Genre: Dark Realistic Fiction (violence, murder, drug abuse, incarceration, suicide)
Subjects: YA Fiction - brothers, friendship, group homes, guilt, juvenile delinquents, runaways, suicide
Audience: ages 14 and up
Miguel has committed an unspeakable crime and is sentenced to a year in a group home. The judge orders him to write in a journal every day about his thoughts and feelings . While he is the group home, he meets Mong and Rondell and they decide to run away to Mexico for a fresh start. Miguel chronicles their journey in his journal in which he references classic books that he has read. The three runaways come to depend on each other for survival as they hide, steal money and food, stand up for each other, and forge a bond with each other. Mong commits suicide along a beachfront and Miguel and Rondell have to come to terms with the loss of his friendship. The two boys travel to Miguel's grandparents house near the Mexico border. It is here that they find themselves, face the truth of what they have done, and build confidence in themselves as they work for Miguel's grandfather to earn money to finish their journey. As we near the end of the book, we find out that Miguel's crime was murder - he accidentally killed his brother. The boys decide that they should return to the group home and face the consequences for what they have done and try to make things right.
De la Pena has created a fast paced story with true to life language (some obscenities) that develops the personalities of his realistic and flawed characters. Many readers will identify with Miguel as a mixed race teen who is looking for his cultural identity and a place to belong. Reluctant readers will continue to read to find out what Miguel's unspoken crime is and why his mother will not look at him.
Awards:
Américas Award, 1993-2015 (2010)
Missouri Gateway Readers Award Nominee (2012)
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