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Una historia más (Just Another Story): Un relato gráfico de migración (A Graphic Migration Account)
Cuando Carlos tenía 19 años, su mamá decidió dejar su vida en El Salvador y buscar un nuevo comienzo en Estados Unidos. Para el viaje al norte, contrató los servicios de un coyote. Carlos se resistía a ir, pero no quiso dejar que su mamá partiera sin él y decidió unirse. En su recorrido a través de México, vivieron los riesgos y miedos que incontables personas de países centroamericanos enfrentan al emigrar a otras tierras. Diez años después, Carlos comparte estos recuerdos con su primo Ernesto. El resultado de su conversación es Una historia más: Un relato gráfico de migración.
When Carlos was nineteen years old, his mother decided to leave her life in El Salvador, seeking a new start in the United States. She arranged the services of a coyote for the journey north. Reluctant to leave, but refusing to let his mother go without him, Carlos joined her. During their trip through Mexico, they experienced the risks and the fears countless people from Central American countries faces as they migrate toward different lands. Ten years later, Carlos shared these memories with his cousin Ernesto. The result of their conversation is Just Another Story: A Graphic Migration Account.
When Carlos was nineteen years old, his mother decided to leave her life in El Salvador, seeking a new start in the United States. She arranged the services of a coyote for the journey north. Reluctant to leave, but refusing to let his mother go without him, Carlos joined her. During their trip through Mexico, they experienced the risks and the fears countless people from Central American countries faces as they migrate toward different lands. Ten years later, Carlos shared these memories with his cousin Ernesto. The result of their conversation is Just Another Story: A Graphic Migration Account.
216 pages, Library Binding
Published April 2, 2024
13 people are currently reading
440 people want to read
About the author
Ernesto Saade
7 books3 followersErnesto Saade is an El Salvador-born architect turned cartoonist. After years spent in the world of construction work, he left to pursue his Master’s Degree in Illustration and Comics from the Barcelona School of Design and Engineering. Now, he works at a non-governmental organization that allows him to devote 100% of his time to drawing comics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
May 7, 2025
I've read quite a few YA graphic novels and this is one of the best. Just Another Story captures the very layered, complex experiences of migrants. Even in it's relevancy to the many conversations happening toady, it provides something that is often overlooked: the humanity, the human experience. The artwork is ingenious and captures the fear, stress, and seriousness that aligns with each one of these journeys. This was the Realm of Comics book club pick for April. If you would like to hear more of my thoughts, be sure to check out our live show: https://www.youtube.com/live/8mbyzRIp...
March 1, 2024
This engaging graphic novel tells the story of a son and mother who chose to leave their loved ones and everything they'd ever known in hopes of a better life for themselves in The United States. The author-artist effectively illustrates that dangerous, terrifying journey for readers.
I'm so glad this book is being published. Stories like this one are so important to tell. I hope this book finds its way into the hands of those who find themselves represented in this book as well as the hands of those who might develop some compassion from reading this story.
Thank you NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group for allowing me early access to the ARC ebook edition of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I'm so glad this book is being published. Stories like this one are so important to tell. I hope this book finds its way into the hands of those who find themselves represented in this book as well as the hands of those who might develop some compassion from reading this story.
Thank you NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group for allowing me early access to the ARC ebook edition of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
April 21, 2024
4.5 stars--This engaging graphic account tells the story of a teenager’s fraught journey from El Salvador to the United States with his mother. Danger and uncertainty plague them at every turn, and Carlos and Elena’s journey puts a human face on the issue of migrants—so easily politicized and dismissed.
STORY is a real page-turner, made even more so by the fact that it is a true account. It is highly recommended to YA readers through adults. Don’t miss it!
STORY is a real page-turner, made even more so by the fact that it is a true account. It is highly recommended to YA readers through adults. Don’t miss it!
May 8, 2024
No one leaves their country and risks their lives for a lark.
Read
April 8, 2024I really enjoyed this and think it would pair with The Odyssey perfectly, I think it's an important and relevant story to many of my students
Shit x2, bastard x2, hell x3, a breastfeeding woman, badass, goddamn, cut your balls off x2
Shit x2, bastard x2, hell x3, a breastfeeding woman, badass, goddamn, cut your balls off x2
December 19, 2024
This graphic novel shares a poignant story of a mother and son illegally immigrating from El Salvador to America and is a microcosm of the reasons why people choose to leave their homes and the accompanying perils of doing so. Told in flashback, Carlos recounts to a cousin how he and his mother Elena arranged for a "coyote" to smuggle them through Mexico and arrive safely in Texas. Their journey was long and dangerous with several stops in which they would join up with others who were also hoping to cross over. You will also become attached to the other migrants and wonder how they fared after Carlos and Elena were separated from them. While you obviously know the mother and son duo made it, readers will still be worried as they encountered many obstacles. This narrative was eye-opening and sobering in what some people willingly go through with the aim of a better future for themselves and their families.
