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4th out of 30 books
—
2 voters
90 Miles to Havana
by
Enrique Flores-Galbis (Goodreads Author)
When Julian's parents make the heartbreaking decision to sendhim and his two brothers away from Cuba to Miami via the Pedro Pan operation, the boys are thrust into a new world where bullies run rampant and it's not always clear how best to protect themselves.
90 Miles to Havana is a 2011 Pura Belpre Honor Book for Narrative and a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of t...more
90 Miles to Havana is a 2011 Pura Belpre Honor Book for Narrative and a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of t...more
Hardcover, 304 pages
Published
August 3rd 2010
by Roaring Brook Press
(first published 2010)
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o APA citation: Flores-Galbis, E. (2012). 90 miles to Havana. New York, NY: Square Fish Publishers.
o Genre: Multi-cultural
o Format: Print
o Selection process: ALSC & YALSA 2011 book picks. (2011). School Library Journal, 50-57, award recipient (2011 Pura Belpré Honor Book for Narrative, 2011 Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year)
o Review:
It is the year 1961, and Fidel Castro has recently overtaken the government in Cuba. Julian, the youngest of three boys and the son of respectable, h...more
o Genre: Multi-cultural
o Format: Print
o Selection process: ALSC & YALSA 2011 book picks. (2011). School Library Journal, 50-57, award recipient (2011 Pura Belpré Honor Book for Narrative, 2011 Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year)
o Review:
It is the year 1961, and Fidel Castro has recently overtaken the government in Cuba. Julian, the youngest of three boys and the son of respectable, h...more
This is a really good multicultural book. It is based on the author's experience as a child when he left Cuba in 1961 in operation Pedro Pan. It opens on New Years Day in Havana, Cuba as Castro's revolution is beginning. Julian lives in a well-to-do neighborhood and suddenly there is fighting in the streets. His neighbors the Garcias leave for the United States the next day and soon afterward, Julian's parents unable to leave themselves send him and his brothers to what is advertised as a "summe...more
This story is the fascinating tale of a refugee from Cuba. The book is based on the real-life experiences of the author, who underwent similar events in his own childhood. Julian, the main character, is sent with his brothers from Cuba to Miami right after the Revolution. They have to leave their parents behind and begin a new life alone. The boys are sent to a camp in Miami for Cuban children where they have to adjust to new bullies, a new language, and a new way of life. After being separated...more
The book I have chosen for my multicultural literature assignment is “90 Miles to Havana.” This book was based off the author’s experience. It is about a little boy and his family who live in Cuba. In the beginning of the book it starts off with historical facts about the revolution that was taken place in Cuba. Throughout the story Julian and his family go through very hard times. Julian and his brothers eventually end up in a camp in the southern parts of Miami. His two older brothers were se...more
The story of Julian and his family is a heart-felt, overcoming obstacles book I enjoyed reading. Julian’s story of coming to America without any parents and then surviving on the streets by doing odd jobs is a great story. This was a very easy book to read and the style the author used is very easy to follow. This is a great multicultural book for children to read that are going through a difficult transition in their lives, like moving to a different country. Julian has to get interact with peo...more
The Multicultural book I chose to read was 90 Miles to Havana. A few words I would use to describe this novel are adventure, inspiring, and action. The fact that this story was based on the author’s own experience made it so much more interesting. I think this book had a lot of action and adventure in it for young readers. The author was good at being descriptive and giving the reader the idea of how these people from Cuba struggled and tried to escape. The plot in my opinion was a great one; th...more
Papi thinks that if they catch a big fish on Dec. 31, it will predict good luck for the whole next year. Unfortunately, Julian loses the big one and they go home empty handed. Shortly after, Castro and his rebels take over Cuba and everything changes. With unrest in the streets and wealthy families like Julian’s in danger of losing everything, Julian and his older brothers are sent to Miami along with other children in Operation Pedro Pan. Life at the “camp” is not pleasant, Julian’s older brot...more
This story came together very well- the author's unfortunate personal experience only lends more credibility to plot events that feel genuine in that they present balanced sides to a story in a way that makes it seem very real. However, Flores-Galbis is able to carry this off without alienating us from the protagonists. I thought that some o the moments of the book were brilliant, such as Bebo explaining about revolution with the eggs, while others seemed forced. The parts about democracy in the...more
Author and artist Enrique Flores-Galbis has written an exciting coming of age story based on his own experiences as one of the 14,000 Cuban children sent from Cuba to the U.S. without their parents in 1961 in Operation Pedro Pan, the largest exodus ever in the Western hemisphere of unaccompanied children.
