Thirteen-year-old Bella wants to be a lector just like her grandfather. All day long he sits on a special platform in the cigar factory in Ybor City, Florida, reading books, newspapers, and current events to workers as they roll cigars. Lectors have always been highly respected, but when the factory workers clash with the owners, violence erupts, and the lectors start losing their jobs. And then there’s the radio. What changes will this new device bring? It’s up to Bella to determine her future and help her people preserve their history.
Amelia Bloomer List, American Library Association
Film Option, Jane Startz Productions