June 22, 2015
Giff (Winter Sky) offers an incisive look at the struggles of undocumented workers and the power of family and friends. Mateo, a 12-year-old Mexican boy, is distressed to learn that his older brother, Julian, has disappeared after a border patrol squad raided the Arkansas construction site where he was working illegally. Knowing that their family depends on the money Julian sends home and fearing for his brother’s safety, Mateo makes a risky decision: “I have to find him, save him, the way he saved me once.” In notebook entries that appear sporadically between chapters, Mateo reveals that Julian once rescued him from drowning and shares other memories that underscore the bond between them. On his perilous trek northward, Mateo meets Angel, a runaway girl who helps him cross into the U.S., and a tender, nurturing friendship develops. The characters’ dreams (Mateo aspires to be a writer, Angel is determined to return to school, Julian longs to become a professional artist) bring added depth to each of
them, while highlighting the hope and determination that drive them forward.
Ages 8–12.
July 15, 2015
When a Mexican family stops hearing from the eldest brother, working in the States, 12-year-old Mateo risks everything and runs away in search of Julian. In this timely novel, Mateo leaves his home, Abuelita, Mami, and the youngest brother, Lucas, in the middle of the night-with no more than a backpack, notepad, pesos, and a little food and water-and heads north for Arkansas, Julian's last known whereabouts. Injured and abandoned, Mateo meets Angel, a savvy, strong young girl. Though upon her introduction, Angel is far from feeble or fragile, as the story advances, her character loses the strength and depth she initially brings to the journey. Cognizant of the dangers before them, they swim the river into Texas undetected and proceed, often at odds while simultaneously entirely dependent on each other. The chapters toggle among Mateo's narration, his journal entries, his memories, and dreams, which all hint at syncopated moments of magical realism, like so many Mexican tales. Two-time Newbery Honor winner Giff successfully delivers an accessibly fast-paced, novella-length adventure; moreover, its colorful, stunning cover will surely attract readers. Naturally there is Spanish punctuating the novel, though it's minimal; Mateo's commentary on his English lessons feels more like vocabulary building for native English speakers than the introductory vocabulary a native Spanish speaker would be learning. A moving quest of family, survival, and home. (Fiction. 8-12)
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July 1, 2015
Gr 4-7-When his brother, Julian, stops contacting his family in Mexico, Matteo becomes convinced that something is wrong and he determines to go to the United States to find him. During his attempts to cross the border, he meets Angel, a mysterious girl who has repeatedly crossed the border herself. Angel takes pity on Matteo and helps him get to his brother's last-known location. Border cops, drowning, thieves, fire, and strangers with ulterior motives are but a few of the dangers that lurk around every corner for the duo, but Matteo is determined to find Julian. Will he succeed? Who is Angel? What happened to Julian? The well-known and respected author easily brings Matteo's world to life and ensnares readers with her strongly developed plot and characters. The writing style is unique and keeps up a good pace. Transitions between the past and present are smooth and will keep readers' attention. The imagery Giff employs is vivid and helps readers to step into Matteo's shoes. VERDICT Middle graders who enjoy adventure, realistic fiction, and multicultural stories will find much to appreciate here.-Kira Moody, Whitmore Public Library, Salt Lake City, UT
Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
September 1, 2015
Grades 4-7 The brother of 12-year-old Mateo is working illegally in the U.S. to help his family in Mexico. Then they get word that his construction site has been raidedand Julian has disappeared. Mateo decides to cross the border, traveling first to Texas and then to Arkansas, in order to find his brother. Along the way, he meets a girl named Angel, who helps him get across the Rio Grande and becomes his companion as she tries to navigate her own problems. Much of the story's mechanics are creaky: Mateo's successful trip on virtually no money and little English, his grandmother's support for leaving, the unexpected appearance of Angel, and his ability to survive in Arkansas. But if the how leaves something to be desired, the why provides an emotional takeaway to which children will respond. Flashbacks that show the relationship between the brothers have a special honesty and sweetness, and Mateo's hopes for his future will mirror those of many readers. An ultimately satisfying take on the human spirit.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)
September 1, 2015
Twelve-year-old Mateo Cortez leaves Mexico to embark on a journey in search of his brother Julian, an artist who left home to find work and to paint in the United States, and from whom the increasingly worried family has not recently heard. Risking a border crossing, Mateo meets Angel, a girl his age who takes charge and helps him cross the river (Mateo can't really swim) and stays with him on the long desert trek in search of Julian. Angel is a mystery to Mateo. Where is she from? Why is she helping him? It turns out that Angel feels she belongs nowhere and so takes on the role of his guardian angel. Mateo knows where he belongswith his abuelita, Mami, and little brother Lucas. He tells Angel: Maybe you don't have to belong in a placeMaybe it has to do with belonging to people. With each other's help and the kindness of strangers, Angel and Mateo persevere with hope and good cheer in their hearts. Mateo is a writer, and his frequent I Remember entries in a small notebook connect him (and the reader) with his home and the people, places, and moments that sustain him along a dangerous journey. Giff's gentle, well-paced story of two young people who become best friends through thick and thin puts a human face on newspaper headlines and abstract immigration policies. dean schneider
(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)