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We Are Pan
Not yet published
Expected 2 Jun 26Four teens. One island. A revolution that will tear their world apart.
When Fidel Castro's Revolution erupts across Cuba, everything Antonia, Eugenio, Rosa, and Wilfredo thought they understood about their lives—about their families, their futures, even their identities—blows apart like fireworks over Havana Bay.
Suddenly… Dreamers become fugitives. Artists become targets. Crushes become enemies. And families must choose who gets to escape—and who must stay behind.
As the island transforms into a country under surveillance, the four of them face choices no teenager should ever have to make. Choices about who they are. Who they trust. And who they must say goodbye to…forever. What happens when your childhood ends not with a celebration…but a revolution?
Inspired by true stories behind Operation Pedro Pan, We Are Pan is a heart wrenching YA graphic novel about first love, last chances, and the courage it takes to leave everything behind.
When Fidel Castro's Revolution erupts across Cuba, everything Antonia, Eugenio, Rosa, and Wilfredo thought they understood about their lives—about their families, their futures, even their identities—blows apart like fireworks over Havana Bay.
Suddenly… Dreamers become fugitives. Artists become targets. Crushes become enemies. And families must choose who gets to escape—and who must stay behind.
As the island transforms into a country under surveillance, the four of them face choices no teenager should ever have to make. Choices about who they are. Who they trust. And who they must say goodbye to…forever. What happens when your childhood ends not with a celebration…but a revolution?
Inspired by true stories behind Operation Pedro Pan, We Are Pan is a heart wrenching YA graphic novel about first love, last chances, and the courage it takes to leave everything behind.
- GenresGraphic Novels
184 pages, Paperback
Expected publication June 2, 2026
1 person is currently reading
42 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was drawn to this story because I don’t remember learning about it before. It is an important piece of history that we must pay attention to so that we as a country do not repeat it. I did see similarities to what the United States is going through right now, and it made me realize it could so easily be us.
NetGalley had this book listed as Children’s Fiction and it is definitely not. It is written strictly on an adult level with adult themes, a few of which are inappropriate, especially for a younger audience. I did enjoy the comic book style because a lot more can be relayed through pictures and it made for a quick read. The first full half of the book lays the foundation for what was going on in Cuba at the time and how the evacuation of children to the states came to be. The second half was more interesting as you follow the children from being flown out of Cuba in the 1960s to where they are today. The “children,” however, were mostly older teens and young adults. It would have been nice to have one or two very young ones depicted, but the afterward does state that the characters were based on interviews with actual Pans.
I enjoyed this intriguing historical account and the important part played by the Catholic church. I recommend familiarizing yourself with this fascinating and fairly recent historical event.
*I received a complimentary copy of this e-book from the publisher through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
NetGalley had this book listed as Children’s Fiction and it is definitely not. It is written strictly on an adult level with adult themes, a few of which are inappropriate, especially for a younger audience. I did enjoy the comic book style because a lot more can be relayed through pictures and it made for a quick read. The first full half of the book lays the foundation for what was going on in Cuba at the time and how the evacuation of children to the states came to be. The second half was more interesting as you follow the children from being flown out of Cuba in the 1960s to where they are today. The “children,” however, were mostly older teens and young adults. It would have been nice to have one or two very young ones depicted, but the afterward does state that the characters were based on interviews with actual Pans.
I enjoyed this intriguing historical account and the important part played by the Catholic church. I recommend familiarizing yourself with this fascinating and fairly recent historical event.
*I received a complimentary copy of this e-book from the publisher through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you so much to IDW Publishing/ Top Shelf Productions and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
This didn’t go as I was expecting at all, I knew it would be educational and sharing a piece of history I actually didn’t know anything about, but I just found myself struggling with it. It wasn’t engaging to me personally and it was so slow, it kept flicking between characters which got confusing and there was too much story that didn’t really seem overly relevant.
I was thinking it would be a story of a couple children that had to go through the experience in their lives, from the cause, the changes and then the difficult transitional move. But it took such a longer path to actually get to the point, there were way too many people and too many stories and it was really hard to find a connection with any of them.
I still think it’s a piece of history that is important to be shared about, Castros revolution and the Pedro Pan children. I honestly didn’t know anything about this and was hoping to learn about it from reading this, which I did; however as it felt very dry and boring and wasn’t very engaging I struggled to take in all the information.
I do think that though this wasn’t something I found enjoyment in, it offers something great for a teen audience with it being in a graphic novel with plenty of illustrations to guide them through, sharing the story in more of a bite size style. I think that it’s a great educational resource.
This didn’t go as I was expecting at all, I knew it would be educational and sharing a piece of history I actually didn’t know anything about, but I just found myself struggling with it. It wasn’t engaging to me personally and it was so slow, it kept flicking between characters which got confusing and there was too much story that didn’t really seem overly relevant.
I was thinking it would be a story of a couple children that had to go through the experience in their lives, from the cause, the changes and then the difficult transitional move. But it took such a longer path to actually get to the point, there were way too many people and too many stories and it was really hard to find a connection with any of them.
I still think it’s a piece of history that is important to be shared about, Castros revolution and the Pedro Pan children. I honestly didn’t know anything about this and was hoping to learn about it from reading this, which I did; however as it felt very dry and boring and wasn’t very engaging I struggled to take in all the information.