December 25, 2023
--українською нижче--
It's 2017 and Ernesto (the authorial alter-ego) arrives in the US from El Salvador. By plane, legally, with the most strenuous part of the journey being the need to fill out too many customs declarations for the elderly fellow passengers. If it seems weird that I am highlighting that he arrives legally... well, that's to the contrast with his aunt Elena and cousin Carlos, who made the journey between the same start and end points ten years prior. They used the help of "coyotes" - the guides who for payment arranged their trip through El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico, bribing the cops, the guerillas, and the mafia on the way, before helping the travelers to cross the Mexican-American border.
You might recognize the tropes: shadowy "shelters" where they have to spend nights on the floor together with dozens of strangers; hours crouching in trucks under the tarp; crossing the Rio Grande on a rickety raft before walking on foot through a scorching desert; criminal cartels victimizing the refugees whom they were supposed to help... Enduring all this just in the hope of having a better life in the dreamt-of America one day. In this regard, it's "just another story," as the title goes: one of the numerous others. Is it even worth telling, the characters ponder, as Carlos suggests that Ernesto's idea to take notes for a future rendition of the journey's story as a comic book (the one we are reading) is a waste of time.
The thing is, while we are, of course, following Elena's and Carlos's journey with interest and empathy for the hardship they had to endure, there isn't really any suspense: from the very beginning, we know that they successfully made it, vouchsafed by the fact that here they are, ten years later, welcoming family members to their home in San Diego. The author, I believe, is somewhat limited by the fact that he is documenting real events that happened to his relatives (or so we are told), which hinders the possibility of introducing unexpected twists and making any kind of a meta-statement on the idea of the American dream, immigration with the hope of a better life, and so on. But is it all that necessary - maybe, indeed, just documenting this traumatic experience of his family members - in a kind of a graphic oral history, if you will - is what is due for them to be able to finally process what happened to them already a decade ago.
I really loved how this is done on the formal level. Saade uses different color patterns to juxtapose different time periods: the past in full color, the present (when Carlos tells Ernesto the story) in greyish-blueish colors, and additional side stories told by secondary passengers in a different palette with one dominant color.
Thanks for the e-ARC to the Lerner Publishing Group and NetGalley. The opinion above is exclusively my own.
---
"Графічна оповідь про міграцію" (a graphic migration account) - це жанрове визначення, яке нам пропонує обкладинка книжки. Йдеться про історію того, як Елена і її 19-річний тоді син Карлос десять років тому вирушили у нелегальну подорож із Сальвадору до Сполучених Штатів. У теперішньому, в 2017 році, авторське альтер-его Ернесто приїздить до США цілком легально відвідати своїх тітку та двоюрідного брата, перепитує, що ж тоді з ними відбулося, і вирішує зробити з цієї історії графічне видання.
Тому ми одразу знаємо, що подолати шлях Елені та Карлосу вдасться, хоч би які випробування на шляху їх очікувати, але завершать його обидва успішно й цілими. Гаразд, ми у більшості пригодницьких текстів маємо підставу очікувати, що головні герої подолають усі випробування успішно й відносно неушкодженими... Проте хотілося б, щоб не виходили "неушкодженими" з такої історії певні переконання, "куди треба бігти", заради чого це все було зроблено і чи варто воно було. Тут я цього, на жаль, не бачу достатньо.
На початку Елена хоче їхати, а Карлос думає "ха-ха, та ти максимум до Ґватемали доберешся і повернешся"; тоді Карлос вирішує поїхати з нею, щоб про неї подбати; по дорозі від на неї злиться (як і годиться підліткові, нормально), що це її рішення їх наразило на всі небезпеки; а коли Елена, що панічно боїться води, розуміє, що треба перепливти Ріо Ґранде, хоче повернути назад, Карлос такий: роби що хочеш, я йду до кінця! Ну, і, нарешті, наприкінці Елена, яка вже десять років тусить в Штатах і не може виїхати, бо чекає на ґрін-карту, сумує за домом... Тобто деякі хитання в оцінці подій у персонажів по ходу є, але (як я писала в англомовній версії вище), здається, що автора сильно обмежує те, що це реальні події, які сталися з реальними людьми - його інформантами й родичами - щоб зробити якийсь наративно якісний фінт, який міг би стати справді цікавим стейтментом про ідею міграції в США за кращим життям. Мене, напевно, просто дратують неіронічні тейки на цю тему, як я вже писала у відгуках на деякі попередньо прочитані книжки на схожу тематику. (Ось "Чорнила", наприклад: дуже гарно критично до американської системи щодо мігрантів, але щоб припустити, що краще таки не приїздити чи поїхати звідти - ні, навіть коли до них зовсім уже фашистські міри застосовують) (Так, я усвідомлюю, що моя можливіть цим дратуватися - це наслідок певних доступних мені привілеїв.)
