In this graphic novel set in 1956, we meet Carlos, who has a great life in Ceiba Mocha, Cuba. He lives in a cozy house in the countryside with his Mama, Papi, younger brother Lazaro, and sisters Maggie and Isaura. His aunt lives nearby, as do his grandparents. His best friend, Alvaro, has a father who works on the grandparents’ farm. There are so many things to do outside, his grandmother’s good food, and a lot of time spent with his grandfather fishing and hanging out. Carlos’ father seems stressed and unhappy with his life, so when he wins the lottery, he moves the family to Matanzas, a town where he sets up a furniture manufacturing business. Carlos doesn’t care about the bigger house or better opportunities; he wants his old life back. This is unlikely to happen, especially since Batista’s government is overthrown by Castro, and the resulting conflict seeps into every facet of Carlos’ life. It takes a while, but eventually the government appropriates his father’s business, leading his father to become involved in underground activities, and to eventually become a “Gusano”, the term used by Castro’s supporters to describe people who leave for the US. Carlos’ mother does her best to keep the family together, but eventually the revolution comes a little too close, and the family moves back with the grandparents. The father returns, and Carlos’ family makes the dangerous journey to the United States. The grandparents, who have their farm taken over by the government, move to an apartment in Matanzas and remain in Cuba. The journey is difficult, but by 1962 the family has settled into a new life in Miami, Florida. This story is based on the life of the author’s father.
Strengths: I absolutely loved that the biggest portion of this book was spent describing Carlos’ life before things become difficult. His close relationship with his grandfather, his idyllic childhood in the country, and his family’s increasing involvement in current events will help modern readers understand that war torn places in the world have not always been that way. While the basic circumstances of Carlos’ family are repeated again and again, the details of the family’s experiences give this a personal touch, especially since this is based on Miyares’ own father. The artwork is lovely, and very different for a graphic novel. The style and the colors felt very midcentury to me, which was very nice. This is one of the best graphic novels I have read recently, so I will definitely purchase it.
Weaknesses: While there is a good deal of information about Castor’s process of taking over the government spread throughout the book, it wouldn’t have hurt to have a two page overview of events, or perhaps a timeline, at the end of the book. Young readers will have little idea about this era in history, and may need some support in understanding the events.
What I really think: I will definitely purchase this graphic novel. Castro’s revolution, and especially Operation Pedro Pan, is probably my third favorite horrible historic event, after the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and the Partition of India. A few years ago, a student’s grandmother came to speak to our school about her own journey from Cuba to the US with Operation Pedro Pan, so it’s good to see this story being told in books like Castellanos' wordless graphic novel, Isla to Island, Cartaya's A Hero's Guide to Summer Vacation, Behar's Letters From Cuba Cuevas' Cuba in My Pocket, Gonzales' The Bluest Sky and The Red Umbrella, Diaz's Farewell Cuba, Manzano's Coming Up Cuban and Flores-Galbis' 90 Miles to Havana.

A MG graphic memoir based on the author’s father.
🇨🇺
It’s the year 1957 and Carlos lives with his brother, sisters and parents in Ceiba Mocha, a small town in Cuba. In a stroke of good luck, Carlos’ father wins the lottery, allowing them to move to the city, build a new house and open a furniture business. But slowly creeping up is Fidel Castro, overthrowing the existing Cuban president and turning the country into a communist state with a revolution. Carlos’ father leaves for America to help get things set up. Will Carlos and his family ever be able to join their dad or will they become casualties of this rebellion?
🇨🇺
This graphic novel hit the right balance between historical content and a character-driven story, which can be hard to do. I had all the feels reading this one, mainly because of the parallels from the 1960s to now and everything we are facing in this country. The Author’s Note is a must-read, as the author wrote about his own father’s story. This title releases 9/30: you won’t want to miss it.

CW: war, protest, death, government control, gun violence, bullying, vandalism, classism

Based on the true story of the author's family's emigration from Cuba during the revolution, this graphic novel describes the unraveling of a democracy and a brave family's choice to leave for a better life.

The close relationship between Carlos and his grandfather is so special, and the emotional upheaval is portrayed through images and emotional dialogue. I was interested to see the author's note at the end that included real photos and information about the true stories that led to this book. This would be a good supplement to history textbooks as students learn about Fidel Castro and communism in Cuba. I recommend this book for schools and libraries.

The (mostly) true story of the author's father's escape from Cuba as a young boy, told in a compelling combination of prose and illustrations. An interesting insight into the experiences of every day people in Cuba during the turbulent early years of Casto's takeover and reign.