In 1959 Cuba was a hot mess.  Fidel Castre had overthrown the government.  There were intrigues and repercussions.  Many parents felt that the only way to keep their children safe was to send them away at least temporarily...

      ...to a very different country posing daunting challenges.  Alexis Castellanos mother was one of the children who made this journey.  Isla to Island, although fiction,  is based on her experiences.

     This graphic novel does so WITHOUT ONE WORD IN ENGLISH!  Pictures eloquently convey Marisol's experiences--struggles with English and school, peer cruelty, getting her first period which she hasn't been prepared for far from home and family.

     This highly engaging book will beautifully introduce young readers to a defining period in Cuban-American history with repercussions that carry through till today.

    And it's one of those extremely rare books that lets children on various reading levels be on an equal footing.