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Letters from Cuba
The story of a young Jewish girl who escapes Poland to make a new life in Cuba, while she works to rescue the rest of her family
The situation is getting dire for Jews in Poland on the eve of World War II. Esther's father has fled to Cuba, and she is the first one to join him. It's heartbreaking to be separated from her beloved sister, so Esther promises to write down everything that happens until they're reunited. And she does, recording both the good--the kindness of the Cuban people and her discovery of a valuable hidden talent--and the bad: the fact that Nazism has found a foothold even in Cuba.
Based on Ruth Behar's family history.
The situation is getting dire for Jews in Poland on the eve of World War II. Esther's father has fled to Cuba, and she is the first one to join him. It's heartbreaking to be separated from her beloved sister, so Esther promises to write down everything that happens until they're reunited. And she does, recording both the good--the kindness of the Cuban people and her discovery of a valuable hidden talent--and the bad: the fact that Nazism has found a foothold even in Cuba.
Based on Ruth Behar's family history.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published August 25, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 350 reviews
September 8, 2022
A heartwarming and hopeful tale told in letters from 11-year-old Esther in 1930's Cuba to her little sister who is still in Poland. The first letter is from Esther to her father in Cuba, asking him to choose her out of the five children in Poland. She promises to work hard and help him to earn money so the rest of the family can emigrate. And does she ever work. Esther is determined to help raise the funds needed and finds that her skills with the needle can multiply their wealth as she sews dresses for woman on the island. What I loved even more than Esther's entrepreneurial spirit was her drive to connect people. When she and her father observe Passover, the neighbors are invited to dinner. At the table are native Cubans, a former slave from Africa with her family, and the Chinese immigrants who run the local grocery. Esther is a model of racial reconciliation despite the Nazi sympathizer who terrorizes her and her father. Love, love, love this book and will be recommending it often.
If you love this one, be sure to check out Ruth Behar's first book: Lucky Broken Girl
If you love this one, be sure to check out Ruth Behar's first book: Lucky Broken Girl
March 10, 2021
This was unlike any historical fiction that I've ever read before. It's amazing how much we're taught about certain moments in history and still so much information is left out. This is loosely based on the experiences of Behar's family. CW: anti-Semitism, violent behavior towards characters
Letters from Cuba has been on my radar since last year. Prior to reading the synopsis of this book, I had no idea that so many Jewish families fled Europe and headed to Cuba to escape the increasingly violent behavior towards the Jewish community at the start of WWII. As a history student, I was always aware of the laws that the United States placed on immigration to prevent Jewish families from continuing to come into the country; however, I never stopped to think if there were other countries that welcomed Jewish families as a result of US borders being closed. This was a fascinating look at those circumstances told in epistolary form from Esther to her sister back in Poland. Once she arrives in Cuba, Esther finds a welcoming community that values that work that she and her father are able to do once he stops peddling. As a parent and reader it was difficult watching Esther feel feelings of shock at people being kind instead of nasty. After experiencing so much abuse at the ends of anti-Semites, Esther doesn't understand why people are so nice to her and her father. It was heartbreaking to listen to that narrative, but extremely important in illustrating how racism and specifically how anti-Semitism during the 1940s impacted children.
Letters from Cuba is not only a tale about finding community, but it's also a book that finds a strong focus on familial relationships. Esther has to reckon with the fact that she is in a safer environment than her family. Not only does this impact her emotionally, but it also encourages her to fight to help her family figure out a way to get to Cuba. It was a huge responsibility for such a young individual, but I think that historically it was accurate to a lot of struggles that many children faced whether that was becoming a "parent" to younger siblings, taking on more adult responsibilities, providing financial support, etc. Esther's ability to keep fighting and going even in the face of great adversity makes it a very compelling book to read. Behar also does a wonderful job with the character development not only with Esther and her father, but also secondary characters. There is a specific character that is anti-Semitic and challenges the right for Esther and her father to live and work in Cuba. While it was difficult to read scenes involving this character, I think that they could have used more development in terms of their background story.
There is a plot, but I think that Behar focused more on the characters and their relationship to drive the events of the book. There are some really great scenes with Esther immersing herself into Cuban culture and learning more about the language, food, religion, and traditions. There was a lot of great cultural exchanges that occurred between the community and Esther and her father. It was unlike anything that I've seen in a middle grade book and it added a certain level of respect to both communities.
