How to Say Goodbye is written well and clearly lays out the events of Castro's revolution. I like that the main action is taken up with the main character, and the events of the larger revolution are placed at all the chapter breaks. This is a story well worth telling, particularly as it is based on true events. Graphic biographies are not popular in my collection, and this one doesn't have any features to make it stand out. However, it is well done.

"Being scared doesn't mean you can't do hard things. Just remember where you come from and be strong for your family." Rounded from a 4.5.

Told simultaneously during Castro's revolution in Cuba (1957), Carlos is a young boy living in Ceiba Mocha. He loves spending time with his Abuelo, going to the beach, and playing baseball with his best friend Alvaro. Carlos' life seems relatively normal when unexpectedly, his Papi wins the lottery. Using his winnings, he builds his family a new home and expands his furniture building business. Carlos hates having to move, leaving his Abuelo and Alvaro behind, but little does he know, his problems are just beginning.

Castro is now in control, his Papi is gone, and his schoolmates are calling Carlos and his family traitors. Carlos' mother then confesses that his Papi is in America...and will soon be coming back for them.

Told from the POV of a young boy, this stunning memoir, in form of a graphic novel, offers a unique perspective of a family's path to freedom during a time of intense, dangerous political upheaval.

The artwork in this memoir is absolutely amazing - incredibly vibrant and beautiful. I was captivated by the images, alone. The story was simple to follow and being told from the perspective of a child really exemplifies how sudden and scary that time of history was for everyone. A young boy couldn't even trust his own friends to not put his family at risk. I really appreciated the author's note, at the end, that gives more background on the real-life Carlos and how the story came to be.

I docked half a star due to, what in my opinion are, continuity errors. When Abuelo picks up Carlos and his family, Carlos mentions how he left his necklace behind and was upset. But then his Abuelo tells him he has it at the end of their trip - could he not have given the necklace to Carlos right after he brought it up? Also, on the boat, Papi invites Carlos to stay on the upper deck, but then chastises him, pages later, for being on the upper deck.

Those issues aside, I thoroughly enjoyed this read and plan to purchase my own physical copy once it releases.

Much appreciation to NetGalley/author/publisher for the advanced copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Rating: 4 for strong graphic memoir of the author's father and escape to America

My Thoughts:
I have two graphic novels about Che Guevarra, but this is the first one taken from the point of view of a boy, Carlos, who lives the idyllic life with his parents and grandparents in the Cuban countryside. They are not rich, but they are also not poor. Still, while Carlos loves the countryside, loves to play baseball with his friend Alvaro, and loves spend time with his abuelo, Carlos' father dreams of winning the lottery and moving to the city.

I mean, everyone dreams of winning the lottery, but Carlosʻ papi, the authorʻs grandfather, actually does win the lottery. But this is also when Castro overthrows the Cuban president, and things are not good for the family

When Castro takes his father's furniture business, the family ends up back in the countryside, but things are not better in this new Castro regime for his abuelo. This is the story of the life before, the life during, and the escape after. Carlos is the right age to appeal to the middle level reader and there is enough drama to keep readers invested.

From the Publisher:
Carlos, who lives in a small town in the Cuban countryside, loves to play baseball with his best friend, Alvaro, and to shoot home-made slingshots with his abuelo.

One day, a miracle happens: Carlos' father, his papi, wins the lottery! He uses the money to launch his own furniture business and to move the family to a big house in the city.

Carlos hates having to move -- hates leaving Abuelo and Alvaro behind -- and hates being called country kid at his new school. But the pains of moving and middle school turn out to be the least of his problems.

When rebel leader Fidel Castro overthrows the existing Cuban president, the entire country is thrust into revolution. Then, suddenly, Papi disappears. Carlos' mother tells him that Papi has gone to America, and that they will soon join him. But Carlos really doesn't want to leave Cuba, the only home he's ever known. Besides, how will they get to America when Castro's soldiers are policing their every move? Will Carlos ever see his father again?

This powerful book about a boy coming of age amid massive political upheaval tells a timeless story of one family's quest for freedom and for a new place to call home.

Publication Information:
Author: Daniel Miyares
Publisher: Anne Schwartz Books (September 30, 2025)
Print length: 240 pages

There are a lot of historical events that have taken place that I know a little about but don’t really have any context so they’re just jumbled facts. This graphic novel has cleared up the jumbled facts I had about the rise of Castro and the fleeing of so many of Cuba’s citizens throughout the decades. The story is told through the eyes of a young boy so you feel the confusion and fear he feels at all the events that the adults don’t want to talk about. I will admit his attitude, at times, was annoying, but I the writing made it clear exactly where it was coming from and why it was written that way. I also loved the letter at the end, explaining where the story came from and how it came to be written. This was educational and interesting. Highly recommended!

This was another book I really wanted to love but just could not get into. The writing style is just not one I enjoy. I potentially will purchase for the library based on some of the genres my students enjoy but overall, just wasn't for me. Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for allowing me to read this advance copy!

A solid story explaining some complex historical events. Good art work. Good pacing with chapters followed by a point on the timeline (so to speak), etc.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this story

I felt so mixed about this book. I think it was because I kept trying to put myself into an adult POV and the children's POV. For a majority of this I had to try really hard to look at this from the child's POV because I felt like MC came off as ungrateful for the sacrifices his parents were making to give him and his siblings a better life. I did sympathize with him regarding his bad relationship with his father but after reading the authors note at the end about how the main character is his father and how they don't have a close relationship and how he'd never heard this story of his father's life until he was a grown man irritated me. The MC seems to criticize and complain about his fathers actions and their relationship and sometimes rightfully so but it just comes off hypocritical and left me more annoyed with some of the MCs actions. I do think this story definitely reads like someone telling a story and not their life which did make sense when you learn this is not the authors story. I personally decided to read this because I am interested in more of cubas history so I was hoping this would be a good introduction. And while this does have some historical information mixed in this wasn't as informative as I was hoping to be.

