbage collection in their neighborhood. The media features the Young Lords’ protest and describes the group’s dissatisfaction.

Evelyn’s grandmother reveals secrets about her past as a Puerto Rican activist, including her husband’s involvement in the Ponce Massacre, an incident in which police assassinated several peaceful demonstrators. Evelyn’s mother arrives and takes issue with Abuela’s decision to tell Evelyn about the family’s connection to the incident.

One day, the Serranos’ bodega is robbed. Mrs. Serrano is suspicious of Wilfredo’s involvement in the Young Lords, which she considers to be a gang, and her actions lead to Wilfredo’s arrest. Meanwhile, Evelyn witnesses escalating conflict between her mother and grandmother which culminates in a heated argument and her grandmother’s departure from the house.

In their latest show of activism, the Young Lords advocate for a free breakfast program at the church and face resistance from community elders when they seek to use the space to host additional community initiatives. Evelyn’s support of the group intensifies the discord between her and her mother, and this conflict is further exacerbated by Abuela’s support of the Young Lords.

Tensions also escalate at the church as police confront the Young Lords, leading to a riot that gives rise to conflicting sentiments among churchgoers, for some support the Young Lords, and others do not. Evelyn grapples with the community’s divided loyalties amidst the chaos and ultimately retreats, seeking refuge at her grandmother’s apartment.

Later, when Evelyn joins a march supporting the Young Lords, she encounters other like-minded community members and reaffirms her commitment to activism despite her mother’s concerns. Inspired by her grandmother and the Young Lords, she soon begins to distance herself from her mother, who is opposed to her involvement in activism. Their relationship becomes more and more strained as the time passes by.

One day, the Young Lords seize control of the church in order to provide a range of services to the community, and this development sparks division in Evelyn’s family, especially since Evelyn is committed to aiding the movement. Despite her dislike of these activities, Evelyn’s mother decides to stay at the church with Evelyn in order to ensure her daughter’s safety. The church transforms into a vibrant hub that offers free services to the community. Media coverage highlights the significance of the takeover. The activities at the church attract Puerto Ricans citywide, who come for various free services. Evelyn fears that her family’s past connection to the Ponce Massacre will be exposed; her grandfather was among the ranks of policemen on that day, not the activists.

Evelyn assists in collecting clothes for the Young Lords’ clothes drive, reflecting on its significance with her grandmother. Despite initially refusing, her mother allows her to go to the church alone. There, Evelyn and her grandmother distribute clothes that the community has donated, and Evelyn is surprised to discover that her mother has donated clothing as well. Later, all three women attend a movie screening organized by the Young Lords, and the film prompts their reflection on themes of resistance and reconciliation across cultures. While sorting clothes for the clothes drive, Evelyn, her mother, and her grandmother share light-hearted moments, bonding over their shared efforts.

Evelyn’s family celebrates a modest Christmas, and Evelyn is surprised to see Abuela playing live music. On New Year’s Eve, traditional Puerto Rican singers entertain the community at the church. Evelyn’s mother surprises everyone with frozen pasteles.

The Young Lords’ church takeover comes to an end when police raid the building, and Evelyn is hit on the head by a bottle. Mrs. Serrano urges a police officer to take them all to the hospital, but Abuela dismisses her granddaughter’s injury and decides to stay at the protest.

After Evelyn receives stitches, the family returns home to find empty streets after the arrests. Evelyn’s mother cares for her, providing comfort and soothing Evelyn’s anguish over Abuela’s decision to stay behind, urging her to accept her grandmother for who she is, not for who Evelyn expects her to be. When Abuela later comes to visit, she shares her enthusiasm with the protest and departs hurriedly, leaving Evelyn and her mother to enjoy coffee together.