All the Way to Havana, a new children’s book by multiple award-winning Cuban-American writer Margarita Engle was recently published by Henry Holt and Co. (August 2017), for ages 4 to 8. Booklist reviews the book:

“Engle’s tone is upbeat throughout: she highlights modest country vistas, picturesque contemporary Havana, busy people going about their daily chores, and the profusion of noisy vintage cars. Curato’s vibrant pencil and digital illustrations depict iconic images of Cuba―small farms, city neighborhoods, and government buildings―all in photographic detail. . . A lyrical and beautiful offering that should help to humanize views of this island nation.”

Description: So we purr, cara cara, and we glide, taka taka, and we zoom, zoom, ZOOM!
Together, a boy and his parents drive to the city of Havana, Cuba, in their old family car. Along the way, they experience the sights and sounds of the streets―neighbors talking, musicians performing, and beautiful, colorful cars putt-putting and bumpety-bumping along. In the end, though, it’s their old car, Cara Cara, that the boy loves best. A joyful celebration of the Cuban people and their resourceful innovation.

Margarita Engle is the Cuban-American author of many verse books, including the Newbery Honor Book The Surrender Tree, the Charlotte Zolotow Award winner Drum Dream Girl, and the Walter Dean Myers Honor Enchanted Air. Her books have also received multiple Pura Belpré and Americas Awards as well as a Jane Addams Award, an International Reading Association Award, and many others. [See previous post https://repeatingislands.com/2017/05/12/margarita-engle-named-young-peoples-poet-laureate/.]

Earlier this year, Américas Award winner Engle was named new Young People’s Poet Laureate, a title given biennially in recognition of outstanding achievement in poetry for children. Engle is the first person of Latino descent to receive the honor.

Mike Curato traveled to Havana to do visual research and bring this story to life. He is the author and illustrator of the Little Elliot series and has illustrated a number of other books for children, including Worm Loves Worm.

For more information, see https://www.amazon.com/All-Way-Havana-Margarita-Engle/dp/1627796428