Isla to Island - by Alexis Castellanos

About the Book

"A wordless graphic novel in which twelve-year-old Marisol must adapt to a new life 1960s Brooklyn after her parents send her to the United States from Cuba to keep her safe during Castro's regime."--

Book Synopsis

This stunning wordless graphic novel follows a young girl in the 1960s who immigrates from Cuba to the United States and must redefine what home means to her.

Marisol loves her colorful island home. Cuba is vibrant with flowers and food and people...but things are changing. The home Marisol loves is no longer safe--and then it's no longer her home at all. Her parents are sending her to the United States. Alone.

Nothing about Marisol's new life in cold, gray Brooklyn feels like home--not the language, school, or even her foster parents. But Marisol starts to realize that home isn't always a place. And finding her way can be as simple as staying true to herself.

Review Quotes

*"Beautiful and heartbreaking.... [Marisol's] story will resonate with Cuban children growing up on their abuelos' stories and anyone who has had to leave their home and start over.... An important and authentic look at the Cuban refugee experience."--Kirkus, starred review

*"Employing spare text in the form of signs and radio chatter in Spanish and English, debut creator Castellanos effectively uses color as a vehicle to portray Marisol's loving life with her family in Cuba, despair at their separation, and slow arc to a new life in which she honors her Cuban identity through food and music."--Publishers Weekly, starred review

*"Powerfully depict[s] the disorienting experience of immigration in a way reminiscent of Shaun Tan's The Arrival."--The Horn Book Magazine, starred review

"A different kind of immigrant story uniquely told."--Booklist

*"An inspiring, empathy-building story."--School Library Journal, starred review

About the Author

Alexis Castellanos was born and raised in Florida where she enjoyed sunny days, dramatic thunderstorms, and delicious Cuban food. After graduating from college, she moved to New York City and worked as a scenic artist, bringing theatrical sets to life with a little bit of paint and a whole lot of ingenuity. She currently works as a graphic designer by day and spends her nights dreaming up stories. She lives in Seattle with her partner and her extremely photogenic cat, Belle. Isla to Island is her first graphic novel.