Juanita, Freedom Seeker: Volume 1
by Juan Cenon Marasigan

www.jmarasigan.ca

A girl gets the chance to help her family and see how the affluent live in this debut YA novel. Always helpful, logical, and striving to do the right thing by her family, Juanita is an admirable role model for teen readers, and her insecurities will certainly ring true for many adolescents. A sweet but uneven tale about family and class.

— Kirkus Reviews

The book is a very good easy read. I enjoyed all the characters and looked forward to turning each page as the story unfolded.

— Catherine Cella

Fun, easy-reading with delightful, lovable main characters...hard to put it down from the start.

— Connie Nicholson

Juanita is an insightful glimpse into the life and personal sacrifices of a young girl struggling to make a better life for herself and her family.

— Denise Bower

I enjoyed reading a glimpse of life in San Carlos from 2 perspectives.

Juanita is a great role model for young girls today. She’s beyond her years in maturity and yet still has the same struggles as most teenagers. Her love of family taught her to ‘rise above.’ A great lesson for all of us.

— Janice Siddall

Juanita is both a strong and empathetic character who offers a positive role model for young girls during the difficult time of adolescence.

— Kathy McKay

Even though Juanita comes from a different cultural background and a unique “two-family” situation, the uncertainties regarding

personal relationships and future plans that she exhibits are typical of teen-agers worldwide. In spite of the conflicting life styles she experiences, she remains steadfast and true to herself. This is a thoughtful book that elicits sympathy for a young girl faced with unusual decisions.

— Pat Fine

Juanita Freedom Seeker is a compelling story that reveals the complexities of family life and social development for a young person living in modern times. Dr. Marasigan has brought his deep experience as an educator as well as his insights into human development to crafting a story that is both poignant and touching.

— Dr. Peter M. Meehan, College President

This is a fascinating first novel, a compelling read that held my interest throughout the main plot and all the twists and turns of the subplots. Written from the perspective of a mature and intelligent 16-year-old girl, it deals with struggles that few people face - moving from poverty to riches. Dr. Marasigan in his work of fiction blends insights from his professional studies in examining the struggles his Juanita overcomes.

— Roger Elmes, Dean Emeritus

A charming tale of maturity, new beginnings, and the importance of love and family.

— Timothy James

I enjoyed reading the book and I can personally relate to Juanita’s life story. I once heard someone say, “Freedom isn’t free!” This person sacrificed so much to secure my freedom.

— Tony S.M.

Juan Cenon Marasigan has captured a moment in time with Juanita Freedom Seeker. His poignant portrayal of Juanita’s desire to lift herself and her family out of poverty paints an accurate picture of the challenges that face anyone wishing to achieve a goal while holding onto dearly cherished values. Mature beyond her years, yet naïve about the world beyond her neighborhood, she struggles, and ultimately overcomes, dilemmas that adults would not want to face—leaving her family, rising above the shame of her background, the lure of wealth, and the temptation to betray. Juanita’s personal

battles offer lessons of character in Marasigan’s heartfelt and engagingly

innocent debut novel.

— Cindy Savage

A thought-provoking rags-to-riches tale exploring the value of personal sacrifice for the greater good of her family and community, and how love can drive us to strive to be the best version of ourselves

possible.

— Jackie Siddall

Juanita’s sheer determination and love for family is just amazing! A must read not just for teens but for every member of the family.

— Nenette Estrada

Kudos to Juan Cenon Marasigan for his excellent debut novel! The plot, sub-plots, settings, and character portrayal (especially the protagonist’s) are all captivating and authentic. I highly recommend this fiction for both young and older adults because social and family values of love and forgiveness are gleaned from it.

— Norma Villanueva

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