Letters from Cuba

Pura Belpré Award Winner Ruth Behar's inspiring story ofa young Jewish girl who escapes Poland to make a new life in Cuba,while she works to rescue the rest of her familyThe situation is getting dire for Jews in Poland on the eve ofWorld War II. Esther's father has fled to Cuba, and she is thefirst one to join him. It's heartbreaking to be separated from herbeloved sister, so Esther promises to write down everything thathappens until they're reunited. And she does, recording both thegood--the kindness of the Cuban people and her discovery of avaluable hidden talent--and the bad: the fact that Nazism has founda foothold even in Cuba. Esther's evocative letters are full of herappreciation for life and reveal a resourceful, determined girlwith a rare ability to bring people together, all the whilestriving to get the rest of their family out of Poland before it'stoo late.Based on Ruth Behar's family history, this compelling storycelebrates the resilience of the human spirit in the mostchallenging times.