  | How To Say Goodbye In Cuban Author: Miyares, Daniel | |
| Price: $19.78 | ||
Summary:
Here is the dramatic coming-of-age memoir--told in the form of a graphic novel--of 12-year-old Carlos (who would grow up to become the author’s father), his life during the Cuban Revolution, and his family’s harrowing escape to America.
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (07/15/25)
School Library Journal (07/01/25)
Booklist (+) (00/07/25)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 07/01/2025 Gr 5 Up—In his first work for older readers, Miyares centers this middle grade graphic memoir around his father Carlos's experiences as a 12-year-old during the political unrest caused by the 1962 Cuban Revolution. The story alternates between a slice-of-life account of a Cuban farming family adjusting to life in the city after Carlos's father wins the lottery, interspersed with snapshots of key events from the Cuban Revolution. The pages that highlight the historical events are full-page, while the images following Carlos's life are paneled, creating an important distinction between the two narratives. The stunning art is rendered in watercolor and ink, with murky blues and browns in especially harrowing scenes and pops of orange and pink that inspire hope throughout. Even though the dialogue sometimes feels forced and awkward, the child perspective during distressing moments still rings true. While not all readers will be able to connect with the dangerous upheaval depicted in the volume, most kids will understand Carlos's tenuous relationship with his father and his difficult transition from the country to the city, leaving his grandfather and best friend behind. Carlos's family has tan skin, and his best friend has brown skin. VERDICT A strong purchase for graphic memoir shelves, refugee stories collections, and curricular tie-ins for studies on the Cold War and Latin American history.—Shelley M. Diaz - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
