My Thoughts:
This 2020 book by Jenny Torres Sanchez about three teenage migrants crossing from Guatemala through Mexico to try and get to the United States deserves all of the praise it has been receiving. The text is beautiful and heartbreaking. The chapters, told from the point of view of Pequeña and her younger brother Pulga are so wrenching that I had to remember to breathe. In the same way that the characters, through pain, hunger, dehydration, and fear start to lose grip of what is real and not real, I found myself drifting from their story to other stories of migrant teens and children separated from their families. The NPR stories of predators along our border as well as the desperate conditions in South America for these teens started mixing with this text. Fiction as a window to non fiction? Non fiction as a mirror of fiction? Both as doors to compassionate action and policy change? As the teens are on their journey I continued to wonder - who is watching? Who will listen? Who can help? I am hoping that the praise for this, including many "best book" honors will awaken in the spirit of young readers an opportunity for advocacy and action.
From the Publishers:
A poignant novel of desperation, escape, and survival across the U.S.-Mexico border, inspired by current events.
A Pura Belpré 2021 Young Adult Author Honor Book!
A BookPage Best Book of 2020!
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best of 2020!
A School Library Journal Best Book of 2020!
A New York Public Library 2020 Top 10 Best Book for Teens!
Pulga has his dreams.
Chico has his grief.
Pequeña has her pride.
And these three teens have one another. But none of them have illusions about the town they've grown up in and the dangers that surround them. Even with the love of family, threats lurk around every corner. And when those threats become all too real, the trio knows they have no choice but to run: from their country, from their families, from their beloved home.
Crossing from Guatemala through Mexico, they follow the route of La Bestia, the perilous train system that might deliver them to a better life--if they are lucky enough to survive the journey. With nothing but the bags on their backs and desperation drumming through their hearts, Pulga, Chico, and Pequeña know there is no turning back, despite the unknown that awaits them. And the darkness that seems to follow wherever they go.
In this striking portrait of lives torn apart, the plight of migrants at the U.S. southern border is brought to light through poignant, vivid storytelling. An epic journey of danger, resilience, heartache, and hope.
A Pura Belpré 2021 Young Adult Author Honor Book!
A BookPage Best Book of 2020!
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best of 2020!
A School Library Journal Best Book of 2020!
A New York Public Library 2020 Top 10 Best Book for Teens!
Pulga has his dreams.
Chico has his grief.
Pequeña has her pride.
And these three teens have one another. But none of them have illusions about the town they've grown up in and the dangers that surround them. Even with the love of family, threats lurk around every corner. And when those threats become all too real, the trio knows they have no choice but to run: from their country, from their families, from their beloved home.
Crossing from Guatemala through Mexico, they follow the route of La Bestia, the perilous train system that might deliver them to a better life--if they are lucky enough to survive the journey. With nothing but the bags on their backs and desperation drumming through their hearts, Pulga, Chico, and Pequeña know there is no turning back, despite the unknown that awaits them. And the darkness that seems to follow wherever they go.
In this striking portrait of lives torn apart, the plight of migrants at the U.S. southern border is brought to light through poignant, vivid storytelling. An epic journey of danger, resilience, heartache, and hope.
Other goodies for teachers:
Learning guide for We Are Not From Here Thank you to Penguin Classroom. I especially appreciate the focus on pre-reading strategies.
Possible pairings (or replacements) for some classics in your classroom closet:
Outsiders by S.E. Hinton - this also is the struggle of teens/young adults having to make their own way in the world and change things, especially when the adults are not able to guide them.
No comments:
Post a Comment