Overall, this was a great middle grade book. It touches on a part of history that is often forgotten. Not in terms of the Holocaust, but what exactly happened to those individuals that were able to leave Europe prior to the start of the Holocaust. I highly recommend reading the authors note at the end in which Behar details how she decided to write the story and the perceptions held by those trying to make it to America.
Letters from Cuba has been on my radar since last year. Prior to reading the synopsis of this book, I had no idea that so many Jewish families fled Europe and headed to Cuba to escape the increasingly violent behavior towards the Jewish community at the start of WWII. As a history student, I was always aware of the laws that the United States placed on immigration to prevent Jewish families from continuing to come into the country; however, I never stopped to think if there were other countries that welcomed Jewish families as a result of US borders being closed. This was a fascinating look at those circumstances told in epistolary form from Esther to her sister back in Poland. Once she arrives in Cuba, Esther finds a welcoming community that values that work that she and her father are able to do once he stops peddling. As a parent and reader it was difficult watching Esther feel feelings of shock at people being kind instead of nasty. After experiencing so much abuse at the ends of anti-Semites, Esther doesn't understand why people are so nice to her and her father. It was heartbreaking to listen to that narrative, but extremely important in illustrating how racism and specifically how anti-Semitism during the 1940s impacted children.
Letters from Cuba is not only a tale about finding community, but it's also a book that finds a strong focus on familial relationships. Esther has to reckon with the fact that she is in a safer environment than her family. Not only does this impact her emotionally, but it also encourages her to fight to help her family figure out a way to get to Cuba. It was a huge responsibility for such a young individual, but I think that historically it was accurate to a lot of struggles that many children faced whether that was becoming a "parent" to younger siblings, taking on more adult responsibilities, providing financial support, etc. Esther's ability to keep fighting and going even in the face of great adversity makes it a very compelling book to read. Behar also does a wonderful job with the character development not only with Esther and her father, but also secondary characters. There is a specific character that is anti-Semitic and challenges the right for Esther and her father to live and work in Cuba. While it was difficult to read scenes involving this character, I think that they could have used more development in terms of their background story.
There is a plot, but I think that Behar focused more on the characters and their relationship to drive the events of the book. There are some really great scenes with Esther immersing herself into Cuban culture and learning more about the language, food, religion, and traditions. There was a lot of great cultural exchanges that occurred between the community and Esther and her father. It was unlike anything that I've seen in a middle grade book and it added a certain level of respect to both communities.
Overall, this was a great middle grade book. It touches on a part of history that is often forgotten. Not in terms of the Holocaust, but what exactly happened to those individuals that were able to leave Europe prior to the start of the Holocaust. I highly recommend reading the authors note at the end in which Behar details how she decided to write the story and the perceptions held by those trying to make it to America.
January 2, 2021
I started reading this book about 4-5 hours ago and I had to finish it. I love historical fiction and when I first knew about this book I wanted to read it, although I didn’t know it was a middle grade novel.
I love how people used to send letters, and reading this book in “format of letters” was the best. I loved discovering Cuba from Esther’s eyes.
I love how people used to send letters, and reading this book in “format of letters” was the best. I loved discovering Cuba from Esther’s eyes.
September 7, 2020
It's 1938 and Papa has been in Cuba for three years, working to save money to bring the rest of his family there from Poland and away from the increasing Nazi threat to Jews. Normally, it would be the eldest son, Moshe, who would be the first child to join his father, but 11-going-on-12-year-old Esther Abraham, the eldest daughter, makes such a convincing case to Papa, that she is chosen to join him, much to her mother's consternation.
But, on her own, Esther travels through Poland, Nazi Germany, and Holland, boards a ship to cross the Atlantic, only to learn that the first stop is Mexico, not Cuba and that she will be the only passenger when they leave port. But Esther, being a naturally friendly girl, has made friends with the animals on board, spending time with them until they reach Havana, Cuba and the next delay.
In the end, Papa is there and, before they head to the town where he lives, he has to conduct some business, introducing Esther to Zvi Mandelbaum. It turns out Papa's job in Cuba is as a itinerant peddler, not the shopkeeper his family thought he was, and he gets his wares from Mandelbaum, who immediately gives Esther a pair of sandals so she can take off her hot woolen stockings.
