Written and Illustrated by Daniel Miyares
This graphic memoir is told from a twelve-year-old boy’s perspective. Up close and personal, we see how Fidel Castro moves into Cuba and establishes communism. The author relates his father’s life as a child during the Cuban revolution. Carlos is happy living near his family in rural Cuba, but their fortunes change when his father wins the lottery and moves the family to town to live out his dream of starting his own furniture business. In enters Castro, and young Carlos’s family is forced to give up their business; his grandparents turn over the family farm; and the family makes the difficult decision to flee Cuba, leaving his abuelo and abuela behind.
I read this book in one sitting; this is a refugee story I will not forget. More than one million fled Cuba in the twenty years following the events in this story. The illustrations and the text work together beautifully. This would be a good recommendation for students who enjoy books by Alan Grantz.
Reviewed by Kristen Hunt, Librarian, Whittier Elementary
Review shared in January 2026
Rating: ★★★★½ (4.5 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 4-7
How to Say Goodbye in Cuban
Written and Illustrated by Daniel Miyares
Anne Schwartz Books
223 pages
Release Date: September 30, 2025
ISBN: 9780593568316
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
