A boy and his family must decide whether to remain in Cuba under a repressive government or risk everything for the chance of a new beginning . "Heartbreaking yet hopeful" —Alan Gratz, bestselling author of Refugee There are two versions of Héctor: the public and the private. It’s the only way to survive in communist Cuba—especially when your father was exiled to the U.S. and labeled an enemy of the people. Héctor must always be seen as a fierce supporter of the regime, even if that means loudly rejecting the father he still loves. But in the summer of 1980, those two versions are hard to keep separate. No longer able to suppress a public uprising, the Cuban government says it will open the port of Mariel to all who wish to leave the country—if they can find a boat. But choosing to leave comes with a price. Those who want to flee are denounced as traitors by family and friends. There are violent acts of repudiation, and no one knows if they will truly be allowed to leave the country or not. So when Héctor’s mother announces that she wants the family to risk everything to go to the United States, he is torn. He misses his father, but Cuba is the only home he has ever known. All his dreams and plans require him to stay. Can he leave everything behind for an unknown future? In a summer of heat and upheaval, danger and deadly consequences, Héctor’s two worlds are on a collision course. Will the impact destroy him and everything he loves? ** Gold Medal Winner, International Latino Book Awards ** ★ " Heartbreaking, riveting, beautifully written." — Kirkus Reviews , starred review ★ "A heartrending exploration of friendship, family, and freedom set against volatile times ." — School Library Journal, starred review "Brimming with tumultuous events of Castro’s Cuba, Gonzales’s… novel balances historical traumas with empathy and hope, tackling timely themes of personal beliefs and individual versus government freedoms." — Publishers Weekly " Danger, betrayal, and heartbreak .... This poignant story captures themes that remain timely and resonant today." — Booklist "A bittersweet ending."— The Bulletin "Heartbreaking yet hopeful. This book has so many things I love: real history, impossible decisions, surprising twists and turns. Read it! " —Alan Gratz, New York Times bestselling author of Refugee   “ The Bluest Sky tells a powerful story that shows the emotional impact of the Mariel Boatlift, one of the most important events in modern Cuban history.” —Margarita Engle, Newbery Honor winner for The Surrender Tree   “In this beautifully nuanced story, Christina Diaz Gonzalez brings us into the hearts of all Cubans torn between the love of their homeland and the dream of freedom.” —Ruth Behar, Pura Belpré Award winner for Lucky Broken Girl   “ Powerful, extraordinary, and brimming with hope , this is an absolute must-read for everyone.” —Jenny Torres Sanchez, Pura Belpré Honor winner for We Are Not From Here “A heart-wrenching story and a moving affirmation that families belong together, always. ” —Emma Otheguy, acclaimed author of Sofía Acosta Makes a Scene   “The characters in this book will stay with me for a very long time. Their desire for freedom will stay with me forever.” —Jennifer A. Nielsen, New York Times bestselling author of A Night Divided Christina Diaz Gonzalez is the Edgar Award-winning and USA Today best-selling of several books including  Concealed , Moving Target , The Red Umbrella and The Bluest Sky . She is also the author of the graphic novel Invisible illustrated by Gabriela Epstein. Her books have been named to over thirty-five state award lists and have also been designated as an American Library Association's Best Fiction for Young Adults selection, a Junior Library Guild Gold selection, and as an International Reading Association's Teachers' Choice book. 1 The palm fronds rustled in the warm tropical breeze as I hunched down to take a sprinter’s stance. My best friends lined up next to me. Our daily race was about to begin. “Ready?” Teo asked, adjusting his grip on the schoolbooks nestled under his arm. I nodded and looked over at Isabel, who was poised to take off as soon as I counted to three. Ahead of us the cracks in the sidewalk fanned out like an intricate spiderweb, providing an extra challenge to our competition. We had to reach the lamppost at the end of the street without stepping on any of the jagged lines that crisscrossed our path. I untucked my shirt, pushed up my eyeglasses, and waited for a few people to get out of the way. Maybe this would be the day that I’d finally win, although I wasn’t too optimistic. My wins were usually in math competitions. I’d never been fast like Teo or agile like Isabel, but that didn’t stop me from trying to beat them . . . even if the statistical probability was extremely low. “¡Uno . . . dos . . . y TRES!” I shouted, hopping over the first crack and sidestepping another. I ran as fast as I co