I loved this precious and unusual story of a young girl and her father who flee the Nazis and go to Cuba to establish a life there in order to bring the rest of their family over with them. The story is told in letters from Esther to her younger sister describing her experiences learning a new language, new customs, and finding a place for herself and her family in a new land.

A compelling, inspirational story of Esther, a young Jewish girl who leaves Poland to join her father and begin a brand new life in Cuba. Esther’s journey as an immigrant is depicted in the many letters she writes to her sister, Malka. Each letter details the trials, friendships, hard work she experiences and puts forth in the 15 months she’s away.

I'm currently reading this book and now I was hooked from page 1. I find myself reading this every chance I can. My library currently has a copy and I plan on recommending it to those that enjoy historical fiction, Anne Frank or even The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.

Letters From Cuba is an epistolary novel that tells the story of a family separated due to the rise of Nazism and increasingly unsafe condition for Jews in Europe before the second world war. Esther and her father are in Cuba working to bring the rest of their family over from Poland. Esther find success making and selling dresses which gives them hope that the rest of the family will be able to join them sooner rather than later. We learn their story through letters that Esther is writing to her sister Malka. Through Esther's letters we learn about their lives in Cuba and the community that they have found there. In the author's note we learn that Esther is based on Ruth Behar's grandmother and that she was also inspired by 'Letter's From Rifka' by Karen Hesse which is a book I absolutely loved a kid. All in all I really enjoyed this story and think it is a great addition to the WWII set juvenile historical fiction fare.

At the start of WWII, the situation for Jews is becoming dire in Poland and so Esther flees to join her father in Cuba who has been working for three years to save money and bring the rest of the family over -- he finally has enough for only Esther to come and join. Overcome with sadness from being separated from the rest of her family across an ocean, Esther writes letters to her younger sister to share a glimpse of life in Cuba.

Inspired by the family history of Ruth Behar, this book provided a look into WWII history that I was completely unfamiliar with. It was a little slow at times, but fans of WWII narratives will find lots to enjoy in this epistolary novel.

I greatly enjoy reading historical fiction based in the true events of the author's family. Letters from Cuba is no exception. This WWII story is a welcome addition, and fresh look at the time period as it is centered around immigration. The first person narration gave me a sense of the sounds, sights and tastes of Cuba. For those who have read Refugee by Gratz, this is a great companion to to explore another story of the families who fled Nazi Europe for Cuba.

<b>This was unlike any historical fiction that I've ever read before. It's amazing how much we're taught about certain moments in history and still so much information is left out. This is loosely based on the experiences of Behar's family. CW: anti-Semitism, violent behavior towards characters</b>

<i>Letters from Cuba</i> has been on my radar since last year. Prior to reading the synopsis of this book, I had no idea that so many Jewish families fled Europe and headed to Cuba to escape the increasingly violent behavior towards the Jewish community at the start of WWII. As a history student, I was always aware of the laws that the United States placed on immigration to prevent Jewish families from continuing to come into the country; however, I never stopped to think if there were other countries that welcomed Jewish families as a result of US borders being closed. This was a fascinating look at those circumstances told in epistolary form from Esther to her sister back in Poland. Once she arrives in Cuba, Esther finds a welcoming community that values that work that she and her father are able to do once he stops peddling. As a parent and reader it was difficult watching Esther feel feelings of shock at people being kind instead of nasty. After experiencing so much abuse at the ends of anti-Semites, Esther doesn't understand why people are so nice to her and her father. It was heartbreaking to listen to that narrative, but extremely important in illustrating how racism and specifically how anti-Semitism during the 1940s impacted children.

<i>Letters from Cuba</i> is not only a tale about finding community, but it's also a book that finds a strong focus on familial relationships. Esther has to reckon with the fact that she is in a safer environment than her family. Not only does this impact her emotionally, but it also encourages her to fight to help her family figure out a way to get to Cuba. It was a huge responsibility for such a young individual, but I think that historically it was accurate to a lot of struggles that many children faced whether that was becoming a "parent" to younger siblings, taking on more adult responsibilities, providing financial support, etc. Esther's ability to keep fighting and going even in the face of great adversity makes it a very compelling book to read. Behar also does a wonderful job with the character development not only with Esther and her father, but also secondary characters. There is a specific character that is anti-Semitic and challenges the right for Esther and her father to live and work in Cuba. While it was difficult to read scenes involving this character, I think that they could have used more development in terms of their background story.

