Bien Leidos | How to Say Goodbye in Cuban

How to Say Goodbye in Cuban

Daniel Miyares

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Here is the dramatic coming-of-age graphic novel memoir of 12-year-old Carlos (who would grow up to become the author’s father), his life during the Cuban Revolution, and his family’s harrowing escape to America.

Carlos, who lives in a small town in the Cuban countryside, loves to play baseball with his best friend, Alvaro, and to shoot home-made slingshots with his abuelo. One day, a miracle happens: Carlos' father, his papi, wins the lottery! He uses the money to launch his own furniture business and to move the family to a big house in the city.

Carlos hates having to move—hates leaving Abuelo and Alvaro behind—and hates being called country kid at his new school. But the pains of moving and middle school turn out to be the least of his problems. When rebel leader Fidel Castro overthrows the existing Cuban president, the entire country is thrust into revolution. Then, suddenly, Papi disappears.

Carlos' mother tells him that Papi has gone to America, and that they will soon join him. But Carlos really doesn't want to leave Cuba, the only home he's ever known. Besides, how will they get to America when Castro's soldiers are policing their every move? Will Carlos ever see his father again?

This powerful book about a boy coming of age amid massive political upheaval tells a timeless story of one family's quest for freedom and for a new place to call home.

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Posts about this title from Bien Leidos

Bien Leidos\ \ tomesandtextiles\ \ • Feb 28

[Happy Saturday, mis internet amigxs,\ \ A nationwide book ban has been proposed by the House of Representatives targeting LGBTQ+ books. Action items can be found on Instagram and Tik Tok. Further news and action items coming this week.\ \ The world is feeling HEAVY right now, so I wanted to bask in a moment of Latine bookish joy with you and tell you about upcoming March 3rd Latine releases, plus I wanted to begin with a GIVEAWAY.\ \

Our March book club selection, Now I Surrender by Alvaro Enrigue, releases on Tuesday and I've got ONE MORE HARDCOVER COPY UP FOR GRABS EXCLUSIVELY FOR ANYONE WHO LIKES AND COMMENTS ON THIS POST (US address only). I'll email the winner on Wednesday and you'll have 24 hours to get me your mailing address via reply to my email! You will have a chance at a second copy in a larger poll of entrants on Tuesday's release day blog post.\ \ Also, reminder that our non-fiction sidequest read March through April is Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here by Jonathan Blitzer (audiobook). Several people who have the paperback have mentioned that the font is VERY small, so if you have vision issues or don't like to read small font, please keep that in mind.\ \ This is a busy week of releases so let's get on with the show...\ \ TRANSLATED LITERARY FICTION & MARCH BOOK CLUB PICK \ \ Now I Surrender by Alvaro Enrigue and translated by Natasha Wimmer (Audiobook) Alt-Western historical fiction taking place in multiple timelines from multiple POV's about how the West was "won" Revolutionary, in only a way Alvaro can write. Can not way to discuss with you on Discord. We start chatting on March4th!\ \ \ \ Diorama by Carol Bensimon and translated by Zoe Perry and Julia Sanches (Audiobook) Brazillian translated literary fiction about Cecília reexamines the case of a close family friend killed by a colleague and rival: her father, after many years trying to outrun her past.\ \ YOUNG ADULT FICTION \ \ \ \ Estela, Undrowning by Rene Pena-Govea (audiobook) Estela Morales navigates her struggles with anxiety, eviction, and both external and internalized racism as she attends one of San Francisco’s most exclusive high schools.\ \ \ \ If We Never End by Laura Taylor Namey (audiobook) I'll never NOT celebrate an exlusive limited hardcover for a Latine book!!!! Cuban-American Namey brings us a spec romance about a girl who winds an enchanted watch and a boy appears who has no idea who he is or how he died\ \ BILINGUAL PICTURE BOOK \ \ Gooool! A Bilingual Book Of Soccer by Mike Alfaro and illustrated by Gerardo Guillen: Just in time for the World Cup!\ \ NONFICTION\ \ \ \ Red Stones: A graphic account of the Salvadoran Civil War by Ernesto Saade: Saade documents how in 1981, the Salvadoran Civil War reached Miriam's village of Santa Marta and what occurred.\ \ \ \ El Paso: Five Families and One Hundred Years of Blood, Migration, Race, and Memory by Jazmine Ulloa (Audiobook) From a New York Times reporter, this sweeping human history of El Paso reveals the violence, power, and privilege at play in America’s most famous border town.\ \ AUDIOBOOK RELEASE FOR GRAPHIC NOVEL \ \ How to Say Goodbye in Cuban by Daniel Miyares (audiobook) Audiobook release of the graphic novel detailing the dramatic coming-of-age graphic novel memoir of 12-year-old Carlos (who would grow up to become the author’s father), his life during the Cuban Revolution, and his family’s harrowing escape to America.\ \ xoxo,\ \ Carmen](https://bien-leidos.binderybooks.com/item/JKkNiTVEmo4MiRYk5J16/)

EXCLUSIVE NEWSLETTER: March 3rd Latine Book Releases

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Bien Leidos\ \ tomesandtextiles\ \ • Sep 30 2025

Hello, mis internet amigxs!\ \ Very short introduction today as I'm travelling!! However, before we get to the Book of the Week, this is your FINAL CALL for Bookshop.org’s 20% off Latine books sale! There are almost 200 Latine titles to choose from across all genres and age ranges, so don’t miss out on this terrific sale!\ \ Now let’s get to this week‘S books, beginning with the book of the week…\ \ \ \ Orange Wine by Esperanza Hope Snyder (Audiobook) Set in early 20th century Colombia, where the Catholic Churc exercises total control over women, Orange Wine weaves an unforgettable story of sisterhood, love, passion, and betrayal.\ \ YOUNG ADULT FICTION \ \ Fireblooms by Alexandra Villasante (Audiobook)\ \ YOUNG ADULT HORROR \ \ Showstopper by Lily Anderson (Audiobook)\ \ MIDDLE GRADE GRAPHIC NOVEL \ \ \ \ How to Say Goodbye in Cuban by Daniel Miyares\ \ MIDDLE GRADE \ \ \ \ Yoli's Favorite Things by Patricia Santana\ \ HISTORICAL FICTION \ \ The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes by Chanel Cleeton (Audiobook)\ \ \ \ The Night We Became Strangers by Lorena Hughes (Audiobook)\ \ SHORT STORIES \ \ \ \ The Other Barrio: New and Selected Stories by Alejandro Murgia\ \ POETRY \ \ \ \ Startlement: New and Selected Poems by Ada Limon\ \ NONFICTION \ \ Somebody is Walking On Your Grave by Mariana Enriquez (Audiobook)\ \ \ \ The Eternal Forest: A Memoir of the Cuban Diaspora by Elena Sheppard (Audiobook)\ \ \ \ Awaken Your Roots: Reclaim Your Ancestry and Sovreignity by Heeding the Jaguar's Call by Lorena Saavedra Smith\ \ \ \ Radical Senora Era: Ancestral Latin American Secrets For a Happier, Healthier Life Christina Kelmon and Ann Murray Dunning (Audiobook)\ \ xoxo,\ \ Carmen