FAREWELL CUBA, MI ISLA

Twelve-year-old Victoria is forced to leave her beloved Cuba, not knowing if she will ever be able to return after communist dictator Fidel Castro takes control of the island.

It was a perfect summer on the family finca, or farm, but things start changing quickly: News from outside the island is blocked, and protesters are arrested. Victoria’s father decides he must act fast; as an engineer, Papi knows he and other professionals are being stopped from leaving the country. Forced to abandon everything of value, Victoria, her parents, and siblings make it to Miami in October 1960; little do they know that they won’t be returning home soon, and life in America is not going to be easy. This is a story of heartbreak that Cuban refugees know well. As Victoria’s family navigates a new culture, where they face misinformed and hostile people, language barriers, and limited job opportunities, Jackie, her beloved cousin left behind in Cuba, witnesses a rise in terror. She ultimately makes the brave choice to leave on her own, through Operation Peter Pan. This accessible story, based on Diaz’s family’s experiences, rings true—the details, including people’s names, food, Spanish words, and more, have an authentically Cuban feel. The main characters are racially diverse, like so many Cuban families. Readers will be able to relate to the coming-of-age elements while learning about an important and difficult part of Cuba’s history.

An evocative and transportive read.