Jumping off to Freedom »

A DANGEROUS JOURNEY into the unknown is the only hope for the future of the Leal family. The stifling dictatorship in Cuba has left young David Leal and his family no other recourse than to join the thousands of balseros plunging Their rafts into the sea in hopes of reaching the Florida coast for reliEf and the beginnings of a new life. In order to brave the treacherous voyage, David and his father must leave half of the family behind with promises to send for them after securing jobs and housing in Florida.

In this exciting adventure stories and psychological thriller for young adults, father and son are pitted against the dangerous forces of nature, storms, sharks, hunger, thirst and the chaos brought on by two uncontrollable traveling companions. When David's father becomes dangerously ill during the journey the young man is left to face the turbulent seas and his chaotic raft mates by himself. This riveting psychological thriller for young adults pitches the reader into a high-tension adventure on the high seas.

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Tired of living in deprivation and fear in Cuba, David's father, Miguel, takes the bold step of building a raft and secretly setting off on a perilous journey to Florida with his teenage son and another escapee, Luis, who helps with the raft preparation. From the moment of their departure--when an unexpected fourth passenger, Toro, bullies his way aboard--until they sight U.S. land many days later, disaster looms or strikes in one form or another: the border guard, sharks, a ferocious storm that devastates their food rations, Miguel's physical breakdown, Luis' mental breakdown, and a potential rescue ship that spurns the hapless rafters. David and Toro barely maintain enough strength to skipper the raft to safety, their deep mutual mistrust gradually breaking down as they learn to depend on each other by the end. The writing style may be as choppy as the sea at times, and readers may wonder about these boat people's seamless arrival in the Florida Keys, but survival-story fans and readers looking for breathtaking action will not be disappointed.