Farewell Cuba, Mi Isla

For as long as they’ve been alive, 12-year-old Cuban cousins Victoria and Jackie have never been far apart—they live in the same building with their immediate families, and spend their summers at Papalfonso and Mamalara’s farm. But it seems that their carefree days together are coming to an end; when Fidel Castro rises to power in 1960, people Victoria has known all her life begin fleeing the island. Protesters are being arrested en masse, and Victoria’s father, who opposes Castro’s regime, worries that they might be next. Victoria and her parents soon leave for Miami, believing they’ll be able to return to Cuba in a few weeks. Meanwhile, amid rising tensions and violence, Jackie must decide whether she should leave, too—without her parents or younger brother. Employing the cousins’ alternating perspectives, Diaz (Santiago’s Road Home) weaves a compelling tale that sensitively depicts the struggles many Cuban migrants faced during this period, including financial hardship, losing loved ones, and racist bullying at school. Inspired by her own family’s experiences, as discussed in an author’s note, Diaz delivers a well-researched story that serves as a compassionate introduction to this underdiscussed part of American and Cuban history. A glossary concludes. Ages 8–12. Agent: Sarah Davies, Greenhouse Literary. (Sept.)