Jenny Torres SanchezReseñas

Gr 9 Up—Concluding that there is no future for them in Guatemala, Pequeña and brothers Pulga and Chico take off
north, following the tracks of La Bestia and risking everything, including their lives, to reach the U.S. border.
Desperation permeates the pages, as Sanchez's richly drawn characters confront the lack of legal options and the undaunted hope of those compelled to attempt the journey.

This could be a good one for kids who are missing someone they don’t get to see as often anymore. It shows fond memories of that person, how they can still stay connected, and making new long distance memories together.

Didn't really like this book. I was a bit confused at times and didn't understand why the main character kept "seeing" a black bear.

"Rocio had a new home. But she really missed her other home..." Rocio misses her old house and her extended family, especially Abuela and her small grocery store, where piñatas hung from the ceiling. Rocio misses different foods, the sweet milky coffee Abuela made her, and "the pretty song of her language" (accompanied by a lovely illustration of Rocio being tucked in under a blanket of words and phrases in Spanish). On Rocio's birthday, her Mamá, Papá, and brother and sister sing "Las Mañanitas" and present a box from Abuela, labeled "Con mucho amor," and containing many of the things Rocio misses: a star-shaped piñata, fresh tortillas, and a framed photo of her family in front of Abuela's store. That night, Rocio blows a kiss all the way to Abuela.

Beautiful endpapers with stars of various shapes and sizes on a deep teal/cerulean background. Absolutely gorgeous illustrations throughout, including traditional woven patterns and embroidery.½

Absolutely absorbing, these teens felt real to me, I was desperate for them to survive their harrowing journey. If you like to feel something when you read, this is the story for you, it’s pretty gut-wrenching at times, expect to shed tears along the way but that’s how it should be, that’s what these kids and these families are enduring in real life and I’m glad this book didn’t shy away from the inhumanity they face just as I’m glad there were also moments that showed there is at least some humanity out there, the compassion from shelter workers and others.

Even if you feel like you understand to some degree why people risk their lives to move to another country, even if you already empathize with their situation, this book, as the very best books do, takes that understanding and that empathy to an even deeper level, in a perfect world this would be mandatory reading for everyone around the globe, not just students, but adults, too.

I think all books about a moving experience espcially migrations, refuge is important to highlight and recognize. This book reminded me of my nana in Mexico.

Es la historia de Rocio una niña que se muda a los Estados Unidos con su familia pero extraña la casa de su abuelita donde vivia junto a sus tia y primos.En el dia de su cumpleaños su abuelita le envio una caja con cosas de Mexico entre ellas encontro uno muy especial era la fotos de su abuelita y sus tios y primos .

Three Guatemalan teenagers flee their dangerous hometown.

In this action-packed and beautifully rendered depiction of the refugee migrant experience, Sanchez tells the story of 15-year-old Pulga; his brother by choice, Chico; and his cousin Pequeña, three teenagers from Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, who must sneak away from their town to survive. Pulga and Chico unfortunately happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time when they witness the murder of Don Felicio, the convenience store owner who gives them Cokes in exchange for help. Pequeña, who is 17 and a new mother, wants to escape Rey, the gang member who raped her and wants to force her into marriage—and who murdered Don Felicio. The chapters switch between the first-person perspectives of Pulga, who has the heart of an artist, and Pequeña, who sees beyond her surroundings and escapes reality during stressful situations. Scared of a future controlled by Rey, the trio embark on the journey that will bring them to the United States. But first they must conquer La Bestia, the name given by migrants to the train that claims the limbs and lives of many who flee violence. Sanchez delivers a brutally honest, not-to-be-missed narrative enriched by linguistic and cultural nuances in which she gracefully describes the harrowing experiences the young people endure after making the choice to survive.

A gripping, heart-wrenching, and thrilling tale of survival. (map, author’s note, sources) (Fiction. 14-adult)

-Kirkus Review

A young girl living in the United States misses her old life in an unnamed Central American country, particularly her beloved grandmother.

