Image: Macmillan
Happy Monday! Happy August 1! Wow! Where did July go? Middle Grade Monday features Cuba in My Pocket by Adrianna Cuevas. Twelve-year-old Cumba narrates this relatable and emotionally resonant story. He lives with his extended family in the mountains of Cuba. He loves his family, the mountains and his country, but the year is 1961. Fidel Castro ousted the dictator Batista, but, as his grandfather said, the country traded one dictator for a new one. Priests have been expelled from the country, soldiers roam the streets encouraging neighbor to spy on neighbor and Cumba is almost of age to join the Young Rebels, where he will be forced to travel to Russia for training. His parents decide to obtain forged documents and send Cumba to Miami to stay with a relative. Cumba doesn't want to leave his family, is terrified of being discovered and knows very little English. Once settled in Miami, Cumba learns to navigate the streets of the city, makes friends, and starts school, all the while missing his family terribly.
Anthony Rey Perez's softly understated performance matched the tone of this quietly touching story perfectly. Readers who enjoy historical fiction will enjoy Cumba's story, which is based in part on the author's father's experience as a young boy.
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