Cuban Immigration

Children's Literature

Perhaps no other immigrant population has exerted as much influence upon political agendas as have those people who came to North America from Cuba. In Cuban Immigration, Roger E. Hernandez traces the route whereby a wide range of Cubans have journeyed north to the United States and, to a lesser extent, Canada. In this colorfully illustrated volume of the multi-volume "Changing Faces of North America" series, readers are exposed to the history of Cuban immigration, current issues, and future directions. In detailing some of the history of Cuba, author Hernandez highlights the harsh colonial rule and the subsequent corrupt local governance that has plagued the Cuban people. At present, under the long-standing rule of Fidel Castro, Cuba remains a nation of great yet seemingly unrealized potential. For political and economic reasons, hundreds of thousands of Cubans have made the difficult choice to flee their nation. Once in America or Canada, many Cubans have thrived. With a strong family orientation, generally high educational levels, and a commitment to success, the Cuban immigrant population described by Roger Hernandez in this well-developed book have made a positive contribution to their new homelands. However, as Hernandez notes in this capably-written work, Cuban immigration has not been without trauma and discord. In the end, the Cuban people who have come to North American remain a strong contributing part of their adopted homelands. Their story is both fascinating and ably portrayed in this useful book. 2004, Mason Crest Publishers, Ages 10 up.
—Greg M. Romaneck