Jumping Off to Freedom (by Anilu Bernardo)

But when the day comes for them to "jump off," a friend of Luis's called Toro bullies his way onto the raft too. As Miguel falls ill, relations among hotheaded David, ill-tempered Toro, and frightened Luis become dangerously strained. The perils of the journey and their dwindling supplies force them to work together, and a gradual fellowship builds among them as they safely navigate their way to Florida.

There's a great story in this book if the author's lapses in writing can be overlooked. She tends to flatly state her points with unnecessary asides, the dialogue can be awkward, and a subplot about how Toro was involved in David's friend's crime feels contrived. A wandering point of view doesn't add anything to the understanding of the characters. Bernardo also has a taste for hackneyed phrases.

But once readers wade through these flaws, there's a perspective on the plight of the Cuban boat people that no news stories can provide. The shortages that they face in Cuba are evoked clearly: no food, no power, no jobs, no freedom. The dangerous journey is also carefully described, and the moment when they see the lights of Miami is thrilling. This fills a need for young adult fiction about life in Cuba and about the boat people.