From the moment Esther began her trip, she decided to write down "every interesting thing that happens" in letters for her younger sister Malka. That way when the rest of the family are finally in Cuba, they can read the letters and it will be as if they had been together the whole time. (pg 2) The result is detailed descriptions of the people Esther meets, the places she goes, and her daily life with Papa.
Esther is friendly, outgoing, and smart, picking up Spanish quickly. And she is also quite enterprising, helping her father sell the items he is given by Mandelbaum. Despite being the only Jews in the town of Matanzas, almost everyone friendly and giving, accepting her and her father. But after Esther sews herself a new dress to wear in the hot Cuban weather, she soon begins a successful trade as a dressmaker to help make money to bring her family to Cuba.
Their lives in Cuba are basically pleasant and enjoyable, filled with new friends of diverse backgrounds, including Manuela and her Afro Cuban grandmother, and the Changs from China, as well as the local doctor and his wife, Señora Graciela. It is she who gives Esther a sewing machine that helps her begin her dressmaking business. But Cuba are not without its Nazi sympathizers, including the doctor's brother, Señor Eduardo. He wants to start a Nazi party in Cuba with an anti-immigrant agenda to get rid of the Jews there.
As the situation in Europe becomes more perilous for the Jews there, it becomes more and more imperative to get the money to bring the whole Abraham family to Cuba.
Esther's letters to Malka are quite detailed. And though the story may not be the kind of exciting tale we are accustomed to from this period in history, it is still a wonderful window into a life we don't often read about. Small wonder it reads so authentically. Behar based this novel on her grandmother's experience of traveling to Cuba in 1927 to join her father. Like Esther, her family had lived in Govorvo, Poland. And like Esther, one beloved family member didn't make to Cuba.
I enjoyed reading Letters from Cuba a lot. Sometimes I just don't want a lot of action and an epistolary novel like this is just the ticket for an evening of reading during COVID-19 time. Esther is a great character - a bold feminist yet respectful of her elders, especially Papa, and her religious traditions. I can't even imagine letting an 11-year-old girl travel from Poland to Cuba, part of the way in Nazi territory, all by herself. She is a character with perseverance, fortitude, and a maturity beyond her age, as well as a pretty good business woman.
Behar includes an extensive and very interesting Note from the Author about her family and how they settled in Cuba, and her research for writing this book. There is also a list of Resources for further reading.
This book is recommended for readers age 10+
But, on her own, Esther travels through Poland, Nazi Germany, and Holland, boards a ship to cross the Atlantic, only to learn that the first stop is Mexico, not Cuba and that she will be the only passenger when they leave port. But Esther, being a naturally friendly girl, has made friends with the animals on board, spending time with them until they reach Havana, Cuba and the next delay.
In the end, Papa is there and, before they head to the town where he lives, he has to conduct some business, introducing Esther to Zvi Mandelbaum. It turns out Papa's job in Cuba is as a itinerant peddler, not the shopkeeper his family thought he was, and he gets his wares from Mandelbaum, who immediately gives Esther a pair of sandals so she can take off her hot woolen stockings.
From the moment Esther began her trip, she decided to write down "every interesting thing that happens" in letters for her younger sister Malka. That way when the rest of the family are finally in Cuba, they can read the letters and it will be as if they had been together the whole time. (pg 2) The result is detailed descriptions of the people Esther meets, the places she goes, and her daily life with Papa.
Esther is friendly, outgoing, and smart, picking up Spanish quickly. And she is also quite enterprising, helping her father sell the items he is given by Mandelbaum. Despite being the only Jews in the town of Matanzas, almost everyone friendly and giving, accepting her and her father. But after Esther sews herself a new dress to wear in the hot Cuban weather, she soon begins a successful trade as a dressmaker to help make money to bring her family to Cuba.
Their lives in Cuba are basically pleasant and enjoyable, filled with new friends of diverse backgrounds, including Manuela and her Afro Cuban grandmother, and the Changs from China, as well as the local doctor and his wife, Señora Graciela. It is she who gives Esther a sewing machine that helps her begin her dressmaking business. But Cuba are not without its Nazi sympathizers, including the doctor's brother, Señor Eduardo. He wants to start a Nazi party in Cuba with an anti-immigrant agenda to get rid of the Jews there.
As the situation in Europe becomes more perilous for the Jews there, it becomes more and more imperative to get the money to bring the whole Abraham family to Cuba.