Rocio misses visits to Abuela’s grocery store, with its enticing smells and the soft, rustling sounds of handmade piñatas hanging from the ceiling. She misses Abuela’s buñuelos (fried dough fritters), special coffee, and tortillas, and she fondly recalls how she and her grandmother used to gaze at the night sky at bedtime. On the morning of Rocio’s birthday, she is excited and moved to discover that Abuela has sent her a package containing “a dazzling star made of bright ruffled paper”; a stack of tortillas wrapped in a cloth with Rocio’s name stitched on it; and a picture of Abuela and other relatives holding a happy-birthday banner. “Con mucho amor. / With lots of love,” the writing on the package reads. That night, Rocio blows a kiss through her window that travels far across the night sky to eventually land on Abuela’s cheek “with lots of love.” The striking digital artwork incorporates dynamic patterns and flowing lines that add liveliness, balancing the rather bland, albeit sweet, text. All characters have straight black hair and terra-cotta–colored skin except for Rocio’s light-skinned mother. Visual cues suggest that Rocio lives in a suburban neighborhood, and may lead some readers to conclude her grandmother lives in Mexico. Some Spanish terms, like pan dulce and Las Mañanitas, are sprinkled throughout the story.

A celebration of the grandparent-grandchild bond and an immigration tale that any child missing home will relate to.

We are Not from Here
By Jenny Torres Sanchez
This is a very possibly scenario of what may bring unaccompanied minors on the long trek to the US from Central America. Bitterly emotional, frightening, and sadly quite realistic.

Told in alternating voices, this book tells the story of Pulga, Pequeno, and Chico. Life has gotten dangerous from the friends in Guatemala, so much so that they feel the need to run for a chance to survive. Pulga has been planning the trek to the US for years. After Chico and Pulga are on the scene of a murder and forced into working for the murderer and Pequena is facing a life together with this same person, suddenly the risks of dying on the road seem a better alternative than what their life at home will become.
A treacherous journey is told in alternating bits between Pulga and Pequena, who disguises herself as male on the trip.

Pulga, Chico, and Pequeña live in Guatemala. Pulga and Chico are not related by blood, but Chico was adopted by Pulga's mother, when Chico's mother is gunned down in the local market. Pulga and Chico witness the murder of an elderly shopkeeper, who has always been kind, and then are forced into working for the killer, collecting protection money or drug profits. Meanwhile, their friend, Pequeña, has an unwanted baby, having been raped by a local thug, who insists they come away with him. So the three run north, hoping to get to the U.S., riding the dangerous trains, known as La Bestia. A harrowing and sad story of friendship and fear, unexpected kindness and vitriol. Heart-wrenching, for sure. This is clearly targeted at a younger audience than American Dirt, which I liked better since I did not connect to the characters in this one. P.S. Don't forget to read Sanchez's afterword.

I don't think this book would be for younger elementary. I think this would best fit a middle school age. This book brign the story to life of three friends who try and leave their home in Guatemala. They take on struggles of living in their town and beinf forced to grow up to have a better life. Really, really interesting.

WE ARE NOT FROM HERE – Jenny Torres Sanchez
Three young teenagers are forced to flee their Guatemala home when they are targeted by the local drug dealer. They travel through Mexico to the United States where they hope to find safety with relatives.
This novel is a searing look at the hardships and dangers of all those who travel illegally from Central America to reach the “Promised Land” and relative safety of the US. Honest and heart wrenching. If you refused – for whatever reason – to read AMERICAN DIRT, this book gives the same point of view from the pen of a Latinx writer.
5 of 5 stars

I learned a lot during (and after) my reading experience of American Dirt and really wanted to read more books about immigration, specifically by "Own Voices" authors. When I saw that We Are Not From Here by Jenny Torres Sanchez was one of the LibroFM ALC choices, I couldn't wait to listen.

We are introduced to three young Guatalmean teenagers, Pulga, Chico, and Pequena. Author Torres Sanchez pulled us right in as we learn about their backstories, their relationships with one another, and the violence and dangers they face daily in their own country. They make the decision to flee their home town in search of a better life. While these characters are fictional, they are based on real events and people that are experiencing this every single day.

We Are Not From Here takes us into the heartbreaking and treacherous journey that not only shares why someone would be pushed to leave their country of origin but also the harrowing journey of the trek north following La Bestia, frequently referred to as "the death train."

This book is haunting and at the same time shares the humanity of their journey. It gives us a glimpse of what immigrants experience, and the many risks they encounter while trying to make their way into the United States. The characters, both the main protagonists and the characters we meet just for a moment along the way are unforgettable and add so much to this nuanced and multifaceted storyline. While classified as a "YA" novel it is unforgettable, and every young adult and adult should read this book.

Thank you to LibroFM for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. You can read this review and other book reviews at genthebookworm.com

A complex book about a girl only sort of dealing with the death of her mother. Finding out she has an aunt, and her mother's past, serves to complicate her feelings on the issue.

Difficult, but strange and beautiful.

