Sunday, March 04, 2007
La Linea by Ann Jaramillo
La Línea is the border between Mexico and the U.S., and Miguel has dreamed of crossing that line for years. His parents live in California and he dreams of finally going to be with them. The journey is incredibly dangerous, but 15-year-old Miguel is ready to risk his life for his dream. He doesn't count on his younger sister sneaking away with him and almost ruining his plans. The two teenagers face many dangers, including the "mata gente" (people killer) freight train, and the near-deadly journey through the desert. Many students in the U.S. will have absolutely no idea what people go through to come to this country. They also probably have no understanding of what makes people so desperate to get here. This book is all about teens and survival (and many readers will enjoy it for it's tense life-and-death moments). It is not about why immigrants come or whether or not they should cross the border illegally. They are kids desperate to find their parents. I think that young people who have immigrated to the United States will appreciate this book because they will see their own journeys reflected here. But I also think it should be read by readers who don't know anything about immigration. It will change how they see things. Another fine book about crossing the border is Journey of the Sparrows by Fran Leeper Buss. Here is one of my wishlist items for middle school literature—that we have more books about Latino kids that don't deal with immigration. Why not a mystery or a fantasy or a humor book with Latino and Latina characters?