Esther's letters to Malka are quite detailed. And though the story may not be the kind of exciting tale we are accustomed to from this period in history, it is still a wonderful window into a life we don't often read about. Small wonder it reads so authentically. Behar based this novel on her grandmother's experience of traveling to Cuba in 1927 to join her father. Like Esther, her family had lived in Govorvo, Poland. And like Esther, one beloved family member didn't make to Cuba.
I enjoyed reading Letters from Cuba a lot. Sometimes I just don't want a lot of action and an epistolary novel like this is just the ticket for an evening of reading during COVID-19 time. Esther is a great character - a bold feminist yet respectful of her elders, especially Papa, and her religious traditions. I can't even imagine letting an 11-year-old girl travel from Poland to Cuba, part of the way in Nazi territory, all by herself. She is a character with perseverance, fortitude, and a maturity beyond her age, as well as a pretty good business woman.
Behar includes an extensive and very interesting Note from the Author about her family and how they settled in Cuba, and her research for writing this book. There is also a list of Resources for further reading.
This book is recommended for readers age 10+
Read
March 25, 2021A heartwarming and hopeful tale told in letters from 11-year-old Esther in 1930's Cuba to her little sister who is still in Poland. The first letter is from Esther to her father in Cuba, asking him to choose her out of the five children in Poland. She promises to work hard and help him to earn money so the rest of the family can emigrate. And does she ever work. Esther is determined to help raise the funds needed and finds that her skills with the needle can multiply their wealth as she sews dresses for woman on the island. What I loved even more than Esther's entrepreneurial spirit was her drive to connect people. When she and her father observe Passover, the neighbors are invited to dinner. At the table are native Cubans, a former slave from Africa with her family, and the Chinese immigrants who run the local grocery. Esther is a model of racial reconciliation despite the Nazi sympathizer who terrorizes her and her father. Love, love, love this book and will be recommending it often.
*Review by Darla from Red Bridge*
*Review by Darla from Red Bridge*
May 30, 2021
Another pandemic read ----- although the story is not about a health pandemic, it does revolve around the historical anti-Semitic rhetoric of Hitler's Germany. Based on actual events of the author's family.
Esther convinces her father, who has already established a home in a very remote village (a long train ride away from Havana), to let her come to help him pave the way for the rest of their family to escape the creeping tide of Hitler and his henchmen.
Esther takes a very long sea voyage, when finally reunited, in Havana, with her father she experiences sights, sounds and tastes totally unimaginable from her life in Poland. She has promised her younger sister that she will write letters to keep the family informed of what she sees, she never mails them, but keeps them safe to share when the family arrives.
Even in Cuba, who opened its arms and shores to those in need of refuge, there lies hatred towards anyone who is not "Cuban".
Esther has a hidden talent of being able to design and construct dresses for girls and ladies - this talent is discovered by a fashion buyer of the top clothing store in Havana, and so Esther is able to help her family in a totally unexpected way.
Esther convinces her father, who has already established a home in a very remote village (a long train ride away from Havana), to let her come to help him pave the way for the rest of their family to escape the creeping tide of Hitler and his henchmen.
Esther takes a very long sea voyage, when finally reunited, in Havana, with her father she experiences sights, sounds and tastes totally unimaginable from her life in Poland. She has promised her younger sister that she will write letters to keep the family informed of what she sees, she never mails them, but keeps them safe to share when the family arrives.
Even in Cuba, who opened its arms and shores to those in need of refuge, there lies hatred towards anyone who is not "Cuban".
Esther has a hidden talent of being able to design and construct dresses for girls and ladies - this talent is discovered by a fashion buyer of the top clothing store in Havana, and so Esther is able to help her family in a totally unexpected way.
May 28, 2022
Loosely based on the real story of the author's grandmother, "Letters from Cuba" was such a refreshing WW2 read. Written in the epistolary format, the author vividly described the pre-war Cuba and how the war affected the island miles away from Europe. There were warm and scary moments, despair and triumph, but most of all the book was filled with hope and love.
It's a young adult novel, the writing and content, occasionally, was not appealing especially at the beginning. But the overall read was enjoyable. I've learned few things new here and there.
Must read the author's note at the end of the book.