Відповідно, дратують також якісь баги в історії, які вилізають від того, що її прилизали під цей мета-наратив "у старій країні було зле, в Америці - чудово". Наприклад,
Словом. Книжка вийде 2 квітня 2024 року, мені дісталася попередня копія через сервіс NetGalley, за що їм і видавцеві дуже дякую. Книжка візуально цікава і, очевидно, вартісна, судячи з того, що вона мені дає підстави про якісь змістовні речі подратуватися.
It's 2017 and Ernesto (the authorial alter-ego) arrives in the US from El Salvador. By plane, legally, with the most strenuous part of the journey being the need to fill out too many customs declarations for the elderly fellow passengers. If it seems weird that I am highlighting that he arrives legally... well, that's to the contrast with his aunt Elena and cousin Carlos, who made the journey between the same start and end points ten years prior. They used the help of "coyotes" - the guides who for payment arranged their trip through El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico, bribing the cops, the guerillas, and the mafia on the way, before helping the travelers to cross the Mexican-American border.
You might recognize the tropes: shadowy "shelters" where they have to spend nights on the floor together with dozens of strangers; hours crouching in trucks under the tarp; crossing the Rio Grande on a rickety raft before walking on foot through a scorching desert; criminal cartels victimizing the refugees whom they were supposed to help... Enduring all this just in the hope of having a better life in the dreamt-of America one day. In this regard, it's "just another story," as the title goes: one of the numerous others. Is it even worth telling, the characters ponder, as Carlos suggests that Ernesto's idea to take notes for a future rendition of the journey's story as a comic book (the one we are reading) is a waste of time.
The thing is, while we are, of course, following Elena's and Carlos's journey with interest and empathy for the hardship they had to endure, there isn't really any suspense: from the very beginning, we know that they successfully made it, vouchsafed by the fact that here they are, ten years later, welcoming family members to their home in San Diego. The author, I believe, is somewhat limited by the fact that he is documenting real events that happened to his relatives (or so we are told), which hinders the possibility of introducing unexpected twists and making any kind of a meta-statement on the idea of the American dream, immigration with the hope of a better life, and so on. But is it all that necessary - maybe, indeed, just documenting this traumatic experience of his family members - in a kind of a graphic oral history, if you will - is what is due for them to be able to finally process what happened to them already a decade ago.
I really loved how this is done on the formal level. Saade uses different color patterns to juxtapose different time periods: the past in full color, the present (when Carlos tells Ernesto the story) in greyish-blueish colors, and additional side stories told by secondary passengers in a different palette with one dominant color.
Thanks for the e-ARC to the Lerner Publishing Group and NetGalley. The opinion above is exclusively my own.
---
"Графічна оповідь про міграцію" (a graphic migration account) - це жанрове визначення, яке нам пропонує обкладинка книжки. Йдеться про історію того, як Елена і її 19-річний тоді син Карлос десять років тому вирушили у нелегальну подорож із Сальвадору до Сполучених Штатів. У теперішньому, в 2017 році, авторське альтер-его Ернесто приїздить до США цілком легально відвідати своїх тітку та двоюрідного брата, перепитує, що ж тоді з ними відбулося, і вирішує зробити з цієї історії графічне видання.
Тому ми одразу знаємо, що подолати шлях Елені та Карлосу вдасться, хоч би які випробування на шляху їх очікувати, але завершать його обидва успішно й цілими. Гаразд, ми у більшості пригодницьких текстів маємо підставу очікувати, що головні герої подолають усі випробування успішно й відносно неушкодженими... Проте хотілося б, щоб не виходили "неушкодженими" з такої історії певні переконання, "куди треба бігти", заради чого це все було зроблено і чи варто воно було. Тут я цього, на жаль, не бачу достатньо.
На початку Елена хоче їхати, а Карлос думає "ха-ха, та ти максимум до Ґватемали доберешся і повернешся"; тоді Карлос вирішує поїхати з нею, щоб про неї подбати; по дорозі від на неї злиться (як і годиться підліткові, нормально), що це її рішення їх наразило на всі небезпеки; а коли Елена, що панічно боїться води, розуміє, що треба перепливти Ріо Ґранде, хоче повернути назад, Карлос такий: роби що хочеш, я йду до кінця! Ну, і, нарешті, наприкінці Елена, яка вже десять років тусить в Штатах і не може виїхати, бо чекає на ґрін-карту, сумує за домом... Тобто деякі хитання в оцінці подій у персонажів по ходу є, але (як я писала в англомовній версії вище), здається, що автора сильно обмежує те, що це реальні події, які сталися з реальними людьми - його інформантами й родичами - щоб зробити якийсь наративно якісний фінт, який міг би стати справді цікавим стейтментом про ідею міграції в США за кращим життям. Мене, напевно, просто дратують неіронічні тейки на цю тему, як я вже писала у відгуках на деякі попередньо прочитані книжки на схожу тематику. (Ось "Чорнила", наприклад: дуже гарно критично до американської системи щодо мігрантів, але щоб припустити, що краще таки не приїздити чи поїхати звідти - ні, навіть коли до них зовсім уже фашистські міри застосовують) (Так, я усвідомлюю, що моя можливіть цим дратуватися - це наслідок певних доступних мені привілеїв.)
