Farewell Cuba, Mi Isla

by Alexandra Diaz

Alan Gratz’s Refugee meets Pam Muñoz Ryan’s Esperanza Rising in this poignant middle grade novel about two girls fleeing 1960 Cuba with their family inspired by award-winning author Alexandra Diaz’s family’s history.

Victoria loves everything about her home in Cuba. The beautiful land, the delicious food, her best friend and cousin, Jackie, and her big, loving family.

But it’s 1960 in Cuba, and as the political situation grows more and more dangerous, Victoria, her parents, and her two younger siblings are forced to seek refuge in America with nothing more than two changes of clothes and five dollars. Worse, they’re forced to leave the rest of their family, including Jackie, behind.

In Miami, everything is different. And it’s up to Victoria to step up and help her family settle into this new world—even though she hopes they won’t be there for long. Back in Cuba, everything feels different, too. Jackie watches as friends and family flee, or worse, disappear. So, when she’s given a chance to escape to America, she takes it—even though she has to go alone. Reunited in Miami, can Victoria and Jackie find a way to bring the rest of their family to safety?

Based on Alexandra Diaz’s mother’s real experiences as a Cuban refugee in America, this is a moving and timely story about family, friendship, and fighting for your future.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult, Historical

333 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2022

Reviews

[Raina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Victoria loves her life in Cuba. She loves visiting her grandparents' farm, and riding her horse there. She loves being best friends with her charismatic and outgoing cousin, Jackie. Victoria is looking forward to gaining the skills to be a good wife in upper-class Cuban society.
Then, Fidel Castro gains power, and Victoria's lifestyle has to change.

Her parents decide to move their immediate family of five to Miami, where Victoria's father can only get a job in construction, even though he was an engineer back in Cuba. Victoria takes on the bulk of the responsibility of caring for their family, including finding them an apartment where they can live once it becomes clear that their stay in the States is not going to be as temporary as they thought. Meanwhile, Jackie struggles with worsening conditions back in Cuba.

This story is based on the author's parents life stories. I appreciated the way she portrayed the different cultural norms in Cuba vs. the USA, particularly around the race and class dynamics Victoria encounters. The socialist part of me started to itch a little with all the anti-communism stuff. I wish Diaz had chosen to tell at least one story of a person who wasn't rich back in Cuba, but I suppose since it's based on her family history, that may have limited some aspects of the storytelling. I also liked how each cousin handles their performance of gender differently.

I'm putting this on my list to recommend for Battle of the Books 2025, and might take it out to middle schools too.

[Emilia · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a great historical fiction!! I really enjoyed learning more about the history of Cuba and the U.S because I didn’t know as much about that! It was nice how the family was all reunited in the end after the girls worked so hard to save up for a passport for one of their mom and dads. Overall a solid book!

[Monzerrat Lagunas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Farewell Cuba, Mi Isla by Alexandra Diaz is a powerful and heartfelt story that takes readers on an emotional journey through the eyes of Victoria, a young girl forced to leave her home amidst the political upheaval of 1960s Cuba. Diaz expertly blends historical context with an intimate coming-of-age story, creating a narrative that is as informative as it is moving.

At the center of the story is Victoria’s deep bond with her family and the life she’s always known in Cuba. Diaz’s writing brings to life the vibrant sights, sounds, and traditions of the island, imbuing the story with rich cultural texture. This vivid portrayal helps readers feel the profound loss and sense of displacement that Victoria experiences when she and her family must flee to the United States in search of safety.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is its ability to depict the complexities of identity, loss, and resilience. Victoria’s journey is not just physical but emotional, as she navigates the challenges of adapting to a new country, learning a new language, and holding onto her heritage. Diaz captures these struggles with authenticity, providing readers a window into the immigrant experience that is both personal and universally relatable.

The book does an excellent job of portraying how political and social issues can deeply affect individuals and families. Through Victoria’s perspective, Diaz highlights the impact of separation, the fear of the unknown, and the courage required to start anew. The author’s own Cuban heritage adds depth and credibility to the story, making it even more poignant for readers.

