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90 Miles to Havana
90 Miles to Havana is a 2011 Pura Belpré Honor Book for Narrative and a 2011 Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year.
When Julian's parents make the heartbreaking decision to send him and his two brothers away from Cuba to Miami via the Pedro Pan operation, the boys are thrust into a new world where bullies run rampant and it's not always clear how best to protect themselves.
When Julian's parents make the heartbreaking decision to send him and his two brothers away from Cuba to Miami via the Pedro Pan operation, the boys are thrust into a new world where bullies run rampant and it's not always clear how best to protect themselves.
304 pages, Paperback
First published August 3, 2010
161 people are currently reading
2241 people want to read
About the author
Enrique Flores-Galbis
2 books18 followersEnrique is painter who started writing when he returned to Cuba after being away for thirty years. As he painted in the streets of Havana during the day dusty memories started flood back,then at night he would record his vivid memories. His two books grew out of the three notebooks he filled during those late night sessions.
Enrique lives in New York with his wife, who is also and artist, and his two lovely daughters, and we can't forget his constant companion, Chico the dog.
Enrique lives in New York with his wife, who is also and artist, and his two lovely daughters, and we can't forget his constant companion, Chico the dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 362 reviews
April 3, 2022
What an interesting middle grade historical fiction! I should stipulate, I entered this with almost no background on the Cuban Revolution, however, the author gave quite a bit of context on the history of this historical event. I liked that the author didn't necessarily sugar-coat things, but presented difficult concepts in a way that was easy to understand and would be incredibly accessible for middle grade readers. The main character, Julian, was so heartwarming not only because of how much he cared about his own family, but also about helping others. I found Julian to be such a well-rounded character and I really enjoyed seeing his growth over the course of the novel. This is one of those stories where I felt like I was learning about an important period of history, but also seeing this transformation of our main character who refused to lose faith in the things he believed in. A really lovely read.
Read
January 28, 20112011 ALA Pura Belpré Award Honor Book
What I loved about his story was the parallel between bullying at the Pedro Pan camp with Castro's bullying of the Cuban country. But what I loved more than that, was the character, a surrogate father to the boy Julian, for whom the revolution is a boon, and who none the less helps Julian and his family.
A great read that I hope will garner a wider readership thanks to the Belpré.
Fifth grade and up.
What I loved about his story was the parallel between bullying at the Pedro Pan camp with Castro's bullying of the Cuban country. But what I loved more than that, was the character, a surrogate father to the boy Julian, for whom the revolution is a boon, and who none the less helps Julian and his family.
A great read that I hope will garner a wider readership thanks to the Belpré.
Fifth grade and up.
April 20, 2012
The book I have chosen for my multicultural literature assignment is “90 Miles to Havana.” This book was based off the author’s experience. It is about a little boy and his family who live in Cuba. In the beginning of the book it starts off with historical facts about the revolution that was taken place in Cuba. Throughout the story Julian and his family go through very hard times. Julian and his brothers eventually end up in a camp in the southern parts of Miami. His two older brothers were sent to an orphanage, while Julian ran away. Throughout his journey in Miami he struggles with communication and fitting in as an American. Julian becomes friends with a man who helps refugee Cubans, and he eventually gets his family back and saves other people as well.
I really enjoyed reading this book about Cubans. I know how hard their life is, but reading this I understood what they really go through. It made me think about my grandparents experience moving from Puerto Rico to Chicago. Although, it was not Cuba, they still went through hard times. My grandparents are fluent in Spanish and had a very hard time adapting to the English culture. In some sense, I can relate to what Julian’s family went though in order to have a happily ever after for their children.
The one thing I enjoyed reading about is how Julian had the courage to fight for his family. I am very family based and fighting for your family is really important. He overcame all the obstacles and fought for his family’s freedom. The one thing I did not like about this book was the way people mistreated immigrants. It really made me think about how I judge people who do not know English fluently. It really checked my attitude towards immigration.
90 Miles to Havana is a good multicultural book. It is based upon the true historical facts that had happen to Cuba in 1961. In my opinion, the author exemplifies good story telling. Although, the story was sad, Enrique Flores-Gallis does not give the readers “poor them” mentality. I actually felt as if the purpose of the book was to inspire the readers. Throughout the story the author uses many Cuban phrases. Another great component this story has is the material used to reflect the value of the Cuban culture. An example of this was the tradition mentioned in the beginning of the book about New Years Eve and what Julian’s family did to celebrate that special holiday.
Overall, 90 Miles to Havana is a great novel to read. I recommend this multicultural literature book to older children. It is a very heartwarming adventure book that children will enjoy to read.
I really enjoyed reading this book about Cubans. I know how hard their life is, but reading this I understood what they really go through. It made me think about my grandparents experience moving from Puerto Rico to Chicago. Although, it was not Cuba, they still went through hard times. My grandparents are fluent in Spanish and had a very hard time adapting to the English culture. In some sense, I can relate to what Julian’s family went though in order to have a happily ever after for their children.
The one thing I enjoyed reading about is how Julian had the courage to fight for his family. I am very family based and fighting for your family is really important. He overcame all the obstacles and fought for his family’s freedom. The one thing I did not like about this book was the way people mistreated immigrants. It really made me think about how I judge people who do not know English fluently. It really checked my attitude towards immigration.
90 Miles to Havana is a good multicultural book. It is based upon the true historical facts that had happen to Cuba in 1961. In my opinion, the author exemplifies good story telling. Although, the story was sad, Enrique Flores-Gallis does not give the readers “poor them” mentality. I actually felt as if the purpose of the book was to inspire the readers. Throughout the story the author uses many Cuban phrases. Another great component this story has is the material used to reflect the value of the Cuban culture. An example of this was the tradition mentioned in the beginning of the book about New Years Eve and what Julian’s family did to celebrate that special holiday.
Overall, 90 Miles to Havana is a great novel to read. I recommend this multicultural literature book to older children. It is a very heartwarming adventure book that children will enjoy to read.
August 11, 2010
Author and artist Enrique Flores-Galbis has written an exciting coming of age story based on his own experiences as one of the 14,000 Cuban children sent from Cuba to the U.S. without their parents in 1961 in Operation Pedro Pan, the largest exodus ever in the Western hemisphere of unaccompanied children.
