  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 09/01/2016 *Starred Review* Unaccompanied minors from Central America have been making the dangerous trek to the U.S. in search of their family and a safer life, and this collection of bilingual poems centers around the experiences of these children. Middle-grade and older readers alike will be able to connect to Argueta’s carefully crafted first-person stories of immigration. In the same manner, Ruano gives a beautiful brown face to the children forced to flee violence in their home country, through his acrylic paintings, which range from the surreal to the realistic. The poem “iPod” is an excellent example of the powerful manner in which the words, both in English and Spanish, and illustrations work together. iPod is the name of a young boy who leaves everything behind, including his precious MP3 player, to travel north. Argueta and Ruano present a unique and much-needed perspective on the reasons driving young people to immigrate to the U.S., in particular the desire to reunite with family. The scarcity of Latino children’s and young-adult books that center on Central American experiences makes this poignant poetry collection extremely vital. Similar books include René Colato Laínez’s Waiting for Papá / Esperando a Papá (2004). - Copyright 2016 Booklist. Loading...
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