★ 09/13/2021
Cuevas (The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez) excavates family history to illuminate the Cuba of 1961 during Fidel Castro’s reign. Cumba, 12, his family, and the other citizens of Cuba are attempting to adjust to the new order after the failed Bay of Pigs invasion a week before, living in fear of “Fidel’s oppressive government” and soldiers. With the threat of Cumba getting drafted into the military, his family sends him to the United States alone. When Cumba arrives in Florida, he must learn to navigate his new home, school, and language, as well as the wave of homesickness that follows. His only respite is his new friends, fellow Cuban refugees Valeria and Alejandro, and letters from his younger brother, Pepito. But when bad news from home reaches Cumba as he is forced to start over again, he spirals into self-doubt and the guilt of leaving his family behind. Cuevas packs this sophomore novel with palpable emotions and themes of friendship, love, longing, and trauma, attentively conveying tumultuous historical events from the lens of one young refugee. Back matter features an author’s note and glossary. Ages 8–12. (Sept.)
"Cuba in My Pocket is an authentic and moving portrayal of a tragic era in Cuban history, told with empathy and hope." — Margarita Engle, Newbery Honor-winning author and Young People's Poet Laureate Emeritus
"Adrianna Cuevas has written a book that is a beautiful gift to the memory of her father, filled with love and a great respect for the culture and folklore of Cuba. The travails of Cumba Fernandez, a young Cuban wrenched into exile, will make all readers want to root for him, as he finds courage he didn’t know he had, dares to be hopeful when his heart is broken, and learns to always carry Cuba in his pocket."
— Ruth Behar, author of Pura Belpré Award-Winning book, Lucky Broken Girl, and Sydney Taylor Notable book, Letters from Cuba
“A harrowing and important read. Cuevas explores an often-hidden moment in Cuban American history with heart, compassion, and authenticity.” — Ernesto Cisneros, author of Pura Belpré Award-Winning book Efrén Divided
"Cuba in My Pocket is beautifully told and vividly realized. Cuevas thoughtfully explores the agonizing loss of home and family and what it means to try and hold onto both from across the sea. Cumba’s journey is specific, deeply personal, and a love letter to the freedom to dream. Heartbreaking but stubbornly hopeful, I will carry this story with me forever." — Nina Moreno, author of Don't Date Rosa Santos
"From the riveting glimpse into 1960s Cuba, to narrator Cumba—beautifully drawn in all his bravery, wit, and spirit—this story is a triumph." — Laura Taylor Namey, New York Times bestselling author of A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow
"Cuba in My Pocket is an expertly written, emotional roller coaster you don't want to miss." — Saadia Faruqi, author of Yusuf Azeem Is Not A Hero
"Inspired by stories from her father’s childhood, Cuevas’ latest is a triumph of the heart...A compassionate, emotionally astute portrait of a young Cuban in exile."
— Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW
"Cuevas’ intense and immersive account of a Cuban boy’s experience after the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion brings a specific point in history alive ... Drawing from her father’s boyhood experiences, Cuevas does an outstanding job of eliciting the confusing array of emotions Cumba feels as he is thrown into life in a new country." — Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
"Cuevas packs this sophomore novel with palpable emotions and themes of friendship, love, longing, and trauma, attentively conveying tumultuous historical events from the lens of one young refugee." — Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
PRAISE FOR THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF NESTOR LOPEZ:
2021 Pura Belpré Honor Book
NYPL Best Book of 2020
A 2020 Evanston Public Library Great Books for Kids
"A marvelous, magical mystery that deftly blends family, friends and folklore." — David Bowles, author of Pura Belpré Honor Book and Walter Dean Myers Honor Book They Call Me Güero
"Mystery, adventure, humor, friendship, and...talking animals—The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez has it all! Readers will love this funny, fast-paced, heartwarming story." — Celia C. Pérez, author of the Pura Belpre Honor book The First Rule of Punk
"A charming and vibrant debut fantasy." — Kirkus Reviews
"Readers will devour this fast-paced adventure as they root for Nestor and his ragtag bunch of friends and animal allies . . . In a unique take on South and Central American folklore, Cuevas brings to life an earthly type of twisted magic that transcends spells and transfiguration, extending into the feelings of belonging and finding a true home." — Booklist
"With this heartwarming debut, Cuevas draws upon Central American legends and her Cuban heritage to flesh out Nestor’s experiences . . . crafting a tense, satisfying tale of magic, family, and finding one’s true home." — Publisher's Weekly
"Cuevas crafts a riveting story based on folktales from Panama and Costa Rica." — School Library Journal
10/01/2021
Gr 4–6—Twelve-year-old Cumba Fernandez is a normal kid in many aspects. He has a loving family, friends at school, and loves building models so one day he can be an architect. However, life in Santa Clara, Cuba, is far from ordinary in 1961. Fidel Castro, now in power after his successful campaign against dictator Fulgencio Batista, has defeated a group of Cuban refugees who tried to overthrow Fidel during the Bay of Pigs invasion. But as Cumba's grandfather noted "we traded one dictator for another," and life was hard in Cuba. Children were sent to Russia for military training or forced to join the Young Rebel forces. In addition, people were executed; schools' curriculum modified to disseminate communist propaganda; neighbors turned against one another; and churches were closed, with foreign priests expelled. Cumba's parents have only one choice. First-generation Cuban American author Cuevas offers a historical novel inspired by the experience of her father, who as a boy had to leave Cuba alone and start a new life in the United States. The 34-chapter work, written in English with some Spanish terms interlaced in the narrative, is divided into two sections—one depicting Cumba's life in Cuba, and the second, starting in chapter 12, exploring his life in Florida. Of interest to educators, the text contains many English vocabulary words. However, the novel is filled with secondary characters that help to move the story forward but lack meaningful character development. What makes this novel strong is Cuevas's ability to capture the spirit of this Caribbean country, its food, flora, and fauna, and Cubans' cultural traits. The book contains a glossary for terms used throughout. VERDICT A fast-moving novel for middle schoolers who enjoy historical fiction that could work well in a social unit covering child migrants, authoritarian governments, and humanitarianism.—Kathia Ibacache, Univ. of Colorado Boulder
★ 2021-07-27
To escape the harsh realities of Castro’s Cuba, a 12-year-old boy must leave his family behind and flee to the United States alone.
Following the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, Fidel’s grip on Cuba tightens. Neighbors whisper and conspire against each other, and those not loyal to Castro’s regime face punishment, even execution. When young Cumba is marked for military recruitment, his family decides to send him off to the United States. Escaping to Miami and the home of a distant relative, Cumba struggles to adjust to his new life without his family. The labyrinthlike city’s size and the cacophony of English-speaking voices overwhelm the young boy at first. School also brings its share of pains and embarrassments. Thankfully, Cumba gains allies in the unlikeliest ways, including an American schoolmate obsessed with horse races and other Cuban refugee young people. Letters from his little brother back home also bring him some comfort. Then, one day, a letter brings horrible news: Fidel’s soldiers have arrested Cumba’s parents. Inspired by stories from her father’s childhood, Cuevas’ latest is a triumph of the heart. Devoting half of the story to Cumba’s life in Cuba and the other half to his adjustment to the United States, the author continually reminds readers about the strength provided by community and family and the forces that can threaten to snatch these sources of happiness away.
A compassionate, emotionally astute portrait of a young Cuban in exile. (author’s note, glossary) (Historical fiction. 8-12)