The writing is both accessible and lyrical, making it suitable for middle-grade readers and beyond. The themes of resilience, identity, and hope are woven throughout the narrative, leaving readers with a deeper understanding of the sacrifices that many immigrant families make and the strength it takes to rebuild in a new land.

Farewell Cuba, Mi Isla is a must-read for anyone interested in historical fiction, stories of resilience, or the immigrant experience. Alexandra Diaz has crafted a touching and educational narrative that reminds us of the power of family, the importance of cultural identity, and the unwavering hope for a better future.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Look outside your window, children,” Mami said as they took their seats. “You may never see your country again.” (ARC, 36)

Victoria had a wonderful life in Cuba where she lived with her mother, father, and younger sister and brother. Also in the same duplex lived her cousin Jackie, her aunt, her uncle, and her baby cousin/godson. Even though they were very different and attended different schools in Havana, 12-year-old Victoria and Jackie were best friends, and they both spent time at their Papalfonso and Mamlara’s finca where Victoria rode her horse and swam with her cousin, a ranch that Victoria would inherit.

October 1960: With Fidel Castro in power and protestors arrested, news restricted, and professionals prohibited from leaving the country, Victoria’s family makes the decision to go to Miami, expecting their exile to “only last a few weeks, until the U.S. presidential election.” (14)

Alternating chapters focus on Victoria and Jackie and permit readers to learn what is happening in Cuba and about the Cuban community in Miami. Here Victoria lives in poverty (her father’s engineering degree of no use as he labors for minimum wage), and she tries to take charge of feeding her family. When Jackie arrives in Miami through the Peter Pan Project (reminiscent of the Holocaust Kindertransport), readers see how being apart from her immediate family affects her and her relationship with Victoria.

I often have read and reviewed novels (and memoirs) by Margarita Engle and noted that I learned quite a lot of Cuban history, a history missing from my education. Diaz’s novel, inspired by the experiences of her mother and family who came to the
United States from Cuba in 1960, spans October 1960 to June 1961 and teaches readers even more about Castro and his effect on Cuba and the Cuban citizens and the role the U.S. government played. This novel should be included in every American history course. This is also a story of prejudice, as experienced by Katya, Victoria’s Russian school friend, and of resilience and family. The Author’s Note further expands on the historical facts and includes a glossary of Cuban terms.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Communist takeover of Cuba under the regime of Fidel Castro in the 1960s is not the usual topic of middle grade historical fiction and I wondered how interesting it would be to that target audience. But Alexandra Diaz intertwines the adjustment to life in the Miami area for those who fled the island with the fears and changes in conditions of those who remained. Cousins Victoria and Jackie grew up together wanting for very little, but with Castro’s takeover of their Caribbean paradise, children were removed from their families to be educated in Russia, relations with other countries were severed resulting in shortage in everything from diapers/baby formula to more luxury items such as record albums and ice cream. Worse, people began to disappear, some because they left the country and others who were killed for non-compliance with new directives and actual rebellion against Castro. Victoria and her family of 5 is able to get passports and permission to emigrate to Miami but Jackie’s family chooses to stay. The experiences of both girls are told clearly, giving readers a look at the politics of the era, but with plenty of family drama, school scenarios, and bits about the culture of the 60s to keep readers in grades 5-8 entertained as well as informed. Solid choice for libraries serving this age group with no profanity or sexual content. The violence against rebels and families is told without overly graphic descriptions.

Thanks for the print arc, Simon & Schuster for Young Readers.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's 1960 Cuba. Victoria and her extended family live on an estate with horses, a cat, ducks and a lagoon. Her cousin and best friend Jackie also lives there. But Fidel Castro has come into power and things are changing quickly. Some members of the family do not have passports so they are not able to leave. Victoria, her parents, and her siblings are able to leave for Miami but only with $5 each. She is devastated to leave Jackie, her horse, and her cat behind. Meanwhile Jackie thinks that Victoria is living an easy life in Miami while they are suffering under the repressed political regime in Cuba. Truly, both are suffering.
An insightful look into what it was like for those in Cuba and for those who came to the US to escape Castro. (It was also a good opportunity for me to read in Spanish)

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twelve-year-old Victoria Pino del Mar would love to spend the rest of her life living on Papalfonso's finca, where she could spend her days enjoying the beauty of nature, horseback riding, and delicious fruits. But now in 1960, Victoria is boarding a plane to Miami, leaving behind family members, including her best friend and cousin Jackie, as Fidel Castro's Cuba becomes an even more uncertain and dangerous place.