The book opens with Julian, his two older brothers, their father and their family cook, Bebo, on their annual New Year's Eve fishing trip. Julian's main concern is his embarrassment over losing the enormous fish he had hooked, since he desperately wants to impress his older brothers with his heroism. But more serious problems will soon be facing Julian and his family. Revolution has come to the streets of Havana, and their affluent neighborhood begins to turn into a ghost town, as families leave the country. Soon Julian and his brothers board a plane to Miami, with the hope that their parents will soon be joining them.
But the refugee camp where they are sent is nothing like the summer camp that they expect; the overcrowded facility is ruled by a nasty bully, Caballo. Because there are not enough adults to properly supervise the facility, the adults rely on Caballo to keep order. But when Caballo takes Julian's prized drawing-pad, which is one of his only precious objects from home, Julian has had enough. Dolores, the kind camp cook, suggests that Julian use the democratic way to organize a resistance movement to get back at Caballo--their own revolution against the bully dictator. When Julian plays his last trick on Caballo, he knows he has to leave the camp--or else.
Luckily for Julian, he is taken in by Tomas, who's fixing up a boat that he intends to use to illegally transport people from Cuba. Julian desperately wants his parents to be included, so his family can finally be reunited. When he sails to Cuba with Tomas to pick up the refugees, he's in for the adventure of his life. Will Julian finally become a hero?
Flores-Galbis does an excellent job in this novel of showing us the Cuban revolution from a young child's point of view. While Julian doesn't understand everything that's going on, he has to deal in his own way with the trauma of being separated from his parents and everything he has ever known. Julian has to grow up in ways he never expected and fight against bullies, loneliness, and loss. This is a book that is likely to appeal equally to boys and girls, who will identify with the very sympathetically portrayed main character.
This mass exodus of children from Cuba immediately called to mind for me the Kindertransport of Jewish children to England during World War II. However, unlike the Jewish children who were sent away to escape death at the hands of the Nazis, these children were sent away by parents who feared that their children would be taken from them by the new revolutionary governments and sent away to be "re-educated," or indoctrinated with Communist beliefs. Many also believed that their teenage sons would be forced to become soldiers in the military, and sent them to the U.S. to escape that fate. While about half of the minors were immediately reunited with relatives or friends at the airport, the rest were placed in temporary shelters in Miami, and eventually relocated to orphanages and foster families in 30 states.
The book opens with Julian, his two older brothers, their father and their family cook, Bebo, on their annual New Year's Eve fishing trip. Julian's main concern is his embarrassment over losing the enormous fish he had hooked, since he desperately wants to impress his older brothers with his heroism. But more serious problems will soon be facing Julian and his family. Revolution has come to the streets of Havana, and their affluent neighborhood begins to turn into a ghost town, as families leave the country. Soon Julian and his brothers board a plane to Miami, with the hope that their parents will soon be joining them.
But the refugee camp where they are sent is nothing like the summer camp that they expect; the overcrowded facility is ruled by a nasty bully, Caballo. Because there are not enough adults to properly supervise the facility, the adults rely on Caballo to keep order. But when Caballo takes Julian's prized drawing-pad, which is one of his only precious objects from home, Julian has had enough. Dolores, the kind camp cook, suggests that Julian use the democratic way to organize a resistance movement to get back at Caballo--their own revolution against the bully dictator. When Julian plays his last trick on Caballo, he knows he has to leave the camp--or else.
Luckily for Julian, he is taken in by Tomas, who's fixing up a boat that he intends to use to illegally transport people from Cuba. Julian desperately wants his parents to be included, so his family can finally be reunited. When he sails to Cuba with Tomas to pick up the refugees, he's in for the adventure of his life. Will Julian finally become a hero?
Flores-Galbis does an excellent job in this novel of showing us the Cuban revolution from a young child's point of view. While Julian doesn't understand everything that's going on, he has to deal in his own way with the trauma of being separated from his parents and everything he has ever known. Julian has to grow up in ways he never expected and fight against bullies, loneliness, and loss. This is a book that is likely to appeal equally to boys and girls, who will identify with the very sympathetically portrayed main character.
This mass exodus of children from Cuba immediately called to mind for me the Kindertransport of Jewish children to England during World War II. However, unlike the Jewish children who were sent away to escape death at the hands of the Nazis, these children were sent away by parents who feared that their children would be taken from them by the new revolutionary governments and sent away to be "re-educated," or indoctrinated with Communist beliefs. Many also believed that their teenage sons would be forced to become soldiers in the military, and sent them to the U.S. to escape that fate. While about half of the minors were immediately reunited with relatives or friends at the airport, the rest were placed in temporary shelters in Miami, and eventually relocated to orphanages and foster families in 30 states.
April 8, 2013
o APA citation: Flores-Galbis, E. (2012). 90 miles to Havana. New York, NY: Square Fish Publishers.
o Genre: Multi-cultural
o Format: Print
o Selection process: ALSC & YALSA 2011 book picks. (2011). School Library Journal, 50-57, award recipient (2011 Pura Belpré Honor Book for Narrative, 2011 Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year)
o Review:
It is the year 1961, and Fidel Castro has recently overtaken the government in Cuba. Julian, the youngest of three boys and the son of respectable, hard-working parents, is now growing up in a world of uncertainty. Along with his brothers, Julian is sent to Miami as a safety measure, but his parents have to stay behind. In a Miami youth refugee camp, the three boys struggle to stay together and survive in the hostile environment. It is a world where the future is unknown and many people are untrustworthy.
In the end, Julian runs away from the youth refugee camp, helps a group of Cubans escape from Havana, and is eventually reunited with his family. Along the way, he must learn to think for himself and face decisions about growing up and choosing what is right in the midst of confusion and lies. Readers will learn about a fascinating, often-untold part of Cuban/American history and even glean some Spanish words and phrases along the way.
o Recommendation Level: Recommended*
* Although the story feels random at times, it is interesting, informative, and even inspirational at the end.
o Genre: Multi-cultural
o Format: Print
o Selection process: ALSC & YALSA 2011 book picks. (2011). School Library Journal, 50-57, award recipient (2011 Pura Belpré Honor Book for Narrative, 2011 Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year)
o Review:
It is the year 1961, and Fidel Castro has recently overtaken the government in Cuba. Julian, the youngest of three boys and the son of respectable, hard-working parents, is now growing up in a world of uncertainty. Along with his brothers, Julian is sent to Miami as a safety measure, but his parents have to stay behind. In a Miami youth refugee camp, the three boys struggle to stay together and survive in the hostile environment. It is a world where the future is unknown and many people are untrustworthy.
