Haicuba/Haikuba - by Carlos Pintado & Lawrence Schimel (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Celebrate Cuba's people, culture, and natural world in bilingual haikus written in Spanish and English! Is it an island or a tiny ship floating upon the waters? HaiCuba/HaiKuba is a celebration of Cuba through bilingual haikus written in Spanish and English. Discover the red, white, and blue tocororo bird (whose feathers resemble the flag of Cuba), the crowded guagua, a Havana neighborhood, salsa music and dancing, and guayaberas, through poetry that captures the rhythm of life in Cuba. Co-authored by award-winning Cuban-American author Carlos Pintado and prolific bilingual author and translator Lawrence Schimel, HaiCuba/HaiKuba introduces the people, culture, and natural world of Cuba through these tropical verses and vibrant illustrations"--

Book Synopsis

Celebrate Cuba's people, culture, and natural world in bilingual haikus written in Spanish and English!
Celebra la gente, cultura y mundo natural de Cuba en haikus bilingües en español e inglés.

Is it an island
or a tiny ship floating
upon the waters?

HaiCuba/HaiKuba is a celebration of Cuba through bilingual haikus written in Spanish and English. Discover the red, white, and blue tocororo bird (whose feathers resemble the flag of Cuba), the crowded guagua, a Havana neighborhood, salsa music and dancing, and guayaberas, through poetry that captures the rhythm of life in Cuba.

Co-authored by award-winning Cuban-American author Carlos Pintado and prolific bilingual author and translator Lawrence Schimel, HaiCuba/HaiKuba introduces the people, culture, and natural world of Cuba through these tropical verses and vibrant illustrations.

Includes an introduction to the art of haikus as well as back matter on the topics covered in the book.

New York Public Library Best New Book for Kids, 2024
Tejas Star Reading List selection, 2025
Premio Campoy-Ada Award Honorable Mention - Children's Poetry, 2025
Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year in Spanish, 2025
Fundación Cuatrogatos recommended title, 2025
Eureka! Honor Book, 2024

¿Es una isla

o un barco flotando
sobre las aguas?

HaiCuba/HaiKuba es una celebración de Cuba en haikus bilingües en español e inglés. Descubre el tocororo con sus plumas rojas, blancas, y azules (igual que la bandera de Cuba), la guagua apretada, un barrio habanero, la salsa (su música y baile) y las guayabera, a través de poemas que capturan el ritmo de la vida en Cuba.

Co escrito por el galardonado poeta cubano-americano Carlos Pintado y el prolífico escritor y traductor bilingüe Lawrence Schimel, HaiCuba/HaiKuba presenta la gente, cultura y mundo natural de Cuba en estos versos tropicales e ilustraciones coloridas.

Incluye una introducción a la arte del haiku además de un anexo final con información adicional sobre los temas cubiertos en el libro.

Mejor libro para pequeños de 2024, New York Public Library
Tejas Star, 2025
Premio Campoy-Ada Mención de Honor en Poesía Infantil
Mejor libro infantil del año de 2025, Bank Street
Título recomendado por la Fundación Cuatrogatos, 2025
Eureka! Mención de Honor, 2024

Review Quotes

"In a bilingual way and through 13 haikus, the authors make a very complete exposition of the most outstanding aspects of the island of Cuba, its culture and its people. A final note expands the concepts presented with the brevity that a haiku requires. It has extraordinary illustrations."-- "Premio Campoy-Ada Award"

"A worthwhile addition to libraries looking to add accessible poetry for young readers."-- "School Library Journal"

"These bilingual haikus burst with cultural detail amid Juan José Colsa's stunning full-page, full-color illustrations of Havana life. Written in the voice of two young friends, the poems make us pause and look closely at the details and their expressions. From busting some moves on the dance floor to catching fire beetles in the woods, from spotting butterflies reflected in the river Almendares to spying on lovers on the waterfront, from laundry swaying on the line to the feel of a freshly ironed guayabera shirt, it all makes for a vivid introduction to an island proud of its nature, its music, its food, its ethnic diversity and, above all, its ¡Cubanidad!"--Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp "Words Without Borders"

"This ingenious blend of cultural celebration and poetic artistry beautifully combines the essence of Cuba with traditional haiku, presenting a series of evocative poems that capture the spirit of the island. [. . .] A worthwhile book for children of Cuban ancestry, this is also a strong choice for introducing young readers to both Cuban culture and the art of haiku."-- "Booklist"

". . . the poetry is short but impactful. The pictures in the background are stunning, and add much to the poetry. The fact that the book is in both languages, allows children to read in one or the other or both."-- "Children's Literature"

About the Author

Carlos Pintado is a poet, playwright, essayist, and fiction writer born in Cuba in 1974, who now lives in Miami. The author of over a dozen books, he won the Paz Prize from the National Poetry Series for his book Nine Coins/Nueve monedas, the Sant Jordi International Poetry Prize for his collection Habitación a oscuras, and the Sundial House Book Translation Prize for Music for Bamboo Strings (translated by Lawrence Schimel). He has been published in the New York Times, World Literature Today, and Vogue, among other periodicals, and numerous composers and classical music groups have set to music and sung his poems. HaiCuba/HaiKuba is his debut work for younger readers.
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Carlos Pintado es un poeta, dramaturgo y escritor de ensayos y de narrativa nacido en Cuba en 1974, que ahora vive en Miami. El autor de más de una docena de libros, ha ganado el Premio Paz del National Poetry Series para su poemario Nine Coins/Nueve monedas, el Premio Internacional de Poesía Sant Jordi para su poemario Habitación a oscuras y el Sundial House Book Translation Prize para Music for Bamboo Strings (traducido al inglés por Lawrence Schimel). Ha sido publicado en el New York Times, World Literature Today, and Vogue, entre otros, y varios compositores y grupos de música clásica han puesto música a y cantado sus versos. HaiCuba/HaiKuba es su ópera prima para lectores jóvenes.

Lawrence Schimel is a bilingual (Spanish/English) author and literary translator, who divides his time between his native New York and Madrid, Spain. He has published over 130 books as an author, which have won honors such as a Crystal Kite Award from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, a White Raven from the International Youth Library in Munich, and have been chosen by IBBY for Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities (three times). He has also published over 160 books as a literary translator, into Spanish or English, which have won numerous distinctions, including a Batchelder Honor and a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book.
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Lawrence Schimel es un escritor y traductor literario bilingüe (español/inglés), que divide su tiempo entre su ciudad natal de Nueva York y Madrid, España. Ha publicado más de 130 libros como autor, que han ganado honores como un Premio Crystal Kite de la Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, un White Raven de la Biblioteca Internacional Juvenil en Munich, y han sido elegido por IBBY para Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabi-lities (tres veces). También ha publicado más de 160 libros como traductor, al español o al inglés, que han ganado muchos reconocimientos, como un Batchelder Honor y un New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books.

Juan José Colsa is a Mexican illustrator and designer, born in Mexico City. He studied architecture at the UNAM, where he later taught as a professor. He has illustrated many children's books, and is even the author of a few. You can find more of his work as an illustrator and designer at the webpages: www.juanjocolsa.blogspot.com & www.patatus.com.mx
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Juan José Colsa es un ilustrador y diseñador mexicano nacido en la Ciudad de México. Estudió arquitectura en la UNAM, donde luego fue también maestro. Ha ilustrado muchísimos libros infantiles, e incluso es el autor de unos pocos. Se puede encontrar muestras de su trabajo como ilustrador y de diseño editorial en las páginas web: www.juanjocolsa.blogspot.com & www.patatus.com.mx