Frank J. Staub

The Children of Cuba tells the story of Cuba's history in a way children can understand. The book is also filled with pictures which show the beauty and people of Cuba. I think this would be a great book for older children to read especially with the recent US political policies changing towards Cuba. It would be a good way for children to make a connection to this current event.

This book gives an interesting insight into a neighboring nation for children who see through the eyes of their Cuban counterparts. This book covers all aspects of Cuba, from the times of Columbus to the major Cuban exports and imports. This book also gives children an unbiased view of a nation that is often portrayed negatively in the American media.

This picture book is part of a series about children from different parts of the world. A description of Cuba, along with sensory images of sight and sound begin this book. The history of Cuba is outlined with the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492. Since Columbus thought he had reached India, he called the Natives "Indians." In the early 1500's, the Indians were subjected to slavery and working conditions deteriorated rapidly. Many natives died from overwork and diseases. Spanish is show more the official language in Cuba. About one-fifth of the population are mestizos, a person that has both European and Indian ancestors. Cuba is a poor country and leaders have done very little to help. A majority of Cuba's durable goods come on ships. Cuba did not gain full independence until 1902. Fidel Castro gained prominence in 1926. The Moncada battle that took place on this date is a notional holiday. Cuba became a communist country and gained a great deal of economic support from the Soviet Union. Most Cubans do not openly practice their religion Havana is the capital. Framing and fishing are widespread but due to tight government control, resources are limited.

Diversity plays an important role in this book. The author does a good job at describing the cultural heritage of Cubans. The major drawback is that this book is dated. The history is outlined well and this book would be great for a first or second grader, In terms of a classroom lesson, it is a good way to expose students to diverse perspectives and allows them to make connections and understand Cuba as a country. Baseball is mentioned and this is a good way to connect to student interest. In terms of pedagogy, the book is easy to read and the pictures are real photos. There is a short summation of Cuba's demographics and the author even provides a pronunciation guide. Again, the major drawback of this title is that it is a bit dated. Any lessons should be supported with more recent data and historical information. show less

This is great book that has English text and then right below it, it has the sentences in Spanish. Also, there is real pictures that match the text so you could refer to the pictures if you are confused with the text. Students can really build their vocabulary in both English and Spanish through reading this book. I read this book with my power hour student and even if she didn't truly understand the sentences in Spanish she was still being exposed to the language and another culture. She show more could also use the English words as references to the Spanish words when she was trying to figure out the story in Spanish. show less