In the end, Julian runs away from the youth refugee camp, helps a group of Cubans escape from Havana, and is eventually reunited with his family. Along the way, he must learn to think for himself and face decisions about growing up and choosing what is right in the midst of confusion and lies. Readers will learn about a fascinating, often-untold part of Cuban/American history and even glean some Spanish words and phrases along the way.
o Recommendation Level: Recommended*
* Although the story feels random at times, it is interesting, informative, and even inspirational at the end.
September 23, 2012
This story is the fascinating tale of a refugee from Cuba. The book is based on the real-life experiences of the author, who underwent similar events in his own childhood. Julian, the main character, is sent with his brothers from Cuba to Miami right after the Revolution. They have to leave their parents behind and begin a new life alone. The boys are sent to a camp in Miami for Cuban children where they have to adjust to new bullies, a new language, and a new way of life. After being separated from his brothers, Julian has to grow up quickly and has quite an adventure.
I was intrigued by the struggle the main character went through. One day, he is just a kid playing in Havana and the next he is thrown in to a completely new culture. Julian desperately wanted to cling on to his old life and his memories, but eventually has to let go of those dreams and discover new ones. The story is educational for anyone who does not know much about the aftermath of the Cuban revolution in the 1960s. While reading Julian’s story, the author is showing the reader the story of himself and others who actually went through similar struggles.
I was intrigued by the struggle the main character went through. One day, he is just a kid playing in Havana and the next he is thrown in to a completely new culture. Julian desperately wanted to cling on to his old life and his memories, but eventually has to let go of those dreams and discover new ones. The story is educational for anyone who does not know much about the aftermath of the Cuban revolution in the 1960s. While reading Julian’s story, the author is showing the reader the story of himself and others who actually went through similar struggles.
October 15, 2012
This is a really good multicultural book. It is based on the author's experience as a child when he left Cuba in 1961 in operation Pedro Pan. It opens on New Years Day in Havana, Cuba as Castro's revolution is beginning. Julian lives in a well-to-do neighborhood and suddenly there is fighting in the streets. His neighbors the Garcias leave for the United States the next day and soon afterward, Julian's parents unable to leave themselves send him and his brothers to what is advertised as a "summer camp" in Miami. It is crowded and the director has put a bully, Caballo, from their Havana neighborhood is in charge of discipline. Julian's brothers are sent to an orphanage and shortly after, he is sceduled to go an orphanage in Chicago which has a terrible reputation. He decides to run away to his friend Tomas' boat. He figures out that Tomas is going to go to Havana to rescue people and ends up going with him.
Julian grows up alot during this experience, and his family eventually gets together again. It is an interesting account of the Cuban immigrant experience.
Julian grows up alot during this experience, and his family eventually gets together again. It is an interesting account of the Cuban immigrant experience.
March 24, 2011
I was surprised and pleased when a few of my reluctant readers chose 90 Miles to Havana, an historical novel, over the more predictable suggestions of the wonderful Multnomah County Library School Corps young adult librarian. I was even more please when they all praised the book, so I decided I'd better read it, too. I loved it. The author, Enrique Flores-Galbis, based the story of young refugee Julian, on his own experiences as a Cuban refugee. It is a very realistic and historically accurate picture of the sadness, loneliness, difficulties, optimism and determination of the Cuban children sent away alone by their parents to protect them from Castro's military schools. They ended up in dismal refugee camps in Florida with hundreds of other parentless refugee children. Middle school readers will cheer for the camp revolutionaries Julian, Angelita, Gustavo and Marta; Worry about impulsive, stubborn Aquilino and Gordo; and learn from the wonderful role model, Tomas.
July 13, 2016
I know nothing about Cuba and what happened in the 60s there. Now I know just a TEENY bit. This story is more about the author’s experiences as a child refugee who was sent away from his parents to Miami. It sucks you in right away, and then you’re bombarded with an easy-to-hate bully character for the middle part of the book. Finally there’s hope, but is there, really? My eyes were opened to another piece of history, and how it affected some children. It made me wonder about all of the other children's and parents' stories out there...
March 15, 2018
This book had a very interesting beginning. I'm not sure if it was because of the action or the fact that I enjoy fishing, and the beginning of the book was about marlin fishing. I feel like the only reason that I kept reading this book was because of how interesting and connectable the beginning was, therefore making me think it's too late to just stop reading it. Throughout the book I lost and regained interest many times, I think the part of the story where they were in the boarding school in Miami was very elongated and it really made me want to stop reading, because of how slow it is. The book regained my attention around when Julian started to work with Tomas, but then I lost a lot of it when he started selling Tomas-ade and drew on the sidewalk. The action then picked up again when they got the people in Havana, I felt like the scene where the man was holding the rope was pretty powerful, and meaningful. The ending was pretty slow, but I liked how everything was left off on a good note, no stings attached, just a family reuniting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2016
A good book. I like historical fiction and it was interesting to read a book about Cuba from that perspective. I've always read books or articles by people from the revolutionary point of view. I would recommend this book to my students, indeed.
May 29, 2014
I expected more of a story about the Cuban revolution and less a story about bullying. It was still good, but I was hoping this would be something that could be used in history classes.
October 7, 2018
Good balance of external action and internal growth. The ending feels rushed, but it is a relief too.
July 2, 2019
I really enjoyed this book! Julian is a kid when a huge revolution hits his home of Cuba. His family are on the wrong side of the resolution, and after a series of unfortunate events, his parents decide the best thing to do is to send Julian and his two older brothers to the United States of America. They can not get passage for themselves yet, so they concentrate on getting their children out to safety.
Julian and his brothers do not want to go to this strange country without their parents but they do not have a choice. They are sent to a camp for kids fleeing Cuba, like a chaotic summer camp. A big bully, Romeo Cabello, rules the camp and makes life miserable for Julian and his brothers.
Things go from bad to worse when his big brothers are sent to a separate orphanage in Denver, Colorado, leaving Julian alone. Julian handles everything with remarkable maturity for one so young. He decides that he would rather be on his own than be shipped off somewhere else and takes his fate into his own hands. He runs away from camp and starts helping another Cuban teenager, Tomas, restore an old junky boat to rescue more people from Cuba.
This story has plenty of exciting and dangerous moments from there. It was a really interesting and enjoyable read, I can see why it got an award. I look forward to recommending it to my students next year.
Julian and his brothers do not want to go to this strange country without their parents but they do not have a choice. They are sent to a camp for kids fleeing Cuba, like a chaotic summer camp. A big bully, Romeo Cabello, rules the camp and makes life miserable for Julian and his brothers.
