90 Miles to Havana

90 Miles to Havana

• Genre: Fiction; middle grade historical
• Originally Published: 2010
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 790L; grades 5-8
• Structure/Length: 41 chapters; approx. 304 pages; approx. 6 hours on audio
• Protagonist and Central Conflict: In this fictionalized account inspired by real events in the life of the author, young Julian and his brothers leave their home in Cuba to seek refuge in Miami after the Cuban Revolution. The novel explores the struggles experienced by children like Julian whose parents, worried for their safety in Cuba under the dictatorship of Fidel Castro, opt to send them to America through Operation Pedro Pan.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Dictatorship; refugee struggles; bullying

Enrique Flores-Galbis, Author

• Bio: Born in Cuba in 1952; emigrated to the US in 1961 as part of Operation Pedro Pan; studied art at New York University and other art academies; writer of fiction, essays, and short stories; artist whose works include portraits, oil paintings, and pastels; visited Cuba after 30 years away and was inspired by this experience to write his novels; currently lives in New York; teacher of artistic techniques like landscape painting and lecturer on art’s meaning and methods
• Other Works: Raining Sardines (2007)
• Awards: Pura Belpré Honor Book for Narrative (2011); Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year (2011)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:

• Coming-of-Age Amid Political Strife
• Displacement, Democracies, and Dictatorships
• Imagination Versus Reality

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Unit, students will:

• Develop an understanding of the social and historical contexts regarding the Cuban Revolution of 1959 and subsequent immigration of Cubans to the US that impact Julian’s experiences.
• Analyze short paired texts and other resources to make connections via the themes of Coming-of-Age and Displacement.
• Plan and create a piece of original writing that demonstrates an understanding of Julian’s character development based on novel details.