It's a young adult novel, the writing and content, occasionally, was not appealing especially at the beginning. But the overall read was enjoyable. I've learned few things new here and there.
Must read the author's note at the end of the book.
April 10, 2021
I loved this YA/MG novel based on the actual experience of the author’s grandmother as a Polish Jew escaping to Cuba in the 1930s before the Nazis began their mass persecution. Behar also happens to be a cultural anthropologist, so her connections to the story are deep and authentic. The narrative is told as a series of letters to her sister, who stayed behind in Poland with the rest of the family until enough money could be sent. Esther is the first family member to arrive in Cuba after her father has spent the last year as a peddler, trying to sell enough wares to afford ship passage for his family of 6. As the eldest, she displays a tremendous amount of courage and curiosity, as well as overwhelming acceptance of her newly adopted country. I also enjoyed the weaving of Jose Martí’s poetry throughout. Much of what I know about Cuba is more contemporary, leading up to Communism, but after having traveled there last year it was so interesting to see a perspective that matched what I saw in the people and culture. One quote, in particular, paralleled what is going on even in our own country - “so many people are looking for a place to call home. I want to imagine that the world had a very large heart and can give all of us who have lost our homes a chance to start over.”
July 25, 2024
i LOVED it, esther was such a cute and innocent character, her optimism, kindness, and endless empathy made the book so lighthearted even with all the horrible things that were happening, i adore her and her dedication and love towards her family LOVE ITTT
September 5, 2023
This is my “read a few pages of every night” YA book to go into my classroom library. When I was younger I loveddddd a book written in diary format (hello Dear America - I’m looking at you 👀) but this is definitely something I’ve aged out of 😅 However, still a heartwarming story about a young, Jewish, Polish, refugee girl in Cuba joining her father to bring their entire family over before WW2. Luckily I can add it to my classroom because there are no 🙅🏻♀️genitals!
September 26, 2025
This book was beautiful. Captured the essence of Cuban history nicely in a historical fiction manner and the mix of people who made Cuba their home over generations.
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May 28, 2025i would have loved this book as a 9-year-old
May 18, 2024
I really enjoyed the story and it was refreshing from the girls point of view.
June 30, 2021
3.75⭐️ This book brought me closer to an aspect of Jewish history that I was not familiar with, and I think it’s important for young people to have a story like this, to see how far reaching Nazism was at this time.
Behar really brings us inside of Esther’s experience. She was a lovely character to come to know and spend time with. Witnessing her fall in love with Cuba was really beautiful. Also, the community she finds is wonderfully diverse and loving.
It was a little slow moving, so it won’t be for every middle grade reader, but no book is. It’s more of a contemplative read overall. Some of the secondary characters didn’t feel as well drawn to me.
There is a kindness and warmth to this book that is special, particularly given the difficult subject matter. It belongs in school libraries for sure.
CW: antisemitism
Behar really brings us inside of Esther’s experience. She was a lovely character to come to know and spend time with. Witnessing her fall in love with Cuba was really beautiful. Also, the community she finds is wonderfully diverse and loving.
It was a little slow moving, so it won’t be for every middle grade reader, but no book is. It’s more of a contemplative read overall. Some of the secondary characters didn’t feel as well drawn to me.
There is a kindness and warmth to this book that is special, particularly given the difficult subject matter. It belongs in school libraries for sure.
CW: antisemitism
March 30, 2023
..."And then, after a while, the words weren't just words anymore.
I began to feel them deep inside me, like the beating heart in my chest. Bubbe and those who came before, and before, and before, had recited these very same words and tapped on their chests.
As the words moved through me, they shone a light on my life. Maybe my heart had grown hard and I hadn't realized it? But my praying and asking for forgiveness, I could make my heart soft again so it could fill up with love.
Suddenly I understood that there were people whose hearts had turned to stone. Their hearts had become so hard, they had no room for love, only hate."
A powerful & heartfelt epistolary-style Middlegrade novel detailing the exile of a Jewish father and daughter from their home in Poland to work in Cuba throughout the Nazi occupation in WW2. Brave, plucky, and determined Esther writes letters to her sister every day to close the gap of distance between them, to connect to her Jewish religion & traditions, and to share day-to-day life with Malka until the rest of the family joins them in Havana. Her writings were heartbreaking, deeply personal, and such an effective way to share this part of little-known corner of world history.