Things go from bad to worse when his big brothers are sent to a separate orphanage in Denver, Colorado, leaving Julian alone. Julian handles everything with remarkable maturity for one so young. He decides that he would rather be on his own than be shipped off somewhere else and takes his fate into his own hands. He runs away from camp and starts helping another Cuban teenager, Tomas, restore an old junky boat to rescue more people from Cuba.
This story has plenty of exciting and dangerous moments from there. It was a really interesting and enjoyable read, I can see why it got an award. I look forward to recommending it to my students next year.
July 15, 2013
28 December 2009 90 MILES TO HAVANA by Enrique Flores-Galbis, Roaring Brook, August 2010, 296p., ISBN: 978-1-59643-168-3
"We were hardly aware of the hardships they beared,
for our time was taken with treasure.
Oh, life was a game, and work was a shame,
And pain was prevented by pleasure.
The world, cold and gray, was so far away
In a distance only money could measure.
But their thoughts were broken by the ringing of revolution."
-- Phil Ochs
"'To really show what a revolution is, you'd have to draw at least three pictures. A before,...a during, and then an after...'
"Bebo picks up five brown eggs in his big hand. 'This is before,' he says and holds them up like a magician about to make them disappear. 'Inside these eggs are all important things that everybody needs: schools, houses, food, and money. For one reason or another a few people have gotten hold of all the eggs and they've got them all locked up.' Then he starts cracking one egg after the other. The slippery yokes slide in, and then chase each other around the white bowl. 'This is during. Things get smashed and cracked, everything gets cut loose, and everybody starts grabbing. That's what we saw last night. It's what's happening now,' he says as he pokes at the five yokes with a fork, and then scrambles them into one big yellow lake.
"'The after is the important part!' he announces and tips the bowl so I can see the bubbling yellow stuff inside. 'You can make a lot of different omelets out of this stuff depending on what you add to it, and how you cook it,' he says as he looks over his shoulder at the kitchen door. 'Some people are going to love this new omelet, and some are going to hate it. But there's one thing I can say for sure, Julian, once you crack those eggs, nothing stays the same.'"
When, more than half a century ago, he was asked to evaluate the Batista regime for the U.S. government, Arthur Schlesinger Jr famously wrote, "The corruption of the Government, the brutality of the police, the regime's indifference to the needs of the people for education, medical care, housing, for social justice and economic justice...is an open invitation to revolution."
I've always found modern Cuban history and politics to be quite complex topics for discussion. And that is one of the reasons why I am so very impressed with 90 MILES TO HAVANA, an outstanding piece of historical fiction through which readers are provided a great introduction through the eyes of a child to what was happening on both sides of that 90 mile divide when, fifty years ago, General Batista was out and Fidel Castro was in charge.
As we learn from Julian's story, when one dictator is replaced by another dictator, some people love the new omelet while others hate it. Julian and his two older brothers are among thousands of children whose parents are so unhappy with what is going on that they choose to send their children off to the United States in a program called Operation Pedro Pan. Author Enrique Flores-Galbis has based the story upon his own participation in the Operation Pedro Pan program and, like his character Julian, Flores-Galbis found himself in a camp full of Cuban children in Florida.
"Finally the tables are starting to turn"
-- Tracy Chapman
Camp Kendal, into which Julian and his older brothers are brought, is overcrowded and under-staffed, providing the perfect breeding ground for a group of young thugs to take charge, practicing extortion and providing favors and more pleasant living conditions to their friends and supporters. Unfortunately for Julian, the bully who has taken control is a teenager who Julian's brothers know and had tangled with back in Havana. The young priest who is theoretically in charge of the camp is blind to what is really going on because he is focused on the results, the fact that there is order and cleanliness; that everything is organized and is getting done. This provides readers a great illustration -- on a small, understandable scale -- of how inequitable non-democratic systems can seem so well-functioning while being built on the pain and suffering of the vast majority.
"I like being around Bebo because he'll explain how to read a compass or how a complicated carburetor works and never once say that I'm too young to understand."
Throughout much of the story, Julian also suffers the fate of many a youngest child: his brothers and parents constantly assume that he is too young to bear responsibility, to be able to understand anything, or to be trusted. And so in following Julian's quest to feel valued -- what Erik Erikson refers to as the Industry vs Inferiority stage -- we come to really appreciate the two significant adult characters who treat Julian differently -- his father's friend Bebo, and Dolores, the cook at Camp Kendal. Thanks to these two adults, Julian comes to believe that he can do anything to which he sets his mind. He then gets the opportunity to put his newfound confidence to work when he gets involved in a scheme to travel by boat to Havana and sneak a small group of Cubans out of the country.
How, fifty years later, to achieve a normalization of relations with Cuba is a significant U.S. foreign policy challenge today. I continue to hope that our extremely-popular Secretary of State will be given an opportunity to try negotiating some history on that diplomatic front.
For young readers, including those with little or no knowledge of Cuba beyond a colored shape on a map, 90 MILES TO HAVANA is an exciting history, adventure, and coming-of-age story that will certainly cause them to listen up and ask questions when they next hear or read mention of that island country that is so near and yet so far away.
Richie Partington, MLIS
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Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
"We were hardly aware of the hardships they beared,
for our time was taken with treasure.
Oh, life was a game, and work was a shame,
And pain was prevented by pleasure.
The world, cold and gray, was so far away
In a distance only money could measure.
But their thoughts were broken by the ringing of revolution."
-- Phil Ochs
"'To really show what a revolution is, you'd have to draw at least three pictures. A before,...a during, and then an after...'
"Bebo picks up five brown eggs in his big hand. 'This is before,' he says and holds them up like a magician about to make them disappear. 'Inside these eggs are all important things that everybody needs: schools, houses, food, and money. For one reason or another a few people have gotten hold of all the eggs and they've got them all locked up.' Then he starts cracking one egg after the other. The slippery yokes slide in, and then chase each other around the white bowl. 'This is during. Things get smashed and cracked, everything gets cut loose, and everybody starts grabbing. That's what we saw last night. It's what's happening now,' he says as he pokes at the five yokes with a fork, and then scrambles them into one big yellow lake.
"'The after is the important part!' he announces and tips the bowl so I can see the bubbling yellow stuff inside. 'You can make a lot of different omelets out of this stuff depending on what you add to it, and how you cook it,' he says as he looks over his shoulder at the kitchen door. 'Some people are going to love this new omelet, and some are going to hate it. But there's one thing I can say for sure, Julian, once you crack those eggs, nothing stays the same.'"
