It’s about self-acceptance, defying toxic masculinity, and the feeling of not measuring up.

2022) is more lighthearted than Efrn Divided. If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here. My next book, Falling Short (Quill Tree, Mar. Efrén’s voice is honest, his family’s resilience is inspiring, and many readers will learn about a desperate situation all too familiar to a large number of American kids.Ĭons: A quick review of the contemporary middle grade novels I’ve reviewed this year reveals kids dealing with the following issues: homelessness (2) bullying (2 because of homophobia, 2 because of racism, and 1 due to health issues) child abuse (2) sexual harassment (4) and parents in jail, murdered by a random shooter, and now, getting deported. Pros: I love the cover of this book, yet I still hope that future editions will have part of it obscured by a number of medal stickers, including the Newbery and Pura Belpré. There’s not a fairy-tale ending for Efrén and his family, but he discovers he has some of his parents’ strength and becomes determined to speak out about their situation. His trip there reveals both the desperate conditions of the people living there and the near-impossiblity of Amá making it back to the U.S. Since Apá is also undocumented, it falls to Efrén to cross the border into Tijuana to give Amá the money she needs.

Suddenly 12-year-old Efrén must take care of everything at home while Apá works round the clock to try to bring Amá home. But one day Amá doesn’t come home from work, and the family learns she has been deported to Mexico.

Amá and Apá both work long hours to afford the one-room apartment the family shares, but Efrén and his siblings always go to school with neatly pressed clothing and homemade lunches. Summary: Efrén calls his mom Soperwoman, both because of the delicious sopes she makes for him and his 5-year-old twin brother and sister, and because of all the ways she makes his family’s life work.

Falling short ernesto cisneros