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by Cuba Giblin (Author), Monet Layton (Author), Havana Layton (Author)
From crushes to Castro, freedom to fear, barefoot feet to big city streets, follow the ordinary, yet extraordinary lives of two strong Cuban women - Conga & Lu, a true story of family, country, survival, and love.
Conga's idyllic childhood with a wealthy prestigious family in Havana is happy and carefree. Lu, a young black woman from rural Matanzas, becomes Conga's nanny. Their bond will transcend age, race, and privilege. But when Fidel Castro assumes power, the revolution transforms Cuba forever, and their ties will be tested by distance and time.
With her doll and some clothes, Conga and her brother are desperately flown to the United States among 14,000 unaccompanied Cuban children during Operation Peter Pan. Conga must quickly adapt to poverty and a new culture, while holding on to Cuban roots in exile. Under Castro's new government, Lu struggles to care for her own children. Beset by hardship, misfortune, heartbreak, and an endless search for a home and happiness, she never loses her positivity and faith.
From the days before the revolution to the present, Conga and Lu's indomitable spirits triumph over historic obstacles. After nearly sixty years, Conga returns and finds Cuba torn apart, her home unrecognizable, with the mysteries of her lost family and Lu's whereabouts unsolved. Filled with tears, smiles, and memories, Conga's past becomes the present. But will Lu will still be there?