[Jane Bauchiero · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was very interesting to read because i had never heard all of the things that the main characters explained. as i got further into the book i kind of realized what the characters were going through and sort of related. i would totally recommend this book to anyone and it totally got me hooked. something that really got my attention was when alto died and how all of the character reacted to that.

[Rena · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. Excellent story about a family uprooted from their country, culture, and life due to the takeover of Cuba by Fidel Castro. Compelling Middle Grade historical fiction story. The author weaved in facts and true historical events into how it impacted this large fictional extended family. My only quibble with the book was the rather unbelievable too happy of an ending.

[LibbyZally · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had the opportunity of going to Cuba for Christmas 2013. With National Geographic. I found it very helpful to read this story and being able to picture where I’ve been.

This story is about a family that’s torn apart. Sadly, this is true for many families. I highly recommend this for all families, young and old.

[Gloria M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book from Kirkus Reviews that said "evocative and transportive". It was a wonderful read about a girl who fled Cuba with family. Then realizing the separation from family especially siblings. It was heart breaking but real-life experience of having to leave and start anew. The not knowing of when will you return to see the rest of your family.

[Maeve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can't say I loved it. It really put this event in history into perspective, so that I could maybe catch a glimpse of what life was like then, but it was really long, and I was confused for awhile about the changing POVs. I think the author does an amazing job at writing, but maybe this just wasn't the book for me.

[Melanie Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on true stories from the 1960s in Cuba and Miami, Diaz does it again. She paints a vivid picture, through the eyes of children, of stressful separations and struggling to start over. Rated three missed ponies 🐎 🐎 🐎

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. Will purchase.

[Meredith Waggoner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jackie and Victoria’s relationship made this book extra special

[Rebecca Shipley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a lovely book. I love the characters. The story made me cry a few times, and I feel like I learned a lot reading it. Definitely recommend.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Victoria and her family live in Havana, Cuba in 1960, and know that things are not going to get better. Even though it means leaving behind her aunt, cousin Jackie, and grandmother, the family leaves the country with two outfits and $5 each, and start life over in a small apartment in Miami. At first, Victoria's parents don't even intend to send her to school; it's a public, co ed school, so going there would ruin her chances of finding a good husband, at least according to her mother. Her mother's family is very well-to-do, and her grandfather intends to leave his farm to Victoria, since she is the only one who cares about it. Of course, life in the US is very different; her father takes a manual labor job, even though he was a respected engineer in Cuba. Victoria goes to school, where she makes friends with Katya, who is from Russia. Because of all of the concerns about the spread of communism, no one is nice to Katya, and some students, like Rebecca, are downright horrible. Victoria wants to write to her cousin, but stamps are expensive. Jackie also wants to write, but the letters are so heavily censored that it's hard to get them out of the country. She sees that society is breaking down around her, as is her parents' marriage. Eventually, they decide to send her out of the country through Operation Peter Pan. Jackie assumes that Victoria's family has preserved their high standard of living, and is surprised to see that they are struggling. Victoria not only is feeding her family, since her mother is not used to doing housework, but also gets jobs for her and Jackie at the neighborhood market so that they can save up to bring Jackie's mother and baby brother to the US. It's a difficult time, and even one they have enough money, it's hard to find someone who can forge a passport, get it to her aunt, and get together enough money to pay for things like a flight out. With phone contact almost impossible, Victoria has to try to make connections with the Cubans in Miami to help her family. Assistance comes from an unexpected source, but will it be enough to get her family out?

Victoria's story is based on the experience of the author's grandmother and details are provided by relatives, so there are a lot of good details about the immigration experience. My favorite part of the book, however, was how vivid the experience of being in a 1960s public school was! Home ec is a haven for Victoria, and her teacher really tries to help her out in many ways. I loved how she was so determined to help her family even though she wasn't really raised to show initiative. It's interesting that Jackie is more "modern", but isn't necessarily more resourceful because of it. Victoria's friendship with Katya is very touching, and has a nice twist. This definitely came down on the side of Castro's rule being very bad for everyone; I've seen other books that show different views of the societal changes, but it's never seemed like anyone was really a winner when Castro came to power. The longing for a country to which the family is unlikely to return is evident, but the family manages to make the best of their new situation.

