If having a teacher with pink hair, having people jabbering at you in a language you don't understand and reading books about a dog named Spot who only runs around with two little kids named Dick and Jane is paradise, then Maria is knee deep in it. Paradise sure isn't what she expected. She had expected wonders and excitement, not fear and stomach aches every single day. She hardly ever sees her parents these days and she certainly doesn't understand this English everybody speaks to her in. She misses the familiar. She misses her grandparents. She misses being able to talk to people and she misses her grandmother's meatballs. No, this is more of a nightmare than a dream. If this is paradise, then Maria is certainly not a fan... or is she? Every day thousands of immigrants come to the United States seeking a better life for themselves and their families. Parents will speak to their children and tell them of the greatness of the new place. They might speak using majestic terms, describing a place of great beauty and wealth. The adults know that it will take hard work and perseverance to achieve their goals of a better life. Children are concrete and live in the here and now. Social emotional development in children is ever growing. When children hear about a magic place, they expect perfection and immediate gratification. From Cuba to Paradise is the story of Maria, whose parents leave Cuba with her and her siblings in search of a better life. Her parents describe America as, "paradise." Maria's expectations are shattered when she realizes she is in a strange place, where they speak a strange language and where odd things occur. It takes Maria time to acclimate to her new country. Her parents come to understand that it is important to address both the rewards and the challenges related to adapting to a new culture and to be honest with their children. Ultimately, the family realizes that it is not where you are that defines home, but who you are with and how you choose to face the challenges that affect you.