Diaz,
Alexandra. The
Only Road. Simon
& Schuster 2016
320p
$16.99 ISBN 978-1-4814-5750-7 ms
Multicultural
VG
The Only Road starts out like any other book on
immigration, but it quickly becomes a work that will not only engage teen
readers, but also teach them.
Immigrants who try to come to the United States do not face challenges
with immigration officers at the borders between Mexico and the U. S. Instead, they face gangs, crooks disguised as
friends, hatred, greed and countless dangers that often result in death. What the reader finds are two teenagers who
leave Guatemala with their money sewn into the seams of their jeans, and who
resourcefully survive one scary encounter after
another. After surviving a harrowing
train ride (during which they face starvation and other bodily harm), they
figure out how to use their talents, one with sewing and the other with art, to
earn enough money to pay Coyote to drive them across the border. Along the way, there are some
good,
honest people who help them, but by and large, these
people
are few in number. The list of supporting characters
is like something out of a movie -- with Padre
Kevin, the priest who harbors the immigrants, and Xavi,
the young Salvadorian who introduces Angela and Jaime to Vida. Vida is the survivor of a dog
fight, a dog who miraculously survives thanks to Angela’s handiwork skill with
a needle and thread. Author Alexandra
Diaz has written a book that sets itself apart from others,
with
its creative weaving together of true incidents, its plot that moves seamlessly
forward, and its characters. The theme of wanting a better life enough to
give up one’s own life will resonate with young teenagers who are deciding for
themselves what they deem worth fighting for.
This novel is a very good choice for middle-school libraries and world-language classrooms. The story of illegal immigration, although fictional, needs to be shared first, in exactly this genre, to engage the young in taking a stand on this issue in the future. Please note that this would be a book of note had it been sent as a final printed edition. The myriad spacing errors need to be corrected before it can be listed as a Tristate BON.
Summary: If they stay in Guatemala, they will be
forced to work for the Alphas, the local gang.
If they leave to join Thomas in the U. S., they will face untold
obstacles including the dangerous gangs of Mexico. Jaime and Angela, with the help of their
family, flee.
Immigration-Fiction, Illegals-Fiction --Martha
Squaresky
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