Raining Sardines

The ghosts of Havana, “…rattling their satchels of memories and bones,” inspired the Cuban-born author Enrique Flores-Galbis to write Raining Sardines (2007), his first novel for middle grade readers. Set in pre-revolutionary Cuba, the story follows best friends Enriquito and Ernestina who attempt to save a herd of rare Paso Fino horses from the clutches of the wealthy landowner, Don Rigol. Along the way, they find an ancient treasure, expose Don Rigol’s greed and corruption, and return the sacred mountain to the care of the villagers. In Raining Sardines, fantastical and magical things occur normally alongside everyday events. Flores-Galbis uses these elements of magical realism to explore themes of family, justice, and heritage.

One morning, Enriquito and Ernestina observe a lady having tea while floating out to sea on a large pink couch. They swim out to join her and learn that her name is Aguas Clara, which means “Clear Waters.” She is la Divinadora, a “floating fortune-teller.” Aguas Clara tells the children a little bit about their futures. She shows Enriquito a medallion with a spiral design and advises him to listen to his dreams. Aguas Clara urges Ernestina to never lose her “color and light.” The children catch a ride back to shore with a fisherman as Aguas Clara sails off to Havana.

Enriquito and Ernestina live in a small town that was financed and built by the wealthy Rigol-Betancourt family. The family has been there for generations, “growing sugar, raising horses, and telling people what to do.” Enriquito and Ernestina make money fishing and catching sea horses for el Gringo, who happens to be good friends with Chief Magistrate Cardenas from Havana.



Most families in the village must go away to work in the larger cities. Ernestina’s mother takes the bus to Havana every day, and Enriquito’s father is away for months at a time. Ernestina knows that her mother works extra hard so Ernestina can attend the school for the children of wealthy families and pursue her dream of becoming an artist. Ernestina struggles to ignore the bullying of the other girls at school, especially blonde, snooty Alysia Rigol-Betancourt. Both children miss their family members, but Enriquito’s mother, Señora Maruri, tells them not to worry, because “whatever flies apart always comes together again.”

Enriquito and Ernestina visit a secret meadow on the edge of the jungle, where a small herd of Paso Fino ponies comes to graze. The children know the horses are descended from the mounts of the conquistadores, and they will do anything to keep the horses free. One day, Alysia bursts into the hidden meadow on the back of runaway black stallion. Ernestina saves Alysia from harm, but Alysia notices the ponies. She declares that the ponies are on her land and claims them as her own. The two friends do not want Alysia to tell her father about the ponies. Enriquito gentles the black stallion and offers to take it back to Alysia’s home if she says nothing. Alysia promises, and gives Ernestina a gold locket with a spiral design to hold as collateral.

Don Rigol begins clearing the entire mountain to plant coffee. The townspeople are upset, because the mountain is where they have their gardens, and where children play, and people gather. The mayor sends a delegation to Don Rigol in protest, but Don Rigol calls them backward and shortsighted. He produces a deed to the mountain. The townspeople check with the blind town clerk, Ignacio, who produces a suspiciously shiny, new record book listing Don Rigol as the mountain’s owner.



Enriquito and Ernestina carry out a plan to frighten the Paso Fino horses, so they will not return to the meadow and be captured. During the confusion, a filly is separated from the others. As the children try to reunite her with the herd, they discover a cave leading to a hidden valley. The valley’s lake holds the lost treasure of Hatuey, the leader of the Taino people. Ernestina dives for gold, but barely escapes being lunch for the giant cayman; the guardian of the treasure.

The children confide in Senora Maruri, who reveals that Alysia’s locket was made for Señora Maruri by Enriquito’s uncle, Tío Aurelio, who went hunting for gold and returned a changed man. Señora Maruri tells the children to return the locket to Alysia to avoid trouble. Alysia accuses Enriquito of stealing the locket and Enriquito goes to jail.
As Don Rigol continues to clear the mountain, he locates the entrance to the valley and captures the ponies. Enriquito vows not to let Don Rigol win. He finds a letter inside the locket explaining how to circumvent the cayman. Ernestina helps Enriquito escape from jail, and the two outsmart the cayman and retrieve the treasure.

Unfortunately, Don Rigol arrests Señora Maruri for helping Enriquito and her trial begins immediately. It is a sham trial: Don Rigol has paid off the jurors, and the judge is his cousin. Don Rigol decides Señora Maruri is guilty. Ernestina and Enriquito realize that the record book confirming Don Rigol’s title to the mountain is a phony. With the help of Chief Magistrate Cardenas, they prove the mountain does belong to the town, and so does the treasure. Señora Maruri and Enriquito are innocent, and the town rejoices.



During the celebration, Enriquito suggests that the ponies should return to the valley and that the town should build a museum for Hatuey’s treasure and charge admission, with the proceeds helping to support the town.

Raining Sardines won the 2008 Américas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature, sponsored by the national Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP). The award honors literature for young people that “authentically and engagingly portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos in the United States.”