Based on a true story! Join a young boy and his father on an arduous journey from Mexico to the United States in the 1980s to find a new life. They’ll need all the courage they can muster to safely cross the border — la frontera — and to make a home for themselves in a new land. Inspired by the childhood immigration experience of co-author Alfredo Alva, this story of perseverance is told in both Spanish and English to empower language-learning. Includes 4 pages of endnotes that unpack facts about Alfredo’s story and other stories like his / borders and borders around the world to help parents and educators talk with children about immigration, resilience, empathy and belonging.
More Details
Product Dimensions:10.375 x 9.75 inches
Page Count:48 pages
Age Range:Ages 4-10 years
Awards & Accolades
A Junior Library Guild Selection, 2018
Featured in The New York Times, 2018
A 2018 Foreword Indies Finalist
A Booklist Top 10 Diverse Books for Youth 2019 Pick
Books that Humanize Immigration List, American Association of School Librarians, 2018
NECBA Windows & Mirrors Selections, 2018
Top 11 Picture Book Biographies of Social Justice Leaders, BookRiot, 2020
New Women New Yorkers summer reading list, 2019
★ "So simple, but so beautiful, the story depicts what many must go through when seeking a better life in America" — Publishers Weekly, starred review
★ "An authentic and humanizing perspective on immigration" — Booklist, starred review
"An authentic and humanizing perspective on immigration; a must-have for classrooms, libraries, and bilingual collections" – Mary Margaret Mercado, Pima County Public Library, Tucson, AZ
About the Contributors
Written by - Alfredo Alva
Alfredo Alva is a stonemason from La Ceja, Mexico. He and his family live in Texas, where he designs architectural details from stone for local architects. He met Deborah Mills while working on a local architecture project, and they worked together to write his story and obtain photos of his family and hometown in Mexico.
Written by - Deborah Mills
Deborah Mills is an architect who has lived and traveled all over the world with her family. She divides her time between Texas, USA and the Thousand Islands.
Illustrated by - Claudia Navarro
Claudia Navarro studied at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas UNAM in Mexico City, and has illustrated for clients around the world. She lives in Mexico City, Mexico.
Customer Reviews
Customer Reviews
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Relevant immigrant story
Rating
100%
This book is based on the true story of the co-author, Alfredo Alva. As a young boy, Alfredo crosses the Mexico/U.S. border with his father in the 1980s to start a new life. Leaving his family, friends, and way of life was heart-wrenching for Alfredo. The journey was arduous and dangerous. Every day he feared that men in uniforms would come for him. Finally, after four years, Alfredo’s family is reunited.
Told through the eyes of a young boy, this harrowing story is made kid-friendly. The pictures are simple, child-like, warm, and colorful to keep the tone lighter and hopeful. Included are endnotes “…to help parents and educators talk with children about immigration, resilience, empathy, and belonging.” Although this story is decades old, the experience is still relevant given the current immigration challenges.