Learned so much about sugar cane production in Cuba, dress fitting and dress making (Esther's true love), of all the many countries Jews were sent to trying to escape persecution, and finally, the terrors and harrowing tales of reunification.
This was a lovely book of blended cultures, what it means to be a true friend and to share our true selves unabashedly, to appreciate what makes us different, and to stand up for what is right, despite consequences. It was beautifully told and a lovely and inspiring read!
Make sure you read the Author's Note about the "real" Esther ... so many amazing details that added to this story!
Actual rating, 4.25 stars
I began to feel them deep inside me, like the beating heart in my chest. Bubbe and those who came before, and before, and before, had recited these very same words and tapped on their chests.
As the words moved through me, they shone a light on my life. Maybe my heart had grown hard and I hadn't realized it? But my praying and asking for forgiveness, I could make my heart soft again so it could fill up with love.
Suddenly I understood that there were people whose hearts had turned to stone. Their hearts had become so hard, they had no room for love, only hate."
A powerful & heartfelt epistolary-style Middlegrade novel detailing the exile of a Jewish father and daughter from their home in Poland to work in Cuba throughout the Nazi occupation in WW2. Brave, plucky, and determined Esther writes letters to her sister every day to close the gap of distance between them, to connect to her Jewish religion & traditions, and to share day-to-day life with Malka until the rest of the family joins them in Havana. Her writings were heartbreaking, deeply personal, and such an effective way to share this part of little-known corner of world history.
Learned so much about sugar cane production in Cuba, dress fitting and dress making (Esther's true love), of all the many countries Jews were sent to trying to escape persecution, and finally, the terrors and harrowing tales of reunification.
This was a lovely book of blended cultures, what it means to be a true friend and to share our true selves unabashedly, to appreciate what makes us different, and to stand up for what is right, despite consequences. It was beautifully told and a lovely and inspiring read!
Make sure you read the Author's Note about the "real" Esther ... so many amazing details that added to this story!
Actual rating, 4.25 stars
November 21, 2022
This is a beautiful immigration / refugee story. Well written for a middle grade reader. It’s like a child would tell the story to another child. I appreciate that the author pulled from her own family as well as research of the area. Lots of little peeks into the hate and violence that surrounded the Holocaust and its global impact, which leaves room for young minds to think and explore without being graphic.
Teacher notes: excellent for our middle grade readers. No sex, no cussing. Violence is minimal and appropriate for the story. Definitely a book with themes of empathy and diversity.
Teacher notes: excellent for our middle grade readers. No sex, no cussing. Violence is minimal and appropriate for the story. Definitely a book with themes of empathy and diversity.
March 28, 2021
I enjoyed this book. I so rarely get to read Jewish children's books and while I would love more Jewish characters to not be connected to the Holocaust, I enjoyed reading about the Jewish community in Cuba. I walk both paths of being Jewish and Latina so this was refreshing. It is definitely written for non-Jews as Esther would not be explaining Jewish customs and traditions to her little sister still in Poland. The writing isn't perfect and sometimes a little unbelievable, but I did enjoy it.
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September 5, 2020Too many Jewish families were not lucky enough to arrive in this country before the US closed its doors to Eastern European refugees. This is the (unfortunately timeless) story of one of them, about a girl and her father who go to Cuba and try to earn enough money to bring the rest of their family over. Beautifully written.
July 31, 2022
What a beautiful story that takes place during a tragic time. I can’t wait to share this with my middle school students.
Ps - the author’s note is just as phenomenal as the story itself
Ps - the author’s note is just as phenomenal as the story itself
April 9, 2021
I love this story, I love how it is told through the letters that Esther writes to her sister, I love how this story is based on the author Ruth Behar's authentic family history, and I love the audiobook narration by Rebecca Soler. This is such a poignant coming-of-age tale, so moving, so lovingly written. Highly recommend!
July 29, 2021
my fastest read ever, for a good reason! loved this book! 💙 feels nice to remember why I love historical fiction so much
February 26, 2023
this was so sweet and also heart wrenching and made me cry like 4 times!!! it was so beautiful and sad!!!
August 22, 2025
4 Stars • Letters from Cuba by Ruth Behar tracks Esther, a 12-year-old Jewish girl fleeing 1930s Poland to join her father in Cuba amid growing antisemitism. Penned as letters to her sister, the story details Esther’s adjustment to life in rural Agramonte, overcoming obstacles through her sewing skills and bonds with diverse neighbors. The novel highlights themes of immigration, perseverance, and cross-cultural friendships.
