It’s the spring of 1961. Alejandro’s world has been turned upside down with the announcement that his beloved Catholic school is going to be closed down by Fidel Castro’s new communist Cuban government. To make things worse, Alejandro discovers the sudden and mysterious disappearance of his best friend, Jorge. Soon Alejandro finds himself swept up in a secret operation to relocate thousands of Cuban children to the United States to escape communist rule. With little time to prepare and no chance to say goodbye, Alejandro is whisked away from the only home he has ever known and tasked with the enormous responsibility of taking care of himself and his little brother, Juan, in a strange country. His only comfort is that the separation will be short, as they take refuge in the United States until the unrest is settled back home. But as the communists tighten their control over Cuba and Alejandro’s parents struggle to find their way out of the country, this brief escape quickly turns into an indefinite stay. Will Alejandro learn to navigate life in his new country? And will he and his brother ever be reunited with their parents?

Inspired by the true events of Operation Pedro Pan.

Total Word Count: 3,732

Unique Word Count: 339