There is a plot, but I think that Behar focused more on the characters and their relationship to drive the events of the book. There are some really great scenes with Esther immersing herself into Cuban culture and learning more about the language, food, religion, and traditions. There was a lot of great cultural exchanges that occurred between the community and Esther and her father. It was unlike anything that I've seen in a middle grade book and it added a certain level of respect to both communities.

Overall, this was a great middle grade book. It touches on a part of history that is often forgotten. Not in terms of the Holocaust, but what exactly happened to those individuals that were able to leave Europe prior to the start of the Holocaust. I highly recommend reading the authors note at the end in which Behar details how she decided to write the story and the perceptions held by those trying to make it to America.

Please see the January 25 Sydney Taylor Awards press release from the Association of Jewish Libraries. The book was named a Notable Book at the virtual livecast at the Youth Media Awards announcement at the American Library Association. Named in memory of Sydney Taylor, author of the classic ​All-of-a-Kind Family​ series, the award recognizes books for children and teens that exemplify high literary standards while authentically portraying the Jewish experience.

This book tells another aspect of WW2 stories though the plot is weakened by the story of the doctor. I did not understand why he was seen as so evil. That said, I know that the younger readers who enjoy historical fiction will really love to read this book.

Cuba right before WWII seems to offer Jewish immigrants some opportunities, but even there, Esther and her father find Nazis. Told all in letters to her sister, Malka, this book shows Esther's voyage from Poland to Cuba, and her life there once she arrives. Like any other place, she meets nice and not-so-nice people. She learns to speak Spanish, eat tropical fruits, and about Afro-Cuban and Chinese-Cuban groups. Esther's finds she has talent for sewing and dress design, and they soon manage to raise enough money to get the rest of the family out of Poland, right before borders are closed. Based on the author's family history.

A fictionalized account of how the author's maternal grandmother immigrated from Poland to Cuba. Set just as persecution of Jews under the Nazis was growing but before Cuba began to shut down it's borders to immigrants, I kept expecting a tragedy, and while there are definite hints of horrors unfolding, Behar does an excellent job of portraying historical realities, including slavery in Cuba itself, without overwhelming middle grade readers. The format of book, letters that Esther writes but never sends to her younger sister, does feel a bit contrived, but overall, this is an excellent historical fiction book for middle grade readers.

As the toxicity of of the Nazi Germany grows in 1930's Europe, Esther's father decides to leave their Polish village and immigrate to Cuba with the goal of earning enough money to bring his wife, four children, and his mother to the safety of Cuba. It is a daunting task, and after three years, he only has enough for one person. Esther, the second oldest child, is chosen to travel alone to Cuba, and help her father earn the money to bring everyone to safety. Esther puts every lesson her mother taught her about sewing to good use, but it takes over a year to save enough money for the tickets. They did it in the nick of time since Cuba was beginning to close their ports to immigrant ships.
Beautifully written, from the plot unfolding through Ester's letters to her sister, to the voices of the characters, and the historical events. The focus is on a small period of time in Cuba's history, and the impact of other cultures as they arrived on the island, some by choice and in the past, as slaves. Rival political groups offer a comparison with todays world, and a peek at what was the years after WWII would hold for Cuba's political scene. Esther's letters are never sent but serve as a well dressed introduction to Cuba for her sister when she finally arrives. In today's world, we need a plot with examples of people living with and respecting others, and this is it. Perfect for the middle grades and up.

Letters From Cuba is the story of 12 year old Esther and her life with her father after leaving a tumultuous Poland during the rise of Nazi Germany. Esther and her father Abram work in a small town outside of Havana in the hopes of making enough money to reunite with their mother, grandmother and four younger siblings. Told in an epistolary style, Esther writes her younger sister Malka during the months of their separation. It's Esther's greatest wish that Malka will one day get to read the letters she's written to her when she reaches the shores of Cuba.

Behar's spirited protagonist compels you keep reading to learn more and more about her experience. The author also writes an amazing cast of secondary characters. The Cuban doctor and his wife, Manuela and her family, and shopkeeper Juan Chang and his nephew. I had to keep reading and was invested in Esther's family making it out of Europe before borders closed.

I cannot wait to get this into the hands of my students. We talk a lot about historical fiction, and this text would be a great resource for what was happening in other places of the world during the surge of Nazism. This message of hope is as relevant now as it was then.