#LettersFromCuba #RuthBehar #Bookish
#LettersFromCuba #RuthBehar #Bookish
February 7, 2022
This book was a really good read to start of the new year!
June 16, 2023
A perspective on WWII that I’d never read before. I didn’t realize it was a young adult / middle grade book, but I still enjoyed it.
September 22, 2022
3 1/2 Stars. Good for older elementary school age.
September 6, 2024
Feb 20, 2024: 4.5* My husband had recommended this title to me after listening to the audiobook last summer. I read the majority of this in one sitting. I found it engaging and interesting given its style of being written in letters from Cuba to family in Poland. I enjoyed seeing the 11-year-old MC Esther, from Dec 2, 1937 to Feb 5, 1939, come in to her own and become a confident partner with her papa in earning enough to send for the rest of the family. Esther is the oldest daughter in a faithful Jewish family consisting of the grandmother, parents, 3 boys, and 2 girls. I felt I gained insight into Jewish traditions I didn't know about, particularly when Esther arrives from a cold climate in her wool clothing to a hot climate. It was an adjustment for her to wear dresses that showed her legs and sandals that showed her toes.
So many times while reading this I paused to reread a particularly poetic part, there are lots of quotes I want to save. When I finished, it felt like I had read a love letter about Cuba. I had never really thought about the country much and I didn't realize, till the note from the author at the end mentioning the St. Louis, that I had read about the ill fated ship that arrives in Cuba shortly after the events of this book. To Hope and Back by Kathy Kacer (about the St. Louis) was a big contrast to Esther's experience not long before.
This book made me think of various other books I've read about the immigrant journey but this one is strong in its location, style, timing (of being before the official start of WWII), and how well it flows. The information from the author at the end was like a cherry on top. The hardest part for me was reading the parts with Señor Eduardo, his cruelty was believable but hard to read. I think some of my favorite parts are how Esther brings such diverse people together around the same table (Atheist, devout Catholic, former slave involved in their African religion, Chinese shop owner).
Content Considerations/Sensitive topics: slavery, anti-semitism
Themes include: faithfulness, hard work, community, racial and religious tolerance, familial love, sacrifice.
If you like: epistolary books, female leads, positive sibling relationships, male female friendships, intercultural friendships
Two other books I’ve read that compliment this one well:
To Hope and Back: The Journey of the St. Louis (The Holocaust Remembrance Series for Young Readers) by Kathy Kacer [takes place May-June 1939]
Land of Hope (Ellis Island #1) by Joan Lowery Nixon [takes place May 1902]
Quotes:
"I cry too, but I don't think that makes us weak. We cry because there are people in the world we love so much that it hurts when they are far away." pg 120
"I don't think I'll ever understand people like Señor Eduardo. His hatred is like a shard of glass in his eye that distorts his vision. But today I learned that when people band together, they can make things better for everyone." pg 143
"Maybe my heart had grown hard and I hadn't realized it? But by praying and asking forgiveness, I could make my heart soft again so it could fill up with love. Suddenly I understood that there were people whose hearts had turned to stone. Their hearts had become so hard, they had no room for love, only for hate." pg 165
"So many people are looking for a place to call home. I want to imagine that the world has a very large heart and can give all of us who have lost our homes a chance to start over." pg 175
"It isn't easy to be a refugee. It isn't easy to find your way in a new place and learn a new language. No one leaves their country unless they must." pg 177
So many times while reading this I paused to reread a particularly poetic part, there are lots of quotes I want to save. When I finished, it felt like I had read a love letter about Cuba. I had never really thought about the country much and I didn't realize, till the note from the author at the end mentioning the St. Louis, that I had read about the ill fated ship that arrives in Cuba shortly after the events of this book. To Hope and Back by Kathy Kacer (about the St. Louis) was a big contrast to Esther's experience not long before.
This book made me think of various other books I've read about the immigrant journey but this one is strong in its location, style, timing (of being before the official start of WWII), and how well it flows. The information from the author at the end was like a cherry on top. The hardest part for me was reading the parts with Señor Eduardo, his cruelty was believable but hard to read. I think some of my favorite parts are how Esther brings such diverse people together around the same table (Atheist, devout Catholic, former slave involved in their African religion, Chinese shop owner).
