UNTIL SOMEONE LISTENS

One family’s fight to stay together.

When Juarez’s mom was 18, she traveled across the Mexican border into the United States to attend school, work, and live. She met and married a U.S. Marine, and they had two daughters. But when Juarez was 8, her mom was deported to Mexico. The girl was devastated by the loss of her mom, and her mother’s absence left the family confused and distraught. Desperate to reunite her family, Juarez wrote letters to Congress and the president, among others. When these letters received media exposure, lawyers were able to help Juarez’s mother return to the country. Juarez, now a teen, with co-author Norman, tells the story of her family’s struggle to reunite and underscores the importance of speaking out against injustice. This sincerely told story conveys the difficulties and heartbreak that families of undocumented immigrants encounter as well as the complexity of the pathways to citizenship in the United States. Martinez’s illustrations use color to depict the devastating effects on the family; a close-up of a young Juarez huddled on the floor is especially poignant. Yet the gentle artwork tempers the sadness. Both Spanish and English editions of the story are available; the message is powerful in any language. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An inspirational and heartfelt story that will resonate with young activists.