Відповідно, дратують також якісь баги в історії, які вилізають від того, що її прилизали під цей мета-наратив "у старій країні було зле, в Америці - чудово". Наприклад,
Словом. Книжка вийде 2 квітня 2024 року, мені дісталася попередня копія через сервіс NetGalley, за що їм і видавцеві дуже дякую. Книжка візуально цікава і, очевидно, вартісна, судячи з того, що вона мені дає підстави про якісь змістовні речі подратуватися.
March 18, 2024
Hello Again!
This is going to be a long and busy week. I have some big things coming up towards the end of the week but I will also have a ton of reading time! Right now I am listening to an audiobook I can not put down and in between reading a book on my Kindle or a physical read. But right before I jumped into all those different books I took time to read a graphic novel E-ARC (thank you so much to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions). So without further ado, let’s jump in!
SPOILERS AHEAD
Carlos and his mom life in El Salvador. Carlos has lived his entire life here but one day that all changes when his mother decides that they need to leave and go to America. Carlos is old enough to know that this journey will not be easy (in fact it will be incredibly difficult and potentially deadly). Carlos immediately decides that he will go with his mom, no matter what. So in near secret, the pair begin the journey with strangers that they kind of do not trust.
This graphic novel was absolutely amazing. The story was done in the future when we already know how things ultimately played out for Carlos and his mother (he is retelling it to a family member who is visiting). As we get to hear the retelling, we can see the impacts the journey had on both Carlos and his mom that are still reflected in their lives today. Outside of the story, I thought the art style and illustrations were amazing. This graphic novel hits shelves on April 2nd! I definitely recommend giving it a try!
Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars
***Thank you so much to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
This is going to be a long and busy week. I have some big things coming up towards the end of the week but I will also have a ton of reading time! Right now I am listening to an audiobook I can not put down and in between reading a book on my Kindle or a physical read. But right before I jumped into all those different books I took time to read a graphic novel E-ARC (thank you so much to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions). So without further ado, let’s jump in!
SPOILERS AHEAD
Carlos and his mom life in El Salvador. Carlos has lived his entire life here but one day that all changes when his mother decides that they need to leave and go to America. Carlos is old enough to know that this journey will not be easy (in fact it will be incredibly difficult and potentially deadly). Carlos immediately decides that he will go with his mom, no matter what. So in near secret, the pair begin the journey with strangers that they kind of do not trust.
This graphic novel was absolutely amazing. The story was done in the future when we already know how things ultimately played out for Carlos and his mother (he is retelling it to a family member who is visiting). As we get to hear the retelling, we can see the impacts the journey had on both Carlos and his mom that are still reflected in their lives today. Outside of the story, I thought the art style and illustrations were amazing. This graphic novel hits shelves on April 2nd! I definitely recommend giving it a try!
Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars
***Thank you so much to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
February 17, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book before publication.
I’m almost at a loss for words. This story put you in the characters shoes to where you feel what they are feeling, as though in their situation. It gives the reader a whole new perspective on a human rights issue that nearly every American hears about on a daily basis, I could feel the honesty in the story, the heartache, and the longing. I thought about if this was my mom and I leaving everything behind, and I had to stop that line of thought. To think that people go through similar situations every day, out of sight out of mind, is just insane to me. It’s not real until you see it. The art brought the story to life in such a way that I don’t think I would have been able to comprehend the danger and violence that the main characters go through. I liked that the color scheme changed between the past and present parts. It made the shift in time easier to understand and I sailed right on as if watching a movie.
I feel that this would be useful in a high school classroom when discussing migration, immigration, politics, etc. Including graphic novels like this helps open up the discussion, especially if traditional teaching tools fall short. I plan on including this in my classroom library. Thank you for this story.
I’m almost at a loss for words. This story put you in the characters shoes to where you feel what they are feeling, as though in their situation. It gives the reader a whole new perspective on a human rights issue that nearly every American hears about on a daily basis, I could feel the honesty in the story, the heartache, and the longing. I thought about if this was my mom and I leaving everything behind, and I had to stop that line of thought. To think that people go through similar situations every day, out of sight out of mind, is just insane to me. It’s not real until you see it. The art brought the story to life in such a way that I don’t think I would have been able to comprehend the danger and violence that the main characters go through. I liked that the color scheme changed between the past and present parts. It made the shift in time easier to understand and I sailed right on as if watching a movie.
I feel that this would be useful in a high school classroom when discussing migration, immigration, politics, etc. Including graphic novels like this helps open up the discussion, especially if traditional teaching tools fall short. I plan on including this in my classroom library. Thank you for this story.
October 26, 2024
An eye-opening account of what migrants to America go through. It's surprisingly civilized in some ways, but for every aspect that feels almost modern and organized, there's a skin-crawling scene or a moment of pure fear. The ups and downs of the journey from El Salvador to America are well portrayed, especially with Carlos and his mother as likeable and engaging characters.