I do think that though this wasn’t something I found enjoyment in, it offers something great for a teen audience with it being in a graphic novel with plenty of illustrations to guide them through, sharing the story in more of a bite size style. I think that it’s a great educational resource.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thoughts:
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I didn’t know what to expect starting this book as I knew nothing about Operation Pedro Pan and my knowledge of the Cuban revolution is also limited. I liked how the book started on each child before Castro first as it gave us a real sense of the lives they had and lost due to the political climate. The multiple children also gave a better sense of the people in Cuba at that time, especially the one who joined the party and the one who had to leave against her fathers will. I also really liked the ending showing where the children ended up and the achievement each one made by being given a chance at a different life.
Favourite Quote:
“While Operation: Pedro Pan is very unique to Cuba, and uniquely belongs to that generation of Cubans sent here as children, it is a universal tale for any parent willing to sacrifice everything for their children to have a better life. A life without persecution, without poverty, without starvation, without loss of innocence. It’s also a cautionary tale that can effect any of us, anywhere, at any time. We can only hope that if or when it does happen to us, there is compassion on the other side, a boat or plane ride away.”
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I didn’t know what to expect starting this book as I knew nothing about Operation Pedro Pan and my knowledge of the Cuban revolution is also limited. I liked how the book started on each child before Castro first as it gave us a real sense of the lives they had and lost due to the political climate. The multiple children also gave a better sense of the people in Cuba at that time, especially the one who joined the party and the one who had to leave against her fathers will. I also really liked the ending showing where the children ended up and the achievement each one made by being given a chance at a different life.
Favourite Quote:
“While Operation: Pedro Pan is very unique to Cuba, and uniquely belongs to that generation of Cubans sent here as children, it is a universal tale for any parent willing to sacrifice everything for their children to have a better life. A life without persecution, without poverty, without starvation, without loss of innocence. It’s also a cautionary tale that can effect any of us, anywhere, at any time. We can only hope that if or when it does happen to us, there is compassion on the other side, a boat or plane ride away.”
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Before I started We Are Pan, I was unaware of Operation Pedro Pan and did not know what to expect.This graphic novel is beautifully illustrated and deeply emotional. It highlights the often overlooked story of Operación Pedro Pan, when over 14,000 Cuban children were sent alone to the United States between 1960 and 1962 to escape the Castro regime.
The story centers on the heartbreaking choices Cuban families faced—stay together under growing political danger or send their children away in hopes of a safer future. Through the experiences of these “Pedro Pan” children, the book explores themes of separation, resilience, and enduring love. The foreword by Alex Segura adds a personal touch, connecting the narrative to real family histories.
Yasmin Flores Montanez’s artwork is heartfelt and expressive, capturing both the fear of leaving home and the uncertainty of starting over in a new country.
Overall, We Are Pan is a powerful and compassionate graphic novel that sheds light on a painful chapter of history while honoring the strength of the children and families who lived through it.
The story centers on the heartbreaking choices Cuban families faced—stay together under growing political danger or send their children away in hopes of a safer future. Through the experiences of these “Pedro Pan” children, the book explores themes of separation, resilience, and enduring love. The foreword by Alex Segura adds a personal touch, connecting the narrative to real family histories.
Yasmin Flores Montanez’s artwork is heartfelt and expressive, capturing both the fear of leaving home and the uncertainty of starting over in a new country.
Overall, We Are Pan is a powerful and compassionate graphic novel that sheds light on a painful chapter of history while honoring the strength of the children and families who lived through it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley.
I liked this but I wanted to like it a lot more. My biggest qualm was there were so many characters, and I really had trouble keeping up. Operation Pan was something I only had a little previous knowledge on and getting to learn more about it was fascinating. The art style felt very classically Havana and I loved that.
It is labelled as children's fiction in Netgalley, but I'm wondering if YA gets lumped into that because Goodreads has it labelled as YA and it is definitely YA and not children's. No points off for that, just an observation!
I was given the opportunity to read this title by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
I liked this but I wanted to like it a lot more. My biggest qualm was there were so many characters, and I really had trouble keeping up. Operation Pan was something I only had a little previous knowledge on and getting to learn more about it was fascinating. The art style felt very classically Havana and I loved that.
It is labelled as children's fiction in Netgalley, but I'm wondering if YA gets lumped into that because Goodreads has it labelled as YA and it is definitely YA and not children's. No points off for that, just an observation!
I was given the opportunity to read this title by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
We Are Pan is a graphic novel telling the POV of four teenage children set when Fidel Castros Revolution took place across Cuba.
I was drawn to this book by the cover and the historic event that I don't know that much about.
However, this book is not for children as the cover may mislead - it is definitely for YA and has adult themes and events younger children may find upsetting.
The characters stories are inspired by true stories from this time during Operation Pedro Pan and is so heartbreaking to read about but very important too. With the state of the world today this is a must read to all to wake up and take action to prevent similar history re-happening in the world today.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
We Are Pan is a graphic novel telling the POV of four teenage children set when Fidel Castros Revolution took place across Cuba.
I was drawn to this book by the cover and the historic event that I don't know that much about.
However, this book is not for children as the cover may mislead - it is definitely for YA and has adult themes and events younger children may find upsetting.
The characters stories are inspired by true stories from this time during Operation Pedro Pan and is so heartbreaking to read about but very important too. With the state of the world today this is a must read to all to wake up and take action to prevent similar history re-happening in the world today.
Want to read
January 6, 2025From Multiversity Comics: "a fictionalized account of children who were airlifted out of Cuba and taken into the US after Fidel Castro came to power."
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews