A fully bilingual (all text is in English and in Spanish) lightly fictionalized account of the author's own journey from Mexico to California with her family as a child. ( )

This book is an autobiography about Amada Irma Perez who as a young girl moved to California from Mexico. Amada's story is told in the form of diary entries. While Amada's parents await new opportunities in California, Amada cannot help but think of how hard it will be to leave her friends and worry about not being able to learn English. Amada is scared of the new changes to come but with the loving help of her family, Amada begins to adjust to the new changes in her life. I recommend this book because it teaches children that they can be strong when they are scared of new changes. ( )

What I really enjoyed about this book is the dual languages being used! This literary style choice excited me because not only am I able to share it with my English-speaking kiddos I can also share with my Spanish-speaking kiddos which means everything given the book is all about a Spanish-speaking girl moving to the United States from Mexico. I appreciated her coping mechanism being her diary and it maintaining for her a safe place. She learned that home can be wherever she is and that is a valuable lesson to all kids. ( )

A brilliant bilingual children's book about parents who want a better life for their family, perfect for those either trying to learn English as well as Spanish. Amada's father lost his job in Juarez Mexico and is forced to contemplate the unthinkable, relocating the entire family to a foreign land. Though her father is an American citizen, the family must wait in Mexicali for their green cards before they can enter The United States legally. I love Amada's spirit and her voice, while she is embracing her new life in California, she chooses to hold on to her heritage through her language and traditions. ( )

I liked this book for many reasons. First, it is written in first person and tells the story from a little girls point of view. It was nice to see a child’s perspective in life changing events and how the change affected her and her brothers. She clearly describes each scene with specific detail. For example, she made it clear how uncomfortable she felt when she had to move in with her extended relatives. Not only did she use descriptive words but the emotion on her face, clearly portrayed how she felt. Her eyes brought out the sadness or the happiness she felt when she saw her father again. Her smile was big from cheek to cheek and her body expression showed that. Also, the colors in the book helped to understand the mood of the moment. Warm colors were used to portray how Mexico looks like, bringing out the structures textures. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book because it gave a clear understanding that through hardships, it is important to never lose hope. There is always light at the end of a dark tunnel. ( )