An extremely worthwhile read that satisfies both as a story and as a piece of evidence for who migrants actually are and what they have to go through to get here.
An extremely worthwhile read that satisfies both as a story and as a piece of evidence for who migrants actually are and what they have to go through to get here.
July 3, 2025
A cousin telling the story of how he and his mom left El Salvadore and migrated to the United States using "Coyotes" 10 years prior. The dangers, worries, fears and vulnerabilities along with the drive for creating a better life were conveyed very well and very good illustrations.
March 2, 2024
A moving YA graphic novel account of Carlos’s immigration to America. Stories like the humanize all the politics of immigration issues. An important mirror and window for teens. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital ARC!
Read
May 7, 2024Such beautiful blues used for the nighttime sky, in such a sad book.
June 6, 2024
A worthwhile graphic novel detailing the challenges that many Central Americans face when migrating to a new land.
September 28, 2024
An important graphic memoir about a journey to America from Mexica by a nineteen-year-old boy and his mom and all the ways they struggle along the way.
March 9, 2024
I recently had the pleasure of reading Just Another Story: A Graphic Migration Account from Ernesto Saade, and I really enjoyed it. Based on true events, the book tells the story of the difficulties and dangers that come with immigrating to the United States from Central America. It’s a beautiful story, and I hope you read it.
The structure of the book follows Ernesto from El Salvador who is visiting his cousin Carlos and aunt Elena in San Diego. When Carlos picks Ernest up at LAX and they head to San Diego, Ernesto asks Carlos to tell him about their journey from El Salvador to the US. Carlos mentions that he’s never talked about what he and his mom went through with anyone before. Then, our story takes off.
Just Another Story is a grand reminder that the sacrifices and dangers faced by immigrants just to get to the USA are rarely in the “immigration debate” had in this country. Dealing with the smugglers, gangs, and crooked cops is a dangerous path that many do not survive.
At the end of the book, Elena is considering her future. While she loves her son and the life that they have been able to build in the USA over the last decade, she misses her family and El Salvador. However, until their visa situation is officially settled, they would not be able to return to the USA if they left. She has a wonderful bit of dialogue in a conversation with Ernesto while they watch Carlos surf in the ocean:
“People tell me that going back would be like admitting I made a mistake. Some kind of failure. But I don’t see it that way. My son is doing well. He has a bright future ahead of him. I believe I already accomplished something. And I’m not going to apologize nor feel shame for trying to find my own happiness.”
Just Another Story: A Graphic Migration Account – digital page 211.
I loved the way that Saade illustrated this book. It’s split into three different styles, so you always know where you are in the story. When the book is following Carlos and Ernesto, the book emphasizes the blues, greys, and greens. When we transition to Carlos and his mother Elena’s journey to the USA, the book has the full pantheon, edging darker when a dangerous situation is involved. When another character is telling a story such as Peligro, the colors are more bold. It made it easy to know who was “talking” at any given point.
Saade wrote and illustrated an excellent and moving story, and I highly recommend it.
Thank you NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
The structure of the book follows Ernesto from El Salvador who is visiting his cousin Carlos and aunt Elena in San Diego. When Carlos picks Ernest up at LAX and they head to San Diego, Ernesto asks Carlos to tell him about their journey from El Salvador to the US. Carlos mentions that he’s never talked about what he and his mom went through with anyone before. Then, our story takes off.
Just Another Story is a grand reminder that the sacrifices and dangers faced by immigrants just to get to the USA are rarely in the “immigration debate” had in this country. Dealing with the smugglers, gangs, and crooked cops is a dangerous path that many do not survive.
At the end of the book, Elena is considering her future. While she loves her son and the life that they have been able to build in the USA over the last decade, she misses her family and El Salvador. However, until their visa situation is officially settled, they would not be able to return to the USA if they left. She has a wonderful bit of dialogue in a conversation with Ernesto while they watch Carlos surf in the ocean:
“People tell me that going back would be like admitting I made a mistake. Some kind of failure. But I don’t see it that way. My son is doing well. He has a bright future ahead of him. I believe I already accomplished something. And I’m not going to apologize nor feel shame for trying to find my own happiness.”
Just Another Story: A Graphic Migration Account – digital page 211.
I loved the way that Saade illustrated this book. It’s split into three different styles, so you always know where you are in the story. When the book is following Carlos and Ernesto, the book emphasizes the blues, greys, and greens. When we transition to Carlos and his mother Elena’s journey to the USA, the book has the full pantheon, edging darker when a dangerous situation is involved. When another character is telling a story such as Peligro, the colors are more bold. It made it easy to know who was “talking” at any given point.
Saade wrote and illustrated an excellent and moving story, and I highly recommend it.
Thank you NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
December 13, 2023
This story sort of creeps up on you. It starts with some migrants traveling in the desert, and the main character looks up to see a plane overhead. Then 10 years past, and once again he is looking at planes, but this time it is to welcome his cousin he hasn’t seen since he left his homeland.