Made me SUPER HOMESICK, thanks Jenny Torres Sanchez.

This was an exceptional tale of three children who try to escape their circumstances by leaving Mexico via La Bestia, and crossing the desert to try to reach the United States. Although their reasons are different, Pulga, Chico and Pequena all want to get away from Rey, a thug who dominates their lives in ways that can only end in their deaths. They see no way out and as their situation becomes more desperate, they flee. The disturbing description of their harrowing journey is so well written that the reader feels the desperation, fear and hope right through the pages, clings to the swaying steel rooftop of La Bestia and has the saliva vanish from their mouth during the desert crossing. This is an unforgettable read.

You want to know why kids are so afraid that they run from their homes, their families, their culture? Read this book. Please.

I wish I knew how to start this review more effectively, but the one word that keeps weighing on my mind is simply this: heavy. I went into The Downside of Being Charlie expecting to laugh. Maybe giggle a bit over Charlie's confused adolescent life. What I didn't expect, however, was to fall into a period of deep thought. To cry. Or for that matter, to find inspirational quotes that stuck with me even hours later. It's not everyday that a book somehow manages to make me laugh and cry in equal measures. In fact, The Downside of Being Charlie is the first to do that in a long time.

What is between these pages may be fiction, but in a sense it is also reality. THIS is the type of book that I feel young people should be reading. It's gritty, raw, and yes there is even some profanity, but at the end of the day it's real. Jenny Torres Sanchez speaks out to readers using Charlie as a catalyst. She shows the raw, hidden lives that a lot of people live. Putting up a front so that they seem okay to the outside world. Best of all, she doesn't speak down to her readers. She let's us know that sometimes life sucks, but it's what you choose to do moving forward that matters.

I'm certain that Charlie Grisner will forever remain one of my top ten favorite characters. It's tough for me to connect with male point of view normally, but Charlie was just too lovable and real for words. His life isn't perfect. His family is broken. What's worse though is that there doesn't seem to be anything he can do about it. So, he laughs, puts up a wall, and moves on. Lucky for Charlie there just so happens to be some amazing people in his life, even if he doesn't always appreciate them. My favorite by far was his best friend Ahmed. A kid who loves the Rat Pack, wears wing tips, and still manages to be there for his best friend no matter what? That's my kind of character!

I could ramble on for days about this book, and how amazing it is. Unfortunately I know I'd loose your attention. So I'll end with one last thought. This is a book that makes you think. It makes you feel. Isn't that what reading is supposed to be all about? Jenny Torres Sanchez has written a heartfelt story, and a character who could very well be the person you sit next to on the bus. Or your best friend. He's just a lost kid, looking for a hand to hold, and trying to be okay.

Loved this book. Loved it with all my heart. The Downside of Being Charlie goes on my list of books that will be well-loved, dog-eared, and passed around as often as possible. Trust me, you want to read this. It's utterly fantastic. I'll leave you with a favorite quote of mine, courtesy of Charlie himself:

"All we have to do is come out of the boxes we build around ourselves because the truth is we're the ones who close ourselves up, hide ourselves in our own tiny compartments, leaving no room for anyone else."

The narrators were a little on the unsympathetic side. Contains a good lesson about not taking people at face value.

This is your typical girl has crush on boy and only talks to him in short periods of three sentences. Then one fateful night he approaches girl at a club and they hang out and have the best night of girl's night only to wake up to find out he killed himself. Or maybe this isn't so typical after all.

Frenchie Garcia secretly liked Andy Cooper for years. When he died it was like she lost something. Her friendship with her best friend Joel is strained, though she partially blames it on his new girlfriend. So she sets out to recreate that last night and find that something she lost.

All I can say is that this book was too short. I have an e-book and I see it's only about 150 pages long. There wasn't much time for anything. There wasn't much of a plot or a life-changing goal Frenchie set out for herself, in fact, she seemed about just as lost in the end than she was in the beginning. I liked our main character very much but she is not a likable person so I can see someone else reading this being put off by her vicious nature. There's not much to say about her one night with Andy and later Colin that makes it a thrilling read. Sure there's a romance but it's so boring the way it comes about.

There's not much to say about this book.

RGG: Well-written, compelling story of a high school senior's questioning of herself and life after a school friend's suicide. Never maudlin, but satisfyingly intensely realistic. References to Emily Dickinson and her poems is sophisticated and not gimmiky. Several risky behaviors--smoking, drinking, pills, and teen suicide. Audience: YA+.