Written by: D.H. Figueredo.

Illustrated by: Pablo Torrecilla.

Cuba, 1958. Tonight is Noche Buena, the night before Christmas.

Alfredito and his family always travel to his abuela’s home to gather with family for games, singing, and a delicious meal. This year, there is a war going on between the government and the rebeldes, and their trip faces unexpected obstacles — a canceled train, a flat tire, and a full bus. Alfredito worries through these setbacks, but mostly on a child’s level — he doesn’t want to miss his chance to eat a delicious buñuelo and see his grandmother.

Thanks to his resourceful father and the kindness of strangers along the way, the family finds a way to make the trip — giving away the Christmas presents of sidra and torrones they packed in return for the kind favors they receive on their journey. They arrive safely just in time to set out to la Miso de Gallo, midnight mass. Alfredito bites into his honey-soaked buñuelo and believes that even in wartime, the world is “… still good and beautiful.”

This warm story has a strong message about kindness, anchored by realistic characters and beautiful sensory details based on the author’s childhood experience. The food (“roasted pork, boiled rice, beans, yucca, and fried plantains”) sounds so good, and the illustrator’s luminous paintings bring to life the landscape, the cars, the fashions, and the emotions of the traveling family in vivid color.

This review is part of our Guest Post: Five Books Celebrating Caribbean Christmas.