And so, Carlos begins to tell his story, of what happened when they had to leave their homeland and travel to the United States. The cartoonist shows the present time in grays and browns, but the past, is all in bright colors.
And at first, the story is very mundane. They get on a bus, they travel by truck, and then it starts to get weird, as their coyote doesn’t want to bribe police, and takes a back road, where he runs into other people who want to be bribed.
And then there are the times where they just have to stop in the journey, stay in a “safe” house until it is time to move on again.
All this time, his mother is stoic, because she knows she is doing this for her son, and the one thing she is afraid of is crossing the Rio Grande, because she almost drowned as a child.
Very gripping book, told from a child’s view, but narrated by an adult. He talks about the food, and how hard it was to sit cramped up in the truck, or the car. And he even talks about how the coyote who is leading them, got his scar, when he wasn’t careful, and lost his group, because he didn’t bribe the right people.
Well designed, and executed. There is some humor, as well as terror, to balance things out. It is sad what people have to go through to just live here, and work those jobs that no one else wants.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book will be published the 2nd of April, 2024
And so, Carlos begins to tell his story, of what happened when they had to leave their homeland and travel to the United States. The cartoonist shows the present time in grays and browns, but the past, is all in bright colors.
And at first, the story is very mundane. They get on a bus, they travel by truck, and then it starts to get weird, as their coyote doesn’t want to bribe police, and takes a back road, where he runs into other people who want to be bribed.
And then there are the times where they just have to stop in the journey, stay in a “safe” house until it is time to move on again.
All this time, his mother is stoic, because she knows she is doing this for her son, and the one thing she is afraid of is crossing the Rio Grande, because she almost drowned as a child.
Very gripping book, told from a child’s view, but narrated by an adult. He talks about the food, and how hard it was to sit cramped up in the truck, or the car. And he even talks about how the coyote who is leading them, got his scar, when he wasn’t careful, and lost his group, because he didn’t bribe the right people.
Well designed, and executed. There is some humor, as well as terror, to balance things out. It is sad what people have to go through to just live here, and work those jobs that no one else wants.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book will be published the 2nd of April, 2024
February 6, 2024
Ernesto Saade's "Just Another Story" is a graphic memoir-style recounting of his cousin Carlos' overland route from El Salvador to the United States as a teen. It's framed by (and interwoven with) a conversation the cousins are having as Carlos picks Ernesto up at the airport. The two timelines are indicated by two contrasting colour choices, and unconventionally, the harsher migration story gets the brighter more cartoon-y palette, while the driving sequence features more stripped back colours and the shading techniques that are more common in graphic journalism.
The title is a reference to the fact that the story is just one among many similar stories that could be told, a comment that we see on page when Ernesto tells Carlos that he's considering writing this book (I was reminded of the similar conversation between the Fabre brothers in Clément C. Fabre's graphic memoir Carole). And while it's true that there are similar memoirs and journalistic works out there, I think this one is a solid addition. It would be perfect for a secondary school (or older middle school) library.
I had an eARC from NetGalley, but I think this is one that would only be improved in a large-scale print format.
The title is a reference to the fact that the story is just one among many similar stories that could be told, a comment that we see on page when Ernesto tells Carlos that he's considering writing this book (I was reminded of the similar conversation between the Fabre brothers in Clément C. Fabre's graphic memoir Carole). And while it's true that there are similar memoirs and journalistic works out there, I think this one is a solid addition. It would be perfect for a secondary school (or older middle school) library.
I had an eARC from NetGalley, but I think this is one that would only be improved in a large-scale print format.
December 10, 2023
Thank you #NetGalley for this teens/YA ARC. Start on page 212 and really examine the image. It is a beautiful graphic display of journey, companionship, and how small people really are in the world. In this graphic novel, 19-year-old Carlos reluctantly joins his mother on her migration to the United States from El Salvador. They encounter criminals, overcome fear, and join their family in California.
There is a great play on the title, Just Another Story. This story is not that. This is an insight into real lives and real events and real feelings. Cartoonist Ernesto Saade retells the story of his cousin’s journey and brings it to life with the images and expressions that had to have been present as Carlos migrated with his mom. The inclusion of the map to illustrate the length of the journey and the use of color to show time differences are both brilliant choices.
This book could be used in a secondary classroom of English or history to bring to life the story of migration. It is also great for lovers of graphic novels or readers interested in adventure, family, and resiliency. #JustAnotherStory
There is a great play on the title, Just Another Story. This story is not that. This is an insight into real lives and real events and real feelings. Cartoonist Ernesto Saade retells the story of his cousin’s journey and brings it to life with the images and expressions that had to have been present as Carlos migrated with his mom. The inclusion of the map to illustrate the length of the journey and the use of color to show time differences are both brilliant choices.
This book could be used in a secondary classroom of English or history to bring to life the story of migration. It is also great for lovers of graphic novels or readers interested in adventure, family, and resiliency. #JustAnotherStory
February 17, 2025
This was a decent story. It wasn't too different from too many other migration stories that I had read. I expected their to be more details but this is being told from someone's recollection of a moment that happened in the early aughts. As readers we are along for a ride that takes place 10 years later and a little less than ten years from my present.