I thought for a moment that Victoria might get involved in something other than her family's readjustment to life in the US; it would have been interesting, but I'm not sure how that would have been included. At her grandfather's, she was very interested in horses, but there are probably not many opportunities for riding in Miami!

Farewell, Cuba, Mi Isla is another great book about this difficult time in Cuban history to offer students along with Gonzales' The Bluest Sky, Manzano's Coming Up Cuban, Castellano's Isla to Island (all 2022), Cuevas' 2021 Cuba in My Pocket, and Gonzales' 2010 The Red Umbrella. I'd still like to see a depiction of the Brigadista movement from a Cuban writer, since that is such a complex cultural occurence, and I would also like to see a book about a modern girl of Cuban descent who maybe gets to go back to the island with a grandparent and get introduced to the past that way. That could be interesting.

[Isabel Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

Farewell Cuba, Mi Isla by Alexandra Diaz.
I found the book very interesting; It clarified the Cuban story. The author takes me to the past, and she makes the image vivid for me. As she said, the story is based on her mother and her mother's cousin's experience with the Cuban revolution and migration to the USA. Many facts are actual, but she exaggerated and added other fake details to make the story credible and attractive to the audience.

[Diry Vazquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Farewell Cuba, Mi Isla writen by Alexandra Diaz Great story that will have you feeling nostalgic for your country as I did. The story is writen in the perspective if Victoria a young girl who had to leave her family in Cuba. The story is great for elementary grades, middle school and high school because of the ability to be able to relate to the story.

[Rebecca Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1960, Cuba was a chaotic country, as the world watched Fidel Castro rise to power and institute reforms in bringing the nation into Communism. The middle grade novel Farewell Cuba, Mi Isla by Alexandra Diaz (Paula Wiseman Books, September 2023) tells the story of the wealthy Victoria and her cousin Jackie during this time. As Victoria’s family escapes to Florida until it all “passes over,” Jackie remains an eye-witness to the rapid descent into Communism in Cuba. Moving from wealth and privilege, both cousins face a new reality.

Victoria’s family now must adjust to life in a cramped apartment as they struggle not just to make ends meet. Victoria dreams she can return to life as normal, where she rides her horse on the family estate and relies on her servants to support her. But what was intended to be just a two-week stay in Miami extends to months, and the determined Victoria learns new skills such as cooking and cleaning, things she never needed to worry about before. She witnesses racism for the first time and experiences the discrimination that comes to those who are “other.” In between these difficulties, she learns to navigate in an American middle school (a setting I wouldn’t want to wish on anyone to begin with). In addition, from being a well-paid engineer, Victoria’s father is thrust from being a well respected and highly paid engineer into the much more humbling job of construction.

In the meantime, back in Cuba, Jackie faces increasing changes as her progressive private school closes amid the government reforms and her family is no long able to get food and resources she once enjoyed. The strained living conditions cause family contention, and they wonder what could get worse. With even more frustration, the girls soon discover that letters are intercepted and censored by the government, and so even sharing the truth about their lives is impossible.

Farewell Cuba, Mi Isla captures a realistic glimpse into a historical refugee crisis as well as the descent into communism in a neighboring country. I enjoyed learning about the true events and the complicated reality that refugees faced then, and certainly they must face similar issues today as they face a new setting even while morning leaving their home. Just as Victoria’s family and Jackie faced discrimination and humbling circumstances, so to do modern immigrants and refugees today. But this story of humility, resilience, and adaptation and friendship is a testament to the possible spirit of survival even in difficult times.

Cuba’s revolution is not a historical situation I’ve seen much in middle grade fiction, although the impact of the Cuban diaspora has appeared in novels I’ve recently read. (I’m thinking of Merci Suarez in particular.) Farewell Cuba, Mi Isla provides a well written story with complex characters as a frame for this subject for a young reader.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance review copy of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.