The book opens with Julian, his two older brothers, their father and their family cook, Bebo, on their annual New Year's Eve fishing trip. Julian's main concern is his embarrassment over losing...more
The book opens with Julian, his two older brothers, their father and their family cook, Bebo, on their annual New Year's Eve fishing trip. Julian's main concern is his embarrassment over losing...more
This book is an autobiography about Enrique Flores-Galbis life as a kid growing up with his two brothers while being seperated.Without a doubt this was a very interesting book that had a lot of detail about the characters aventurous life. Although,it was interesting it's not a book that I would decide to read again. I was very confused at times in the book because there was many characters always talking at once and I never knew who was talking.For example,at one time all three brothers would b...more
Mar 23, 2011
Beverly
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
12-14
Recommended to Beverly by:
YALSA Best Books for YA 2011
I was surprised and pleased when a few of my reluctant readers chose 90 Miles to Havana, an historical novel, over the more predictable suggestions of the wonderful Multnomah County Library School Corps young adult librarian. I was even more please when they all praised the book, so I decided I'd better read it, too. I loved it. The author, Enrique Flores-Galbis, based the story of young refugee Julian, on his own experiences as a Cuban refugee. It is a very realistic and historically accurate p...more
90 Miles to Havana by Enrique Flores-Galbis is a gripping novel about the Cuban Revolution during the early 1960's. The main character Julian and his two older brothers are sent to a U.S. refugee camp in Miami through the Pedro Pan operation in order to escape the atrocities and violence in Cuba. In the camp, they struggle with bullying along with keeping the family together. 90 Miles to Havana is an accurate historical fiction novel that embodies the emotions of individuals from 50 years ago. T...more
The book opens on New Year's Eve in 1961 with a glimpse of a boy and his family living an upper-class life on the eve of the Cuban Revolution in Havanna. As the revolution unfolds and the threat of sending the children away to work the sugar cane fields and then potentially to Russia for school, the parents make the heart-breaking decision to send their sons to Miami via the Pedro Pan operation. The action moves quickly and you like and become attached to the narrator who is the youngest brother...more
I loved it! Both my mother's family and my father's family coming from Cuba, it was a great story to add to my knowledge of my heritage and it's history. I loved it's twists and turns. In good books, I look ahead to see the names of the upcoming chapters to see if anything bad is coming, and I did so in this book. Didn't help me much though! I'm glad though, so I had a great book to look forward to! I also stayed up to 2 in the morning reading it. It's one of those books that you will read deep...more
Julian and his 2 brothers are forced to leave their parents in Cuba during the revolution and fly to Miami to a camp for children. Settling into the camp is much harder than any of them thought it would be....the camp is ruled by a bully that they knew from their hometown. Dealing with the bully and the harsh surroundings forces Julian to grow up very quickly. His brothers are sent to another camp in Colorado. Julian decides to strike out on his own and goes back to a friend that they met when t...more
Apr 03, 2011
Samantha Tai
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone who likes to read historical fiction
If this book hadn't been a Pura Belpre Honor book I probably never would have picked it up. As it was, I started reading it without really knowing what it was about. I knew it won an award, so that was good enough for me. I'm really glad I did. I read about a period of history in a country that I know nothing about. The book is semi-autobiographical and takes place in 1961. My one criticism about the book is that I wish it had either an author's note or some historical information at the end of...more
((Drawing on his own experience as a child refugee from Cuba, Flores-Galbis offers a gripping historical novel about children who were evacuated from Cuba to the U.S. during Operation Pedro Pan in 1961. Julian, a young Cuban boy, experiences the violent revolution and watches mobs throw out his family’s furniture and move into their home. For his safety, his parents send him to a refugee camp in Miami, but life there is no sweet haven. He tries to avoid the powerful camp bullies (“the big eat th...more
This book is a wonderful 5-8th grade novel based on Operation Pedro Pan in the 60's. My entire 5th grade class loved it and didn't want to put it down. Julian is a 9 year-old boy who is sent to Miami with his older brothers in fear that they would be taken away under Castro's rule. Based on history and the fact that the author went through these events in his own life, this historical fiction novel will teach a lot about perseverance and surviving. Our class got to meet Mr. Enrique Flores-Galbis...more
Interesting story told from the pov of 12 year old Cuban boy named Julian. He and his brothers get sent out of Cuba after the Castro revolution. Julian has to deal with a serious bully in the camp they get sent to-- very interesting how he and the other kids deal with the bully. Julian is determined to help get his parents out of Cuba and helps a young man named Tomas build a boat to risk a nighttime trip back to Cuba. Not the best written book but very engaging and interesting. Good first expos...more
A riveting tale of a family whose lives are turned upside down by the Cuban revolution. Desperate to escape Cuba, Julian's parents send him and his two brothers to the United States alone. The brothers must learn to fend for themselves and look out for each other and their friends in a camp run by a gang of bullies. When his brothers are shipped off to an orphanage in Colorado, Julian finds himself alone and must grow up quickly with the help of the cook and a friend on the outside of camp. Afte...more
90 Miles to Havana by Enrique Flores – Galbis is a coming to age novel about a young boy who is forced to grow up in a time of terror. This heart breaking tale of two cultures colliding due to Operation Pedro Pan in 1961 leaves a family divided and fighting to be reunited. The novel is filled with excellent characterization, especially through the main character Julian. As the reader we feel the pain he feels and see him grow from a “care free” to a mature boy. I would recommend this book to any...more
When his parents send Julian and his brothers out of Havana to protect them from the new Communist state, Julian uses his wits and his art to protect himself. I loved the close relationship among the brothers and Julian's growing awareness of the plight of the Cubans left behind. The action was fast-paced and lively.
