The Crossroads

July 1, 2018

Gr 6-9-This sequel to The Only Road sees the internal border crossings of Jaime and his cousin Ángela as they start new schools and begin to recover from their arduous journey to the U.S. An isolated ranch where Jaime's older brother works is the setting for the teens' emotional roller coaster of guilt, loneliness, loss, and fear. Tensions peak when Jaime learns that the gang they fled retaliated by attacking their beloved Abuela, who eventually dies, and when the grandfatherly ranch manager, Don Vincente, is detained after 60 years in the U.S. Jaime succumbs to the pressure and punches a school bully, which does little to lessen his grief, the constant dread of being deported, and the embarrassment of being the new English-language learner bound by strict no-Spanish rules. As Jaime continues to draw in order to document and remember his past, he discovers this work is also helpful in building new friendships and providing evidence for Don Vincente's deportation hearing. Jaime's first-person perspective gives fairly didactic explanations for those unaware of the various struggles immigrants endure and will resonant with those living that experience. An author's note regarding references to Navajo people and beliefs would be a welcome addition to future publications of this text. VERDICT Fans of The Only Road will appreciate following Jaime and Ángela on the next phase of their lives, while teachers and librarians may find the text useful to counter unsubstantiated myths about Central Americans fleeing to the U.S.-Ruth Quiroa, National Louis University, Lisle, IL

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2018
Picking up a week after the grueling journey chronicled in The Only Road (2016), Diaz's profound sequel finds 12-year-old Jaime Rivera and his cousin Ángela adjusting to life in El Norte.Jaime doesn't know English too well, and his first days at school result in an unfortunate bathroom accident, mocking giggles from his classmates, and snide comments from the class bully, Diego. To Jaime's horror, Ángela seems to have changed overnight, making new friends with ease, switching to English almost exclusively, and acting aloof about their recent odyssey. Meanwhile, the specter of deportation looms endlessly, and terrible news from Guatemala involving Abuela and the Alphas erases any hope of returning to their village any time soon. Like its predecessor, this timely follow-up addresses the threats that immigrants and refugees face daily in El Norte, where "talk of a massive wall and deporting all of us" continues unabated. Diaz keeps the intimate third-person narration intact as she skillfully explores Jaime's new life in New Mexico, although the novel's noble objectives often deny any meaningful character development. Fortunately, well-sketched friends and family offer Jaime support in unexpected ways, including Sean, a deaf, white schoolmate who incites a pleasant subplot, and the gentle Don Vicente, an old Mexican cowboy whose relationship with Jaime forms the heart of the novel.An incredibly heartfelt depiction of immigrants and refugees in a land full of uncertainty. (author's note, references, further reading, glossary) (Fiction. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2018
Picking up a week after the grueling journey chronicled in The Only Road (2016), Diaz's profound sequel finds 12-year-old Jaime Rivera and his cousin �ngela adjusting to life in El Norte.Jaime doesn't know English too well, and his first days at school result in an unfortunate bathroom accident, mocking giggles from his classmates, and snide comments from the class bully, Diego. To Jaime's horror, �ngela seems to have changed overnight, making new friends with ease, switching to English almost exclusively, and acting aloof about their recent odyssey. Meanwhile, the specter of deportation looms endlessly, and terrible news from Guatemala involving Abuela and the Alphas erases any hope of returning to their village any time soon. Like its predecessor, this timely follow-up addresses the threats that immigrants and refugees face daily in El Norte, where "talk of a massive wall and deporting all of us" continues unabated. Diaz keeps the intimate third-person narration intact as she skillfully explores Jaime's new life in New Mexico, although the novel's noble objectives often deny any meaningful character development. Fortunately, well-sketched friends and family offer Jaime support in unexpected ways, including Sean, a deaf, white schoolmate who incites a pleasant subplot, and the gentle Don Vicente, an old Mexican cowboy whose relationship with Jaime forms the heart of the novel.An incredibly heartfelt depiction of immigrants and refugees in a land full of uncertainty. (author's note, references, further reading, glossary) (Fiction. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2018

Gr 6-9-This sequel to The Only Road sees the internal border crossings of Jaime and his cousin �ngela as they start new schools and begin to recover from their arduous journey to the U.S. An isolated ranch where Jaime's older brother works is the setting for the teens' emotional roller coaster of guilt, loneliness, loss, and fear. Tensions peak when Jaime learns that the gang they fled retaliated by attacking their beloved Abuela, who eventually dies, and when the grandfatherly ranch manager, Don Vincente, is detained after 60 years in the U.S. Jaime succumbs to the pressure and punches a school bully, which does little to lessen his grief, the constant dread of being deported, and the embarrassment of being the new English-language learner bound by strict no-Spanish rules. As Jaime continues to draw in order to document and remember his past, he discovers this work is also helpful in building new friendships and providing evidence for Don Vincente's deportation hearing. Jaime's first-person perspective gives fairly didactic explanations for those unaware of the various struggles immigrants endure and will resonant with those living that experience. An author's note regarding references to Navajo people and beliefs would be a welcome addition to future publications of this text. VERDICT Fans of The Only Road will appreciate following Jaime and �ngela on the next phase of their lives, while teachers and librarians may find the text useful to counter unsubstantiated myths about Central Americans fleeing to the U.S.-Ruth Quiroa, National Louis University, Lisle, IL

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2018
Grades 4-7 A week after fleeing a dangerous gang in Guatemala and arriving in the U.S. to live with his brother, Tom�s, Jaime and his cousin �ngela are starting a new school with a completely new language. While �ngela has no trouble fitting in, Jaime finds his only friends are a quiet boy named Sean, who sits with him on the bus, and Don Vicente, the old cowboy who tends to the ranch. As Jaime struggles to deal with prejudiced classmates and news of his abuela in danger back in Guatemala, he leans heavily on Vicente. But when the rancher is detained, Jaime relies on the help of Sean, who teaches him sign language, and works on expressing the thoughts he can't quite say out loud though his art. Fans of Diaz's The Only Road (2016) will appreciate seeing some familiar characters as well a new set of kind and complex characters. Diaz paints an insightful, realistic picture of a place that's filled with opportunity but simultaneously rife with discrimination, which is especially important reading for today's children.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2019
In this moving and timely sequel to Pura Belpri Honorwinning The Only Road, Jaime has made it into the U.S. and now faces the challenges of assimilating into a different culture. He longs to be with his family back in Guatemala, but with the help of his sketchbook and some unexpected friendships, he discovers a new definition of home. Reading list. Bib., glos.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)