It's surface level about a son and mother's relationship as they try to migrate to the US from El Salvador. They are hoping for better things as life in El Salvador has become grueling. This is mostly told from a selfish teenage boy's point of view. He begrudeoningly takes the trip with his mother because he is afraid that is his mother leaves, he will never see her again. Yet, he said it wouldn't change much because she already works so much. He blames her for taking them on this trip and when presented with crossing the Rio Grande, his mom panics. Yet when the fearful moment arises, it is his mother who must comfort the main character.
I felt that this was a shallow retelling and unfortunately I didn't feel very connected to the characters.
It's surface level about a son and mother's relationship as they try to migrate to the US from El Salvador. They are hoping for better things as life in El Salvador has become grueling. This is mostly told from a selfish teenage boy's point of view. He begrudeoningly takes the trip with his mother because he is afraid that is his mother leaves, he will never see her again. Yet, he said it wouldn't change much because she already works so much. He blames her for taking them on this trip and when presented with crossing the Rio Grande, his mom panics. Yet when the fearful moment arises, it is his mother who must comfort the main character.
I felt that this was a shallow retelling and unfortunately I didn't feel very connected to the characters.
March 1, 2024
Just Another Story by Ernesto Saade is a graphic novel about Carlos and his mother, Elena, as they enter the United States. Taking place in the present time with flashbacks to their journey, it's a thoughtful and compelling story.
Because we see Carlos as an adult, he's had time to sit with his complicated feelings surrounding those events and the people he met along the way, especially his mom. This novel was an emotional read that shows depth and humanizes an experience many people do not understand. Carlos was an insightful narrator who cared about the people he met and had the time to take in the experience fully.
While I enjoyed the storytelling and how much thought went into the background characters, the ending felt abrupt as it ended with a short anecdote about his grandmother that seemed unfinished. In the present timeline, relationships need more exploration, especially between Carlos and his wife. I could easily see this turning into a captivating series!
*Thank you to NetGalley and Graphic Universe for sending the ARC for review. All opinions are my own.*
Because we see Carlos as an adult, he's had time to sit with his complicated feelings surrounding those events and the people he met along the way, especially his mom. This novel was an emotional read that shows depth and humanizes an experience many people do not understand. Carlos was an insightful narrator who cared about the people he met and had the time to take in the experience fully.
While I enjoyed the storytelling and how much thought went into the background characters, the ending felt abrupt as it ended with a short anecdote about his grandmother that seemed unfinished. In the present timeline, relationships need more exploration, especially between Carlos and his wife. I could easily see this turning into a captivating series!
*Thank you to NetGalley and Graphic Universe for sending the ARC for review. All opinions are my own.*
January 14, 2024
"Just Another Story: A Graphic Migration Account" by Ernesto Saade is an eye-opening and visually appealing account of the migrant experience. Through a graphic novel format, Saade effectively communicates the dangers, obstacles and risks migrants go through. The book opens with a family tree which is helpful to refer to throughout the graphic novel. Although the language is not appropriate for middle school and younger, the book is an important lesson for all ages that provides an empathetic understanding of the stories behind migration.
Thank you to Lerner Publishing Group who provided a free and pre-publication print copy of this #gifted book as part of promotion for Read Your World Day and in exchange for an honest review.
Read Your World’s mission is to raise awareness of the need to include kids’ books celebrating diversity in homes and school bookshelves.
#ReadYourWorld
#mcbd24
Thank you to Lerner Publishing Group who provided a free and pre-publication print copy of this #gifted book as part of promotion for Read Your World Day and in exchange for an honest review.
Read Your World’s mission is to raise awareness of the need to include kids’ books celebrating diversity in homes and school bookshelves.
#ReadYourWorld
#mcbd24
December 30, 2023
Carlos is a young man, still in his teens, and when he finds out his mother is going to America, he doesn't want her to go alone. Even though he feels protective of her, he also complains a lot (there's a lot to complain about). His mother has to face her fears, such as her fear of the river, and nothing goes smoothly. Neither want to get rid of their ties to their home in El Salvador.
Maybe this story has been told before, but it humanizes people who are currently being demonized. I was certainly grateful to be reading from the comfort of my couch.
The graphics were designed so that you could see the differences between different places and situations easily, and even though I knew how it ended, there was still tension as I worried about what Carlos and his mother were going through.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this
Maybe this story has been told before, but it humanizes people who are currently being demonized. I was certainly grateful to be reading from the comfort of my couch.
The graphics were designed so that you could see the differences between different places and situations easily, and even though I knew how it ended, there was still tension as I worried about what Carlos and his mother were going through.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this
April 25, 2024
This is a graphic biography, more of a graphic narrative as it is a focused moment in the protagonists' lives, of the author's cousin, Carlos and his Aunt Elena as they migrated from El Salvador to the United States. The artwork is simple and elegant at the same time, moving between the past, in color (unusual), to the present in sepia tones. It isn't as if I haven't read about or heard these types of stories previously, but the fortitude of people who are being moved in a variety of ways (jammed inside the bed of a truck or on inner tubes across a river, etc.) never ceases to amaze me. Also, the grossness of those who profit from this migration never ceases to horrify me. This would be a really good read for someone who has never encountered this kind of story before or someone who has never met a person who has gone through this.
