Good-bye Havana! Hola New York

The book I chose is Good-bye Havana! Hola New York by Edie Colon and illustrated by Raul Colon.

The story takes place in early 1960 in Cuba during the time of the revolution, when Fidel Castro was, and eventually gained power over Cuba. the main character, Gabriela  tells of how her parents, her, and later her grand parents moved to the Bronx, in New York. They immigrated in order to escape the harsh hand of Castro.

Good-bye Havana! Hola New York is historical fiction. The author Edie includes an editors note explaining that the events all happened to him and that the invented the character of Gabriela to be able to better tell the story. I chose this book because this story mirrors what my father and his family and all of my aunts and uncles went through in the 1960's. This story is innocent, but, within it the underlying reality of life in Cuba during that time can be seen. Within my family we had many aunts and uncles arrive in America before. They helped when my dad, uncle, grandmother, and late grandfather immigrated together. my great-grand parents came a few years after. and still a few stayed in Cuba. Growing up i heard all of the stories and learned a great deal of how life was like there. my family's choice to come her is the reason why i am here. my heritage is a part of everything i do and how i see myself. knowing where i come from is important. this book is a starting place where i can begin to explain where i am from and why i am here.

The social justice portion of the book is evident withing the political tones threaded throughout the book. included are the resistance, the overthrow of the old government and the takeover of the country by Castro as well as what happened after Castro came to power.

I would have this book available to my students when we do our unit on cultural heritage as well as have  other books of children from other countries coming to America.

~AE