Most students know little of Fidel Castro and the events of the 1960's that led Cubans to leave their country and immigrate to the U.S., undertaking often dangerous trips from Hav...more
Most students know little of Fidel Castro and the events of the 1960's that led Cubans to leave their country and immigrate to the U.S., undertaking often dangerous trips from Hav...more
The author experienced events similar to those in the novel. Set in the early 60's after the Cuban Revolution, he and his brothers were sent without parents to a refugee camp near Miami. About 14,000 children were brought to the U.S. through Operation Pedro Pan. Written probably for middle school or high school students, but it was constructed so well that I think that most adults will feel the tension, the confusion, the heartache in the story. Characters were believable. There is one excellent...more
Imagine being in your early teens and being shipped off to another country along with your brothers but your parents have to stay behind. This is how the book 90 Miles to Havana begins; young Julian and his two older brothers get shipped from Cuba to Florida in order seek safety from the revolution that is breaking out in their home country. Once they arrive they find out that things aren’t really any better in the temporarily foster home they are put in while the director finds them a more perm...more
Julian and his brothers leave Cuba in 1961 without their parents as part of Operation Pedro Pan. They are kept at a camp in Miami a few months before the brothers are separated. After his older brothers are sent to Colorado, Julian escapes the camp and befriends other displaced Cubans in Miami. He even takes part in a smuggling operation of 15 people out of Havana!
I really enjoyed this book and I had never heard of Operation Pedro Pan even though I had lived in Florida for 30 years. The author s...more
I really enjoyed this book and I had never heard of Operation Pedro Pan even though I had lived in Florida for 30 years. The author s...more
This story is inspired by the author's personal experience when as a child he and his two brothers were part of the "Pedro Pan" Operation which shipped children from Cuba to the United States. While it took me a bit of time to get fully into the story, the second half I read in one go, simply couldn't put it down anymore. I found especially impressive the way the author paralleled what took place in Cuba at the time with what was happening in the camp among the children: what makes people try to...more
Dec 07, 2012
Rachel Walker
added it
As an American educator often times you desire to inform students about other cultures history; but multicultural history is not easily found in American school textbooks and every student may not naturally have a drive to learn about other cultures. So to sort of sneak it up on them, there are historical fiction books that inform readers of history with an interesting storyline.
90 Miles to Havana by Enrique Flores-Galbis does a great job at explaining events that took place during the Cuban re...more
90 Miles to Havana by Enrique Flores-Galbis does a great job at explaining events that took place during the Cuban re...more
Dec 07, 2012
Angelita Beltran
added it
90 Miles to Havana is a 2011 Pura Belpre Honor Book recipient. It is written by Enrique Flores-Galbis in 2010. 90 Miles to Havana is a book that tells the story through the eyes of young Cuban refugee Julian. His parents make the hard decision to send him and his older brothers to a refugee camp in the United States. In the refugee camp he must deal with being away from his parents, bullying, and later with being separated from his brothers. He must learn to be on his own and to make decisions f...more
Another under discussed historical era is Cuba in the 1960s. Julian's parents decide to send him and his brothers out of Cuba to avoid the effects of the revolution, not realizing that Operation Pedro Pan's camps were less than ideal. While it might be hard to sell this historical period to students, the story of Julian's struggles with bullies in the camp and his survival and his attempts to get the rest of his family out of Cuba will make this an appealing story. This would also be a good addi...more
I loved this book. For the first time it was extremely hard to put a book down. The author does a great job with descriptive language making the book seem alive. When I wasn't reading the book I felt like I wanted to go back to that place. When I was reading it, I felt like I was on the shores of Miami, right by Julian's side. I would recommend this book to someone who is looking for an adventure. This was a great book for information on the travels children from Cuba had to take. My next questi...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| When left to take care of themselves, how do kids behave?. | 1 | 8 | Jul 21, 2010 01:56pm |
Enrique is painter who started writing when he returned to Cuba after being away for thirty years. As he painted in the streets of Havana during the day dusty memories started flood back,then at night he would record his vivid memories. His two books grew out of the three notebooks he filled during those late night sessions.
Enrique lives in New York with his wife, who is also and artist, and his...more
More about Enrique Flores-Galbis...
Enrique lives in New York with his wife, who is also and artist, and his...more
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Jan 11, 2013 09:25am