June 23, 2024
I really enjoyed book as it kept me wondering what was going to happen next, and it was very interesting to read although it makes me sad that the book is based on a true story account which makes the events that happened sadder. It really makes me appreciate my mother more for making it to America, and I feel fortunate to be born in America. The book detailed some of the tragedies that happen to people trying to come to America and the difficulties they face, such as getting past the drug cartels and terrains and all sorts of bad people. Overall, it was a good book and it has made me more appreciative of everything that I have and it's also made me more sympathetic towards the immigrants that come to America. I also feel bad for the kind lady, Consuela. I hope she and her daughter are doing okay, wherever they are.
July 10, 2024
This took me a while to get through but AH. It was really, really good. I had a bit of trouble following at first, given the fact that this story is not autobiographical, but is drawn from an interview the author did of someone's lived experience.
There is so much that people don't talk about when it comes to immigration and the process of getting a visa. This book brought into light so much suffering and hardships that people face--all in the name of reaching for a better life with more opportunities. It was heartbreaking and enlightening and one of those books that you leave feeling changed. Everyone should read this book because everyone (especially Americans) needs to be more enlightened on what the process of trying to immigrate outside the law looks like.
Thank you to NetGalley for the free review copy!
There is so much that people don't talk about when it comes to immigration and the process of getting a visa. This book brought into light so much suffering and hardships that people face--all in the name of reaching for a better life with more opportunities. It was heartbreaking and enlightening and one of those books that you leave feeling changed. Everyone should read this book because everyone (especially Americans) needs to be more enlightened on what the process of trying to immigrate outside the law looks like.
Thank you to NetGalley for the free review copy!
March 12, 2024
This graphic novel is told in a conversation style. It goes over the story of how a few of the authors family came to the US as immigrants.
I honestly don't have much criticism for this book. I do wish the text could have been a tiny bit larger, but the story was captivating, the artwork was a perfect match for the story, it was informative and really did what it was supposed to do. I feel like a lot of people have a hard time empathizing with immigrants especially those they don't feel like come across in the legal channels. I feel like this puts a name and a face to people, and I am so incredibly grateful to the author for telling his family's story. A lot of people need to be able to visualize the hardships people go through and this is exactly that.
I honestly don't have much criticism for this book. I do wish the text could have been a tiny bit larger, but the story was captivating, the artwork was a perfect match for the story, it was informative and really did what it was supposed to do. I feel like a lot of people have a hard time empathizing with immigrants especially those they don't feel like come across in the legal channels. I feel like this puts a name and a face to people, and I am so incredibly grateful to the author for telling his family's story. A lot of people need to be able to visualize the hardships people go through and this is exactly that.
August 22, 2024
My library has this in fiction, but it reads like a non-fiction account, by which I mean it feels very real. It wasn't super clear to me why Carlos's mom was willing to risk her life (and her son's life) to go to the US. She was unhappy in El Salvador, toiling away for very little money. But she doesn't seem super happy and prosperous in the US either. That's what makes this story seem so real to me. In real life, people make choices that aren't logical. Carlos and his mother aren't perfectly brave or perfectly noble. They come across as scared and sometimes frustrating. They are motivated by their love for each other and hope for a better life.
Be warned, the story has a fair amount of violence and is super harrowing at times.
Be warned, the story has a fair amount of violence and is super harrowing at times.
November 25, 2024
I have to agree with the author, every story matters, even if it is just one person. I feel this is one of the better graphic novel adaptations about those coming to the United States. I do wish there had been a little more back story as to why they chose to leave El Salvador. I don't know a lot about the conditions of life there so it would help me understand better why you would make such a dangerous journey to get away.
This is also a story about family and the bonds shared by a mother and son. Even though Carlos did not want to leave, he decided he would go to make sure his mother was safe. Through their journey, even though he is angry with his mom, he still keeps going and pushes her as well. This was a vivid detail of the challenges they faced to come to America.
This is also a story about family and the bonds shared by a mother and son. Even though Carlos did not want to leave, he decided he would go to make sure his mother was safe. Through their journey, even though he is angry with his mom, he still keeps going and pushes her as well. This was a vivid detail of the challenges they faced to come to America.
April 29, 2024
The story of a man living in the U.S. who reflects back when he came here from El Salvador a decade before with his mother. It goes into great detail how they worked with coyotes to travel here over a vast distance all the way through Guatemala and Mexico. You also get a sense of their fears and worries as the whole time they were at the mercy of these shady people. Really interesting to see other people's perspectives and makes you very thankful that we have so much here. Without getting into the political landscape, these are just people looking for a better life for their families just like the rest of us.
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