Content Considerations/Sensitive topics: slavery, anti-semitism
Themes include: faithfulness, hard work, community, racial and religious tolerance, familial love, sacrifice.
If you like: epistolary books, female leads, positive sibling relationships, male female friendships, intercultural friendships
Two other books I’ve read that compliment this one well:
To Hope and Back: The Journey of the St. Louis (The Holocaust Remembrance Series for Young Readers) by Kathy Kacer [takes place May-June 1939]
Land of Hope (Ellis Island #1) by Joan Lowery Nixon [takes place May 1902]
Quotes:
"I cry too, but I don't think that makes us weak. We cry because there are people in the world we love so much that it hurts when they are far away." pg 120
"I don't think I'll ever understand people like Señor Eduardo. His hatred is like a shard of glass in his eye that distorts his vision. But today I learned that when people band together, they can make things better for everyone." pg 143
"Maybe my heart had grown hard and I hadn't realized it? But by praying and asking forgiveness, I could make my heart soft again so it could fill up with love. Suddenly I understood that there were people whose hearts had turned to stone. Their hearts had become so hard, they had no room for love, only for hate." pg 165
"So many people are looking for a place to call home. I want to imagine that the world has a very large heart and can give all of us who have lost our homes a chance to start over." pg 175
"It isn't easy to be a refugee. It isn't easy to find your way in a new place and learn a new language. No one leaves their country unless they must." pg 177
October 18, 2020
Whoa. I am on a roll with deep and meaningful historical fiction books this week. Don't be fooled by that adorable, cozy cover, though. I wasn't fully prepared for the depth of emotion and fear in this story. Twelve year old Esther is a Jews living in Poland on the eve of World War II. In an effort to get the family to safety, her father heads for Cuba to prepare a safe home for his whole family. It takes him three years to raise enough funds to transport just one of his children to be with him in Cuba. He chooses Esther, which turns out to be the right choice. Because she is able to use her amazing skills to raise far more money than her father ever could.
While this story isn't a constant upbeat story of glitter and rainbows, the sun shines through at the most crucial times, highlighting the value of community and hope. The reader is given wonderful insight into Jewish customs and beliefs while sharing how Esther and her father give themselves grace on which religious practices to follow to perfection and which can be altered considering their new home. There's a wonderfully detailed author's note at the end where we hear about Ruth Behar's grandmother (who this story was actually based on). We also learn that Behar is a cultural anthropologist. She mentioned Letters from Rifka written by Karen Hesse as a book that helped inspire her to write Letters from Cuba. So I'm definitely adding that title to my list. This was a wonderful book and I'm happy to recommend!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
While this story isn't a constant upbeat story of glitter and rainbows, the sun shines through at the most crucial times, highlighting the value of community and hope. The reader is given wonderful insight into Jewish customs and beliefs while sharing how Esther and her father give themselves grace on which religious practices to follow to perfection and which can be altered considering their new home. There's a wonderfully detailed author's note at the end where we hear about Ruth Behar's grandmother (who this story was actually based on). We also learn that Behar is a cultural anthropologist. She mentioned Letters from Rifka written by Karen Hesse as a book that helped inspire her to write Letters from Cuba. So I'm definitely adding that title to my list. This was a wonderful book and I'm happy to recommend!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
September 8, 2020
I loved Ruth Behar's Lucky Broken Girl so I knew to expect a great story and wonderful, descriptive writing. But Letters from Cuba exceeded these expectations with a story that teaches a lot about Jewish people escaping to Cuba during the Holocaust. It provokes curiosity, shows sensitivity to the Cuban community, and the Jewish people who traveled far looking for refuge. I fell in love with Esther and her father, the friends who embraced them, and the good fortune they eventually made. Reading the author's note at the end made the whole story even more meaningful! I hope Ruth has more stories for us in the future!
October 22, 2020
This was just excellent. More later, but I was blown away by this powerful story of friendship across ethnic, religious and racial divides. Of the bravery of immigrants, of the beauty of Cuba, of the power of faith & hope. Really, really incredible. I love that Behar based this on the life of her maternal grandmother Esther who came to Cuba from Poland, then immigrated again to the US. It was wonderful to read the author's note and understand all the work and heart Behar put into this work.
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