It's 1938 and Papa has been in Cuba for three years, working to save money to bring the rest of his family there from Poland and away from the increasing Nazi threat to Jews. Normally, it would be the eldest son, Moshe, who would be the first child to join his father, but 11-going-on-12-year-old Esther Abraham, the eldest daughter, makes such a convincing case to Papa, that she is chosen to join him, much to her mother's consternation.
But, on her own, Esther travels through Poland, Nazi Germany, and Holland, boards a ship to cross the Atlantic, only to learn that the first stop is Mexico, not Cuba and that she will be the only passenger when they leave port. But Esther, being a naturally friendly girl, has made friends with the animals on board, spending time with them until they reach Havana, Cuba and the next delay.

In the end, Papa is there and, before they head to the town where he lives, he has to conduct some business, introducing Esther to Zvi Mandelbaum. It turns out Papa's job in Cuba is as a itinerant peddler, not the shopkeeper his family thought he was, and he gets his wares from Mandelbaum, who immediately gives Esther a pair of sandals so she can take off her hot woolen stockings.

From the moment Esther began her trip, she decided to write down "every interesting thing that happens" in letters for her younger sister Malka. That way when the rest of the family are finally in Cuba, they can read the letters and it will be as if they had been together the whole time. (pg 2) The result is detailed descriptions of the people Esther meets, the places she goes, and her daily life with Papa.

Esther is friendly, outgoing, and smart, picking up Spanish quickly. And she is also quite enterprising, helping her father sell the items he is given by Mandelbaum. Despite being the only Jews in the town of Matanzas, almost everyone friendly and giving, accepting her and her father. But after Esther sews herself a new dress to wear in the hot Cuban weather, she soon begins a successful trade as a dressmaker to help make money to bring her family to Cuba.

Their lives in Cuba are basically pleasant and enjoyable, filled with new friends of diverse backgrounds, including Manuela and her Afro Cuban grandmother, and the Changs from China, as well as the local doctor and his wife, Señora Graciela. It is she who gives Esther a sewing machine that helps her begin her dressmaking business. But Cuba are not without its Nazi sympathizers, including the doctor's brother, Señor Eduardo. He wants to start a Nazi party in Cuba with an anti-immigrant agenda to get rid of the Jews there.

As the situation in Europe becomes more perilous for the Jews there, it becomes more and more imperative to get the money to bring the whole Abraham family to Cuba.

Esther's letters to Malka are quite detailed. And though the story may not be the kind of exciting tale we are accustomed to from this period in history, it is still a wonderful window into a life we don't often read about. Small wonder it reads so authentically. Behar based this novel on her grandmother's experience of traveling to Cuba in 1927 to join her father. Like Esther, her family had lived in Govorvo, Poland. And like Esther, one beloved family member didn't make to Cuba.

I enjoyed reading Letters from Cuba a lot. Sometimes I just don't want a lot of action and an epistolary novel like this is just the ticket for an evening of reading during COVID-19 time. Esther is a great character - a bold feminist yet respectful of her elders, especially Papa, and her religious traditions. I can't even imagine letting an 11-year-old girl travel from Poland to Cuba, part of the way in Nazi territory, all by herself. She is a character with perseverance, fortitude, and a maturity beyond her age, as well as a pretty good business woman.

Behar includes an extensive and very interesting Note from the Author about her family and how they settled in Cuba, and her research for writing this book. There is also a list of Resources for further reading.

This book is recommended for readers age 10+

It’s through Esther’s letters that readers learn what it was like for a Polish girl transplanted to a tropical island. In her letters, Esther tells of the heat, of the music, of the kindness she encounters and the prejudice that seems to follow Jews wherever they go.

Hers is a story of great joy and great sorrow. It is the story of friendship, ingenuity and family.

There’s a weight to Letters From Cuba that can only come from truth. The story is inspired by author Ruth Behar’s own family history. It’s something that’s incredibly personal and means a lot to the author, and you can tell. The care in which Behar tells not only Esther’s story, but that of those who she comes into contact with is impeccable.

Esther is special. Her heart is so pure, her spirit so strong. Even when she’s struggling, she finds the light. Even in the book’s darkest moments, Esther’s will shines through. I love her curiosity, her drive and her willingness to put others before herself.

Prior to reading Letters From Cuba I knew very little about European Jews escaping to Cuba. This is a fascinating look at an oft-looked-over part of history.

When I think of Jews fleeing Europe to escape the Holocaust, I don't really think of Cuba. However, when the United States closed its borders, many Jews chose to go to Cuba, as close to America as they could get. This book is based on the story of the author's grandmother who traveled alone to meet up with her father in Cuba. Together they worked to bring over the rest of the family from Poland. It is clearly written with love and brings the reader right into the heart of the Levin family. I would have loved to read it as a 5th grader and I'm grateful that it exists now. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.

