Reviews - Someone Like Me: How One Undocumented Girl Fought for Her American Dream

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27 reviews for:

Someone Like Me: How One Undocumented Girl Fought for Her American Dream

I'd always meant to read Arce's first memoir My Underground American Dream, but I suspect this memoir written for younger readers better is the part of her story I wanted to read more.

I was really into the first part of her book talking about her life in Taxco and the extended family they had around while her parents worked fairs in the area. It was interesting learning about her Mexican roots and the things specific to the area she grew up in.

I liked that she didn't try to hide the challenges her family faced along the way (her dad's alcoholism, the business setbacks her parents faced), but overall, I would've loved more reflection generally. If her parents' lives were so hard constantly hustling for The American Dream, why was it so crucial to Julissa to continue the same hustle? If her immigration status was such a cause of stress for her, why didn't she go to college in Mexico like her sisters? Why was this single minded pursuit of The American Dream so crucial?

An interesting childhood and the kind of story that needs to be told more often, but I can't help but feel that the potential for a great book was squandered.

library_ann's review

4.0

Everyone should read this.

Julissa really didn't have a perfect childhood, and she wasn't always the best student, but she worked hard and got incredibly lucky that the Texas Dream Act (or something) passed at just the right time to benefit her.

libraryjen's review

3.0

emotional informative medium-paced

A quick read, this book tells the story of a young Mexican girl whose parents worked tirelessly to give her a better life. Initially, they traveled all over Mexico selling their wares at festivals and fiestas and eventually started selling silver jewelry in the US. They came and went in and out of their kids' lives, constantly working to provide better opportunities. There came a time when Julissa was getting into trouble because she was missing her parents so much that they decided to bring her with them to the US. She came on a tourist visa, but they were here on work visas so could stay longer. They enrolled Julissa in private school and she stayed through college and beyond. This is her story of her family, but also her education and how she managed life as an undocumented immigrant. Told in an honest, straightforward manner, the reader gets a look at why one family chose to break the law to give their child a better life. While I'm sure there are as many reasons as their are people, this is a great intro to the subject for the middle grade audience. It will spark lots of discussion.v