When, more than half a century ago, he was asked to evaluate the Batista regime for the U.S. government, Arthur Schlesinger Jr famously wrote, "The corruption of the Government, the brutality of the police, the regime's indifference to the needs of the people for education, medical care, housing, for social justice and economic justice...is an open invitation to revolution."
I've always found modern Cuban history and politics to be quite complex topics for discussion. And that is one of the reasons why I am so very impressed with 90 MILES TO HAVANA, an outstanding piece of historical fiction through which readers are provided a great introduction through the eyes of a child to what was happening on both sides of that 90 mile divide when, fifty years ago, General Batista was out and Fidel Castro was in charge.
As we learn from Julian's story, when one dictator is replaced by another dictator, some people love the new omelet while others hate it. Julian and his two older brothers are among thousands of children whose parents are so unhappy with what is going on that they choose to send their children off to the United States in a program called Operation Pedro Pan. Author Enrique Flores-Galbis has based the story upon his own participation in the Operation Pedro Pan program and, like his character Julian, Flores-Galbis found himself in a camp full of Cuban children in Florida.
"Finally the tables are starting to turn"
-- Tracy Chapman
Camp Kendal, into which Julian and his older brothers are brought, is overcrowded and under-staffed, providing the perfect breeding ground for a group of young thugs to take charge, practicing extortion and providing favors and more pleasant living conditions to their friends and supporters. Unfortunately for Julian, the bully who has taken control is a teenager who Julian's brothers know and had tangled with back in Havana. The young priest who is theoretically in charge of the camp is blind to what is really going on because he is focused on the results, the fact that there is order and cleanliness; that everything is organized and is getting done. This provides readers a great illustration -- on a small, understandable scale -- of how inequitable non-democratic systems can seem so well-functioning while being built on the pain and suffering of the vast majority.
"I like being around Bebo because he'll explain how to read a compass or how a complicated carburetor works and never once say that I'm too young to understand."
Throughout much of the story, Julian also suffers the fate of many a youngest child: his brothers and parents constantly assume that he is too young to bear responsibility, to be able to understand anything, or to be trusted. And so in following Julian's quest to feel valued -- what Erik Erikson refers to as the Industry vs Inferiority stage -- we come to really appreciate the two significant adult characters who treat Julian differently -- his father's friend Bebo, and Dolores, the cook at Camp Kendal. Thanks to these two adults, Julian comes to believe that he can do anything to which he sets his mind. He then gets the opportunity to put his newfound confidence to work when he gets involved in a scheme to travel by boat to Havana and sneak a small group of Cubans out of the country.
How, fifty years later, to achieve a normalization of relations with Cuba is a significant U.S. foreign policy challenge today. I continue to hope that our extremely-popular Secretary of State will be given an opportunity to try negotiating some history on that diplomatic front.
For young readers, including those with little or no knowledge of Cuba beyond a colored shape on a map, 90 MILES TO HAVANA is an exciting history, adventure, and coming-of-age story that will certainly cause them to listen up and ask questions when they next hear or read mention of that island country that is so near and yet so far away.
Richie Partington, MLIS
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April 10, 2022
I had never heard of Operaton Peter Pan until reading this book, and was surprised to learn that more than 14,000 Cuban children were a part of it between 1960-62. The novel is told from the point of view of Julian, a young boy whose parents send him and his two elder brothers to Miami as part of Operation Peter Pan, following the Cuban Revolution of 1959. Julian is resourceful in navigating the social dynamics of the refugee camp where he and his brothers are living until they can be moved to orphanages or foster homes. Julian is forced to leave and strikes out on his own in order to save himself from being sent to a notoriously awful orphanage. He becomes instrumental in the rescue of several Cubans who journey to Miami. This is an exciting, action-packed read though it doesn't do justice to the historical aspects of the novel.
October 24, 2019
This book was pretty good. I enjoyed the plot line, the way the author wrote and the way the characters over came their problems. If you are the person who enjoys a good giggle, check this book out. The one thing I disliked in the book was that everything was too sudden. For example, the beginning few chapters they are already packing for Cuba.
Yuri Burtamekh
Yuri Burtamekh
April 7, 2025
I really enjoyed this book- it is a good story and educational as well. If you don't know much about what the Cubans went through when Castro took over, or even if you do, this is a great telling of a personal story that happened at the time. It is based on the author's experiences as a child.
I recommend this book for everyone. I love reading stories about how big events effect ordinary people.
I recommend this book for everyone. I love reading stories about how big events effect ordinary people.
March 11, 2020
I loved the thrill of the book it put you right inside. I thought some parts were a little slow but I am glad I stuck with it! I recommend this book totally if you're a fan of adventure and risk! 4/5!
September 1, 2021
Really good book, Julian's personality is more of a man because of what he has gone throughout in about saving many people and in facing many other challenges. I also liked the book because it left you with the thought of what's going to happen after this event.
December 1, 2021
Read for work, different rating system. But I'm hard on YA lit and found this pretty compelling.
March 5, 2024
Battle of the Books 2024 # 9. Fantastic little book. Engaging little window into the lives and circumstances around Cuban children and families coming to America during revolutions. Heart-warming characters, great storytelling, and I found myself having to stay up late to finish it.
April 30, 2024
Rubbish book - couldn't finish it. Disappointing.
May 29, 2024
Sweet little coming of age story about identity and bravery. I appreciated how the story approached revolution through an unbiased lens, highlighting how a government can work for some without working for others. I just wish the ending was a little less patriotic lol
December 1, 2017
Enrique Flores-Galbis, author of 90 Miles to Havana, was one of several thousands of children who fled Cuba due to the horrid environment of the Cuban Revolution. 90 Miles to Havana is based on Enrique’s childhood experience, I still can't fathom how a small child, who barely spoke English, had to survive on his own surrounded by giants. Julian, portrayal of Enrique, was kept at a refugee camp held for subjects of the Pedro-Pan operation. Though Julian had his two older brothers at the camp with him, he still had to grow up without the embrace of his parents. Unfortunately, Julian had to face bullying at the camp, this tormented him during the duration of his stay. Julian was often pushed around, teased, stolen from and even forced to sleep in the bathroom. Eventually, Julian made a plan to escape and meet up with a friend that owned a boat, from there his only wish was to bring his parents home. Though the book is nothing less than a page turner and can be approached with no background knowledge about the Cuban Revolution, I feel as if this book has a rough start by introducing too many characters. 90 Miles to Havana was published in August 3, 2010, about 54 years after the Cuban Revolution.
