Julian and his two brothers are sent alone to Miami without their parents via the Pedro Pan operation. When they arrive, they’re sent to a crowded camp filled with kids from Cuba waiting to find a new home, which is quite the opposite of what their mother told them their new lives would be like. 

They reunite with old friends and bullies, but Julian’s brothers are sent to a foster home without Julian. Julian decides to act and reunite his family, but how will he survive in this new country, a place where he’s an outsider?

Author Enrique Flores-Galbis has written this novel on his similar experience of traveling from Cuba to Florida without his parents. 

This novel is filled with comedy, wittiness, but is also heartfelt about the struggles of being a young foreigner in a country that is like a completely different word. You can really connect to Julian’s tough experiences in the novel, but the author has made the protagonist stand out because he never let the pain cut through him. You should read this novel that will help you see what an immigrant’s life is like through the eyes of a kid.

Title: 90 Miles to Havana
Author: Enrique Flores-Galbis
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press, $18.99
Publication Date: August 3, 2010
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: ‎978-1596431683
For ages: 9-12
Type: Middle Grade Fiction