90 miles to Havana

the long version

The author's experience, as one of 14,000 children moved from Cuba to a refugee camp in Miami in 1961, is told through engaging, fast-paced writing and well-developed characters. When unrest hits the streets of Havana, Cuba, Julian's parents must make the heartbreaking decision to send him and his two brothers away to Miami via the Pedro Pan operation. But when the boys get to Miami, they are thrust into a world where bullies seem to run rampant and it's not always clear how best to protect themselves. Inspired very much by his own experiences of leaving Cuba when he was a boy, Flores-Galbis offers up a coming-of-age story that explores the feelings of isolation and confusion that come with leaving one's homeland, especially when that country is only ninety miles away. - Jacket flap.