I am just beginning my first chapter and the scene is set at the Gulf Stream in Cuba on the family boat. Within the first three pages, a whopping seven characters are introduced with little backstory, my first reaction was how am I going to keep track of all these names. One of the characters the reader is introduced to is “The Garcias”, I expected “The Garcias” to play a big role in the book because they were introduced so early, but strangely they were barely mentioned as I flipped the pages. This left me bewildered and unable to follow the plot, especially because most of the characters slowly become irrelevant throughout the book. I found myself on chapter two, still without a background on several of the characters, this caused me to lose interest but I still read on because there was something that peaked my interest.
Despite the negative comments I made, I would label the book as my top 5 favorite (next to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Ready Player One, A Wrinkle in Time etc). After each chapter you are eager to find out what trouble Julian will get into and what solution he will come up with. Towards the end of the book I found myself desperate for Julian and his quest to reunite with his family. As I read, I was given a unique perspective on a lost, both physically and mentally, child. He went from a corrupt country filled with expression, to a revolutionary, powerful country in just a couple of days. Keeping in mind the book is based on a true story, it truly is mind boggling how a 12 year old could righteously justify the doubters. I soon figured out the book gets better as you read, most people would turn down a book with a bad introduction, 90 Miles to Havana should not be one of those books. I recommend this book if you seek a book with a different pace and a long attention span.
I am just beginning my first chapter and the scene is set at the Gulf Stream in Cuba on the family boat. Within the first three pages, a whopping seven characters are introduced with little backstory, my first reaction was how am I going to keep track of all these names. One of the characters the reader is introduced to is “The Garcias”, I expected “The Garcias” to play a big role in the book because they were introduced so early, but strangely they were barely mentioned as I flipped the pages. This left me bewildered and unable to follow the plot, especially because most of the characters slowly become irrelevant throughout the book. I found myself on chapter two, still without a background on several of the characters, this caused me to lose interest but I still read on because there was something that peaked my interest.
Despite the negative comments I made, I would label the book as my top 5 favorite (next to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Ready Player One, A Wrinkle in Time etc). After each chapter you are eager to find out what trouble Julian will get into and what solution he will come up with. Towards the end of the book I found myself desperate for Julian and his quest to reunite with his family. As I read, I was given a unique perspective on a lost, both physically and mentally, child. He went from a corrupt country filled with expression, to a revolutionary, powerful country in just a couple of days. Keeping in mind the book is based on a true story, it truly is mind boggling how a 12 year old could righteously justify the doubters. I soon figured out the book gets better as you read, most people would turn down a book with a bad introduction, 90 Miles to Havana should not be one of those books. I recommend this book if you seek a book with a different pace and a long attention span.
January 18, 2018
90 Miles to Havana is different from other Cuban Revolution books I have read. Instead of tackling concepts of who is in power and the poverty and need that runs rampant in dictatorships, this book focuses on a family that was well off when the previous dictatorship was in power. They are out on their boat on new years eve when the dictator is overthrown. They then have to scramble to get out of the country. The story follows the youngest of the family’s three sons, Julian, and his coming of age story as well as tackling the social and political pressures of the time period.
One of the story’s most important characters is Bebo. There are significant insights that this character offers to Julian through his speech and how he views his friend. Bebo is known to Julian as a brilliant mind who can fix anything. He cooks and he repairs machinery. He can explain how a carburetor works in ways that make sense and he never treats anyone as if they are not able to complete a task. He simply shows them how to do it and lets them work. Julian and Bebo refer to each other as friends but Bebo is the family’s servant. He is the one to cook because Julian’s mother never does. He is the one who keeps the family’s boat and home in repair. When the revolution happens, Julian draws a picture of people ripping parking meters out of the ground and Bebo tells him, “This is a good picture of a revolution but it’s only one part of it. To really show what a revolution is, you’d have to draw at least three pictures. A before, a during, and then an after.” He explains that a revolution is like an egg. Before, everything is whole but only a few people have the eggs, during everything is cracking and gets smashed together. After is the omelette that is made. Some people will like what they get, others will not. Bebo is being put in a much better place by this revolution. He gets to go to school for engineering and improve his life and the life of his mother. Julian and his family have to flee. These conversations set the tone of the rest of the book. Keeping them in mind as you read opens up new insights into Julian’s perspective and puts into stark contrast what some have and what others do not.
I enjoyed 90 Miles to Havana. I had a whole array of emotions as Julian had triumphs and setbacks. At one point, I threw the book across the room because I was so mad. Any book that brings forth such visceral reactions is worth a read in my mind. I think the perspective of someone who lost everything when the revolution happened is a valuable one. It is easy to forget that in the slew of stories of lives being better that there are those who lost their homes, their livelihoods, their families, and their nation. I do wish it had ended 20 pages earlier. So much of the last bit of the book negates so much of the trials that Julian goes through. He grows so much and then ends up where he started.
One of the story’s most important characters is Bebo. There are significant insights that this character offers to Julian through his speech and how he views his friend. Bebo is known to Julian as a brilliant mind who can fix anything. He cooks and he repairs machinery. He can explain how a carburetor works in ways that make sense and he never treats anyone as if they are not able to complete a task. He simply shows them how to do it and lets them work. Julian and Bebo refer to each other as friends but Bebo is the family’s servant. He is the one to cook because Julian’s mother never does. He is the one who keeps the family’s boat and home in repair. When the revolution happens, Julian draws a picture of people ripping parking meters out of the ground and Bebo tells him, “This is a good picture of a revolution but it’s only one part of it. To really show what a revolution is, you’d have to draw at least three pictures. A before, a during, and then an after.” He explains that a revolution is like an egg. Before, everything is whole but only a few people have the eggs, during everything is cracking and gets smashed together. After is the omelette that is made. Some people will like what they get, others will not. Bebo is being put in a much better place by this revolution. He gets to go to school for engineering and improve his life and the life of his mother. Julian and his family have to flee. These conversations set the tone of the rest of the book. Keeping them in mind as you read opens up new insights into Julian’s perspective and puts into stark contrast what some have and what others do not.
