Booklist Reviews 2019 August #1

Villalobos amplifies the voices of the young refugees mired in the current immigration crisis in this accessibly written collection. Based on interviews he conducted, Villalobos' stories relate the tales of 11 young people in brief, well-paced chapters, each of which features a first-person narrative from one of the refugees. "Psst, hey. Don't fall over," Kimberly hears someone say inside the "freezer," or cell where young children from Central America are detained, at times with only enough room to stand. From the fear of gang violence to the hopefulness of family reunions, the stories, some of which are interconnected, demonstrate the complexity and unevenness of the current immigration and asylum policy. The fear and dangers of crossing the border are palpable, but not all depictions are dire. Villalobos makes a point to include a thread of hopefulness that pushes the protagonists forward. Back matter features brief bios of the refugees and a glossary of Spanish terms. Stories of young refugees have been dominating the news, and Villalobos' approachable collection provides readers with varied, nuanced insight into the issues. Grades 8-11. Copyright 2019 Booklist Reviews.