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sujuv's review
4.0
A compact, intelligent exploration of the crisis of unaccompanied minors from Central America entering the US. The author and her niece volunteered as translators for these children so that their cases could progress and as she unfolds details about their lives and hers as a Mexican in the US in the process of getting her green card, she convincingly lays out why she believes that this crisis lies at the feet of the entire Western hemisphere, not just one country or one group. Well worth the short time it takes to read.
larryerick's review
5.0
If you have already read The Beast: Riding the Rails and Dodging Narcos on the Migrant Trail by Óscar Martínez, or something very similar, then this book will not be raising many new questions for you. It does go more into the lives of those Central America refugees that make it all the way into America's immigration system. This book -- it is really more like an extra long magazine article -- is not important so much for what it talks about but in how it says it. The writing is beautiful. What it says and how it says is beautiful. The fact that its subject is so painful does not distract from that. In its beauty, the reader finds important insight. Go ahead, find a copy, read it, and try to prove me wrong.
littletaiko's review
4.0
This should be required reading for almost everyone. It's a simple essay written using the 40 questions asked of undocumented children facing deportation. The author has been volunteering as a translator to aid the lawyers and families. The essay uses the responses to show how messed up the process really is and how complicated the issue is. No one political party is responsible for causing the mess. I would have liked more information on what we can do to help.
jessicaps's review
4.0
A very informative book about the plight of Latinx unaccompanied minors, refugees, and immigrants to the United States - specifically around the questions they have to answer upon entering the country in order to hopefully get at least some relief. The writing wasn't anything that blew me away but I learned quite a bit about unaccompanied minors specifically. I also learned about (and was surprised by) the aggressive Mexican deportations of Guatemalans and Salvadorans, which are funded by United States. The author briefly explores the irony here.
carolinechristophersen's review
4.0
Great first hand information and lays out the reality of the immigration/refugee crisis. Quick read and worth it for the perspective! It’s hard to sort through news and documents to understand what’s really going on at the borders and in the courts; this book cuts through all that. It’s honest and to the point with her relevant, unique perspective.
Not quite 5 stars only because of the writing style. It’s written from the heart and her point of view has a place on the shelf, but sometimes rambled etc. It’s not a Pulitzer Prize but an eye opening novel.
Not quite 5 stars only because of the writing style. It’s written from the heart and her point of view has a place on the shelf, but sometimes rambled etc. It’s not a Pulitzer Prize but an eye opening novel.
cbendixe's review
4.0
Powerful, tragic and yet a tiny bit hopeful long-form essay on child migration, and the author's experience as a translator for these kids. Because that's what they are- kids.
marybids's review
5.0
What a timely read. This is a horrible reminder that the policies are worsening but they are not new. We need to do better. Stories told by a New York children's immigration translator.
annauq's review
5.0
beautifully articulates my frustration with the horrible anti-immigrant rethoric currently going around in America, the UK and like, literally everywhere else. emotional must-read. god what a powerful little book.