I enjoyed 90 Miles to Havana. I had a whole array of emotions as Julian had triumphs and setbacks. At one point, I threw the book across the room because I was so mad. Any book that brings forth such visceral reactions is worth a read in my mind. I think the perspective of someone who lost everything when the revolution happened is a valuable one. It is easy to forget that in the slew of stories of lives being better that there are those who lost their homes, their livelihoods, their families, and their nation. I do wish it had ended 20 pages earlier. So much of the last bit of the book negates so much of the trials that Julian goes through. He grows so much and then ends up where he started.
July 29, 2017
Full disclosure: I read this book while in Cuba, so I might have enjoyed it more than I ordinarily would have. Enrique Flores-Galbis is a Cuban-American, so the representation in this novel is accurate and has authority. Huge plus right there.
90 Miles to Havana is the story of twelve-year-old Julian who is living a normal happy life when the Cuban Revolution comes and changes everything, and he and his two brothers are sent to Miami and have to figure out their new lives.
Julian is a sweet kid. I found it endearing that throughout the book, even though there is a revolution and they are separated from their parents, Julian's main struggle is one of being an only child. HIs family is so used to seeing his as the baby who isn't ready for any type of responsibility that they hold onto that view of him long after he grows out of it. It is such a universal character arch and helps to make Julian more accessible. The family dynamics are very realistic. You can feel both their affection for and frustration with one another.
I think that Bebo the families servant is my favorite character. He sees everything and everyone so clearly. He also represents the population of Cubans for whom the Revolution was something positive. He let Julian stretch his limits without doubting him or seeing his as incapable like his family. I think that everyone needs a Bebo in their lives at some point.
One weakness of this book was the rosy view of democracy. There is a subplot involving the children learning to use democracy to solve their problems. But none of them seem to understand the revolution that they just left in Cuba (understandable) which I think is essential if they are to understand the difference between the old Dictator, the new Communist government, and the US government. And since this is a middle-level book perhaps it needed to be made clearer to the reader. If you went into this book with no prior knowledge of the Cuban Revolution or the way that children were sent away right after it I think that it could be confusing.
This is definitely a book about plot. So much is happening that character development has to take a backseat. Which is a bit unfortunate because there are a lot of characters and the lack of development sometimes makes it difficult to differentiate between them. There is nothing special about the writing. There is a lovely analogy of the revolution involving eggs that I found particularly compelling but other than that the phrasing is a bit sparse and external for my taste. However, that sort of writing often works very well for reluctant readers who just want to "get on with the story."
I enjoyed this book quite a lot, and I am going to suggest it to students when school starts up again. If you are interested in a book about Cuba, growing up, or brotherhood then look no further.
90 Miles to Havana is the story of twelve-year-old Julian who is living a normal happy life when the Cuban Revolution comes and changes everything, and he and his two brothers are sent to Miami and have to figure out their new lives.
Julian is a sweet kid. I found it endearing that throughout the book, even though there is a revolution and they are separated from their parents, Julian's main struggle is one of being an only child. HIs family is so used to seeing his as the baby who isn't ready for any type of responsibility that they hold onto that view of him long after he grows out of it. It is such a universal character arch and helps to make Julian more accessible. The family dynamics are very realistic. You can feel both their affection for and frustration with one another.
I think that Bebo the families servant is my favorite character. He sees everything and everyone so clearly. He also represents the population of Cubans for whom the Revolution was something positive. He let Julian stretch his limits without doubting him or seeing his as incapable like his family. I think that everyone needs a Bebo in their lives at some point.
One weakness of this book was the rosy view of democracy. There is a subplot involving the children learning to use democracy to solve their problems. But none of them seem to understand the revolution that they just left in Cuba (understandable) which I think is essential if they are to understand the difference between the old Dictator, the new Communist government, and the US government. And since this is a middle-level book perhaps it needed to be made clearer to the reader. If you went into this book with no prior knowledge of the Cuban Revolution or the way that children were sent away right after it I think that it could be confusing.
This is definitely a book about plot. So much is happening that character development has to take a backseat. Which is a bit unfortunate because there are a lot of characters and the lack of development sometimes makes it difficult to differentiate between them. There is nothing special about the writing. There is a lovely analogy of the revolution involving eggs that I found particularly compelling but other than that the phrasing is a bit sparse and external for my taste. However, that sort of writing often works very well for reluctant readers who just want to "get on with the story."
I enjoyed this book quite a lot, and I am going to suggest it to students when school starts up again. If you are interested in a book about Cuba, growing up, or brotherhood then look no further.
April 12, 2017
Young Julian knows that if his family can catch a big fish off the coast of their home in Havana, Cuba, on New Year's Eve, it will bring luck for the entire year. He is devastated when, given his chance to reel in that big fish, he makes a mistake and loses it, snapping the fishing line. Bearing the shame of his failure in front of his father and older brothers, he is soon distracted by the commotion in Havana - Cuba's dictator has fled the country, ushering in a revolution. The new leaders of Cuba do not like families like Julian's, who live comfortably while others are in poverty, and will soon demand that Julian's brothers join their army. In order to save their children, Julian's parents must send them away alone to America via Operation Pedro Pan. Their new home at a camp in Miami is only 90 miles to Havana, but it feels much further away. Will Julian's family ever be reunited? And how will they survive in America without everything they left behind?
I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was the perfect option for someone looking for an authentic multicultural or historical fiction novel for young people. I was excited to find out that the author, Enrique Flores-Galbis, was himself a part of the Pedro Pan program, and so although this story is fictional, he is drawing from his own experiences. The dad of a friend of mine was also sent to the US through Pedro Pan, so this was cool to read for me. I loved the nuanced portrayal of pretty much every character or group of characters. Julian comes to feel sympathy for the camp bully called Caballo, while still affirming that what he does is wrong. Some of the American characters are kind, while others are cruel and looking for a profit - and the same can be said for the Cuban characters. The descriptive writing is also excellent, and the incorporation of Spanish words feels natural. The ending is kind of wrapped up a little too neatly, but the book does acknowledge that not everyone in Julian's family's situation is quite so lucky.
I would recommend this book to anyone in fourth to seventh grade. It would be good for fans of historical fiction, adventure, or books about other cultures especially Latin America. Good readalikes would be other historical fiction about children from other countries immigrating to America, like A Long Walk to Water: A Novel by Linda Sue Park, Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai, or, for older preteens or teens, Gringolandia by Lyn Miller-Lachmann. Another book about Cuba might be The Firefly Letters: A Suffragette's Journey to Cuba by Margarita Engle.