Reading this does make me interested in reading about someone's story who had the opposite experience (getting land and businesses from Castro) I don't think it was right for them to take people's property and businesses but I do wonder how different the story would be if his father never won the lottery and had been one of the people who received land or a business.

In this graphic memoir, Miyares relates his father's life as a child during the Cuban revolution. Carlos is happy living near his family in rural Cuba, but their fortunes change when his father wins the lottery and moves the family to town to live out his dream of starting his own furniture-building business. Castro comes to power shortly after and the family's fortunes change again. My students who love refugee stories will love this one, but it is a 5-star read regardless.

Thanks to NetGalley and Anne Schwartz Books/Random House Children's for the digital ARC.

How to Say Goodbye in Cuban is a beautiful graphic novel that depicts the author's own family story of leaving Cuba during the chaos and uncertainty of the revolution. Readers will learn so much about what happened during this time period, and the struggles his father and grandparents faced. They had to decide whether to leave their home, friends, and family behind and make a new life in the United States, or to stay and face all of the violence and uncertainty of Cuba. The incredible illustrations and suspenseful story will keep readers turning pages as they learn about 12 year old Carlos and his journey to America. A must read for all upper MG readers and beyond!

Oh my god. I flew through this book. The illustrations are beautiful, and you can feel the emotion seeping through the page. Some of it is eerily similar to what we're witnessing now. Just excellent.

Carlos spends his days riding horses and playing on his grandparent's farm. His life takes a drastic change when his father wins the lottery and moves the family into the local town. Carlo's father opens a furniture business and builds a big house with his winnings. In the background of these events Castro is building his gruella army and beginning the takeover of Cuba.
When I saw this book, I felt like I needed to read it. I'm also the child of a child refugee from Cuba. While my father's and abuela's stories are somewhat different from this. There is still a striking thread of similarity.
This book made me feel all the feels and I think that especially during this time in the US it's an important story to have out there.

A great book to read when history is not your thing. Carlo's story talks about his like in Cuban when Fidel Castro was just beginning to try to take over the government. Learn about the real struggles of one boy and his family as they decide what to do.

Thank you for this ARC!
I'm thankful and grateful for reading this memoir style graphic novel. This book I will definitely recommend to any Cuban family that is trying to share a little history of 1958 and 1959 of the beautiful island. A family working hard. Earning a wonderful life. Then the acts of Communism. Heartfelt.

This is a beautiful and touching book made for middle graders and up. Kids will find it easy to relate to Carlos, his experiences, and his questions since the text is fairly straightforward. There is minor Spanish through but, aside from one instance, it is all translated. The art is stunning with warm waterolor and ink lines.
Content - Carlos' father is shown with a gun on a few occasions but never fires it. Also, Carlos imagines seeing the bleeding bodies of the people who've been shot attempting to cross the ocean. And, there is a scene of Carlos punching another child.

This is a beautiful family saga, well written and even better illustrated. The artwork is stunning, adding emotion and nostalgic to each page. The art style reminded me of old comics. The information flows clearly and it was easy to read. A page turner!

I enjoyed it throughout and feel I was part of their family. It a story about Cuban political history and what freedom truly means. Immigrants stories need to celebrated and amplified more than ever. Thanks to the author for sharing his heritage and family history. Highly recommended!

I have several friends whose families fled Cuba and found refuge in America. This is the first age-appropriate graphic novel I've found for younger kids to tell what happened, and it's important that it's told from the child's perspective. I learned a lot about what it was like when Castro took over. This had so much emotion, as the family dealt with the violent takeover of the country and of the businesses they owned. The family's strong support of each other helped them get through it.

Incredible graphic novel about the immigration story of the author’s father. It centers the family’s story while briefly inserting necessary historical information. Many young readers will relate to the main character’s plight of not being fully informed by the adults around him because he’s ’just a kid.’ Highly recommend.

This novel offers a powerful historical perspective through the eyes of a young boy, making it both an engaging read and a valuable teaching companion. It’s especially useful for helping students understand the complexities of the Cuban Revolution.

How to Say Goodbye in Cuban is a poignant graphic novel that narrates the coming-of-age story of 12-year-old Carlos during the Cuban Revolution. Based on the real-life experiences of the author's father, the book delves into themes of family, identity, and the quest for freedom amidst political upheaval. As a child and grandchild of Cuban immigrants who experienced this story themselves, I found the narrative and illustrations especially salient.
Carlos's journey begins in the Cuban countryside, where he enjoys simple pleasures like playing baseball with his best friend and spending time with his grandfather. A sudden change in fortune leads his family to the city, introducing new challenges and a sense of displacement. As Fidel Castro's rise to power brings turmoil, Carlos's father disappears, prompting a harrowing journey for the family as they seek to reunite and find safety in America.
Recommended for readers aged 9–12, this graphic novel serves as an accessible entry point into discussions about history, resilience, and the immigrant experience. It's a valuable addition to both personal and educational collections, offering a heartfelt perspective on a significant period in history.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children's | Anne Schwartz Books, and Daniel Miyares for this free, advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

“The government is gone, the rebels have won. Cuba will never be the same”

How to Say Goodbye in Cuban is, at its heart, a love letter to the author’s father- the real life Carlos. Inspired by a true story, this graphic novel, ages 8+, tells the story of a young boy growing up in Cuba living a normal life, until he couldn’t anymore. It does a great job of explaining Fidel Castro’s rise to power in an appropriate way for children/adolescent. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the graphic novel How to Say Goodby in Cuban.