How to Say Goodbye in Cuban
CCBC Review:
In 1956, 12-year-old Carlos and his family live on a sugarcane farm in Ceiba Mocha, Cuba, where life for Carlos is mostly carefree. But political and personal changes are coming. When his papi wins the lottery, the family moves to the city, where Carlos must adjust to a new school with students who call him “country kid” and assume he’s wealthy because his dad has his own business. Carlos also misses his abuelo, and he’s alarmed by the civil unrest in the city. Fidel Castro, recently returned to Cuba after exile, has taken control of the government. Soon Papi’s business is shut down, and suspicion abounds as neighbors begin to spy on one another in search of anyone not in support of Castro’s Revolution. Carlos knows his homeland is in turmoil, but frustratingly, his parents keep him mostly in the dark regarding political events. And then Papi disappears. In this fictional graphic novel based on the author’s father’s childhood experiences, a timeline of historical events is interspersed throughout, drawn in black-and-white and kept short and digestible. The ink-and-watercolor artwork accompanying the primary narrative is detailed and set in an earth-toned palette with pops of oranges and pinks. Life before and during the Cuban Revolution is realistically depicted from a child’s limited perspective, and the ending promises hope and a chance of a new life for Carlos and his family despite a difficult goodbye. ©2026 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Daniel Miyares
CCBC Age Recommendation: 8-12
Age Range:
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Format:
Graphic Novel
Subjects:
20th Century
Cubans and Cuban Americans
Historical Fiction
Oppression
Politics and Political Systems
Refugees
Diversity subject:
Latine
Publishers:
Random House, Anne Schwartz Book
Publish Year: 2025
Pages: 223
ISBN: 9780593568293
CCBC Location: Non-Fiction, 741.5 Miyares