I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was the perfect option for someone looking for an authentic multicultural or historical fiction novel for young people. I was excited to find out that the author, Enrique Flores-Galbis, was himself a part of the Pedro Pan program, and so although this story is fictional, he is drawing from his own experiences. The dad of a friend of mine was also sent to the US through Pedro Pan, so this was cool to read for me. I loved the nuanced portrayal of pretty much every character or group of characters. Julian comes to feel sympathy for the camp bully called Caballo, while still affirming that what he does is wrong. Some of the American characters are kind, while others are cruel and looking for a profit - and the same can be said for the Cuban characters. The descriptive writing is also excellent, and the incorporation of Spanish words feels natural. The ending is kind of wrapped up a little too neatly, but the book does acknowledge that not everyone in Julian's family's situation is quite so lucky.
I would recommend this book to anyone in fourth to seventh grade. It would be good for fans of historical fiction, adventure, or books about other cultures especially Latin America. Good readalikes would be other historical fiction about children from other countries immigrating to America, like A Long Walk to Water: A Novel by Linda Sue Park, Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai, or, for older preteens or teens, Gringolandia by Lyn Miller-Lachmann. Another book about Cuba might be The Firefly Letters: A Suffragette's Journey to Cuba by Margarita Engle.
April 18, 2018
This book is based on Operation Pedro Pan which occurred in Cuba during the Communist revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power. 14,000 Cuban children were sent to camps in Florida in the early 60s to escape the forced indoctrination of children. Upper middle class families were most affected as Communist philosophy promoted the idea of redistribution of wealth. All that these families had worked hard for over the years was taken from them by the government.
I would have given this book 4 stars, but it starts out slow. I could see how a kid would give up on the book before they get to the good part. I was also disappointed that there wasn't more discussion about the heartless government antics that destroyed families and executed people who disagreed with the Communist plan. The author did not effectively set up the reason for why families took such a drastic move to save their kids from Communism. For a historical fiction book that does a better job of covering those aspects of the revolution I recommend The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez.
The narrator is Julian, the youngest of three brothers. The author was also the youngest of three brothers and was one of the children who was sent to Florida during Operation Pedro Pan. Most of the story is about Julian's experiences during the months before his mom made it over. It can be separated into two parts. The first part is his time in the camp. It wouldn't have been that bad if it weren't for the bully kid, Caballo, who is given authority by the camp's Director to keep all the kids in line. Ironically, he's a dictator just like Castro. In this part of the story, Julian and his brothers try to fight fire with fire and play all sorts of pranks on Caballo, but they always lose because the Director only believes Caballo.
The second part of the book is about Julian's escape from the camp after his brothers are sent to an orphanage in Colorado. He finds a boy named Tomas, who is fixing up an old boat to travel back to Cuba to rescue 14 people. It's risky, but Tomas decides to let Julian go. Julian has experience with motors, and ends up being instrumental in the rescue.
I enjoyed the book once I got past the boring beginning. There aren't many children's books on this topic so I recommend it, but only kids who REALLY like historical fiction are going to read it. I would recommend it for an assigned reading for a social studies class.
I would have given this book 4 stars, but it starts out slow. I could see how a kid would give up on the book before they get to the good part. I was also disappointed that there wasn't more discussion about the heartless government antics that destroyed families and executed people who disagreed with the Communist plan. The author did not effectively set up the reason for why families took such a drastic move to save their kids from Communism. For a historical fiction book that does a better job of covering those aspects of the revolution I recommend The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez.
The narrator is Julian, the youngest of three brothers. The author was also the youngest of three brothers and was one of the children who was sent to Florida during Operation Pedro Pan. Most of the story is about Julian's experiences during the months before his mom made it over. It can be separated into two parts. The first part is his time in the camp. It wouldn't have been that bad if it weren't for the bully kid, Caballo, who is given authority by the camp's Director to keep all the kids in line. Ironically, he's a dictator just like Castro. In this part of the story, Julian and his brothers try to fight fire with fire and play all sorts of pranks on Caballo, but they always lose because the Director only believes Caballo.
The second part of the book is about Julian's escape from the camp after his brothers are sent to an orphanage in Colorado. He finds a boy named Tomas, who is fixing up an old boat to travel back to Cuba to rescue 14 people. It's risky, but Tomas decides to let Julian go. Julian has experience with motors, and ends up being instrumental in the rescue.
I enjoyed the book once I got past the boring beginning. There aren't many children's books on this topic so I recommend it, but only kids who REALLY like historical fiction are going to read it. I would recommend it for an assigned reading for a social studies class.
May 15, 2014
I would recommend this book to young adults who know some background information about Cuba. This book is set in the time period of Fidel Castro coming into power and a revolution taking place. Julian and his brothers, Alquilino and Gordo were sent to Miami from Havana, Cuba by their parents. Their parents felt it was best to send their kids to Miami while they had a chance for a better life. Once the boys arrived in Miami, they were sent to a refugee camp for kids to stay at temporarily. Julian and his brothers encountered Caballo, who was the bully of the camp. He had apathy to these brothers whom he had known back in Cuba. However, Angelita and Pepe were also sent to this camp and they were good friends of Julian and his family back home. They were able to be compatible to bring down Caballo in his glory. After doing this, Julian escaped the camp to meet up with Tomas. Tomas was also from Cuba and he was on a mission to secretly get to Cuba and rescue his family and friends. Tomas and Julian worked on a boat to make it ready to travel to Cuba to save the people. The two of them embarked the boat and headed to Havana, Cuba to save fourteen people. Throughout the book Julian, his friends, and his family run into conflicts which they all have to deal with and try to solve. If you want to find out if Tomas and Julian save the fourteen people and what happens next, then you will have to read 90 Miles to Havana. This book is more than interesting and it takes more than a few unexpected twists and turns. I thought that the book was well developed and always had me at the edge of my seat. I did not know what was going to happen throughout 90 Miles to Havana. This book was also easy to follow and understand what was going on. Julian was a young boy, who was the nervous and quiet type. He rarely voiced his opinion, but when he did no one could change his mind. His brothers, Alquilino and Gordo always thought that they were better and smarter than Julian. They also liked to pick on Julian at every opportunity they were given. Tomas was a very nice guy who was welcoming and caring to every person he encountered. I would consider this book realistic fiction because it is told from real life experiences, but the author just changed the names of the characters. I have never read a book like this before, but I really enjoyed it and overall 90 Miles to Havana was a well written, good book.
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