This book was wholesome and genuinely a breathe of fresh air. I enjoyed reading a book that had my on the edge of seat with twist and turns but was sending a message that sometimes life is not fair and can be cruel but you have to keep surviving and find the good in people. This book showed a gentler side of the Holocaust and the tragedy faced by thousand of people and how some people found a way to survive and make the best of a desperate situation. Esther is so innocent and her experiences are shaped by this, for it allows her to be open to trying new things and trusting the good in people.

Esther was such an uplifting character to read about in this new story from Ruth Behar. She was curious, open, hard-working, friendly and independent. I couldn’t help but smile as I read the story through her point of view. She was an easily likeable character.

Readers first meet Esther as she writes about begging her father to let her come to Cuba first instead of her younger brother. Her father agrees and Esther makes the journey on her own from Poland all the way to Cuba where after medical exams she is finally released to her father. Esther embraces living in Cuba and she quickly adapts. She’s resourceful and open and makes friends easily. She tells her story through letters to her younger sister in Poland and readers watch as these letters turn into more like journal entries as Esther pours her thoughts, feelings and experiences into those letters.

I loved reading as Esther took it upon herself to help her father work and then as she became the main “money-maker” at just the age of 11. Her work ethic was to be envied! But not only did I envy her work ethic, I also loved her empathy and her curiosity and her willingness to reach out to everyone she met. Through these traits, Esther introduced readers to friends from multiple cultures and experiences. I really love how Behar included this within the story—how she showcased the experiences of former slaves and of Chinese immigrants to Cuba as well as the Cuban culture itself. There was so much goodness in being able to experience these different cultures and also in showcasing how many different groups of people were discriminated against. The biggest form of discrimination readers got to witness was the anti-Semitism enacted upon Esther and her father.

As stated in the description, the situation in Poland was getting dire for the Jewish people. Esther’s father left to Cuba because of this growing dangerous situation. This story was as much about a growing, hard-working, empathetic young girl as it was about a lesser known Jewish experience during World War II. Esther and her father didn’t only experience anti-Semitism while in Poland amid the ever-growing power of the Nazi movement within Europe, but also in Cuba as the Nazi ideology began to immerse itself even within Cuba and the Western hemisphere.

I didn’t know that Jewish people sought refuge in Cuba as a place to escape to from the rise in Nazi power in Europe. This was a blank spot in my knowledge and definitely not sometime I remember learning about in school. I’m really thankful I was able to read this story and see this part of history I hadn’t known about. I really loved the author’s note at the end and how she spoke about her family and the inspiration behind this story. It shed a lot more light on this topic.

In the end, this story is a must read! It has an extremely likeable character, an easily digestible story structure (letters!) and an important message. I hope all ages give this one a try!

As a history-loving youngster I would have loved this. Through letters to her sister back home, our main character Esther details her trip from Poland to Cuba and her experiences living there with her father. There are friends, there are foes, there are some places where I had to suspend my disbelief re: what an 11 year old refugee was able to accomplish. But all in all, it was a heartwarming read that also taught me about a historical topic I know little about (Jewish refugees in Cuba).

In this exceptional work based on the experiences of her grandmother, Ruth Behar has introduced readers to a little known part of world history. The plight of the Jews of Eastern Europe in the 20th century is well known. Less well known are the stories of the Jews who immigrated to Central and South America.

In Letters from Cuba, Behar shares the story of Esther, whose father left Poland for Cuba to start a better life for his family. As is true for many immigrants, past and present. it is harder for Esther's Papa to earn money than he had anticipated. As a traveling salesman, he has been selling religious icons to people in rural Cuba. He is only able to earn enough to bring one relative from Poland. At first, it seems like Esther's brother will be the first to travel overseas, but Esther begs to go instead.

Esther's story is told through letters that she writes to her sister Malka in Poland. Esther is an incredibly brave and enterprising character. She puts enormous effort into sewing dresses for the women in Cuba so that she and her father can earn more money to send for their family. The situation in Poland is becoming more and more dangerous for Jewish people. The problem, though, is that anti-Semitism is alive worldwide, and there are plenty of people in Cuba who are not happy about the increasing Jewish population. Esther's story is one of true courage and endless perseverance.

Ruth Behar's choice to tell this story through letters was genius. This is a quickly fading art form that it would be awful to lose. In this age of Facebook and Twitter, it seems like every moment in our lives can be broadcast in just a few words. The power of letters is that they encourage us to choose the most important moments in our lives to share with emotion and detail with those we care most deeply about. Esther becomes more real to the reader because we see her in all of her passion and vulnerability.