We Are Not From Here by Jenny Torres Sanchez Genres: Children's Books, Coming of Age, Diverse Books, Young Adult
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A ripped-from-the-headlines novel of desperation, escape, and survival across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Pulga, Chico, and Pequeña have no false illusions about the town they’ve grown up in and the dangers that surround them. Though their families–both biological and found–create a warm community for them, threats lurk around every corner. And when those threats become all too real, the three teens know they have no choice but to run: for the border, for the hope of freedom, and for their very lives.
Crossing from Guatemala through Mexico with their eyes on the U.S. border, they follow the route of La Bestia, a system of trains that promise the hope of freedom–if they are lucky enough to survive the harrowing journey. With nothing but the bags on their backs and the desperation that courses through their very veins, Pulga, Chico, and Pequeña know that there’s no turning back, dangerous though the road ahead might be.
In this powerful story inspired by real–and current–events, the plight at our southern border is brought to painful, poignant life.
I read this book a few months ago and the journey of Pulga, Chico, and Pequeña still plays in my head. This book is powerful, poignant and painfully precise that there were times when I had to put the book down to process that this is real life for so many children. Jenny crafted a beautiful story of hope and the human spirit. I dare you to try and see the world the same way after you read this book, you can’t, it will make you see life in a whole new light.
