Undocumented: A Worker's Fight

by Duncan Tonatiuh

Award-winning author and illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh’s picture book is “a gorgeous, timely, and necessary offering about the daily plight of undocumented workers in the United States” ( Library Journal ).

A Worker’s Fight is the story of immigrant workers who have come to the United States without papers. Every day, these men and women join the work force and contribute positively to society. The story is told via the ancient Mixtec codex, accordion-fold format.

Juan grew up in Mexico working in the fields to help provide for his family. Struggling for money, Juan crosses over into the United States and becomes an undocumented worker, living in a poor neighborhood, working hard to survive. Though he is able to get a job as a busboy at a restaurant, he is severely undercompensated—he receives less than half of the minimum wage! Risking his boss reporting him to the authorities for not having proper resident papers, Juan risks everything and stands up for himself and the rest of the community.

“Multiple Pura Belpré Medal and Honor-awarded Tonatiuh channels his interest in the Mixtec codex format to create a superb modern odyssey, stupendously illustrated in his signature contemporary adaptation of Pre-Columbian art forms, presented on accordion pages in a handsome slip-box.” — Booklist (Starred Review)

Genres: Picture Books, Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, Latinx, Comics, Social Justice, Middle Grade

26 pages, Hardcover

First published August 7, 2018

About the author

I was born in Mexico City and grew up in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. I received my BFA from Parsons School of Design and my BA from Eugene Lang College, both of them divisions of the New School University in New York City.

My first picture book "Dear Primo, a letter to my cousin" is published by H N Abrams and will be in stores March 1st, 2010.

My illustrations of the AH1N1 in Mexico were selected to be a part of CONACULTA's catalog of Mexican illustrators for children and young adults. They also appeared in the BBC when the pandemic broke out.

My short graphic novel Journey of a Mixteco was awarded the prize for the best thesis in the Integrated Design Curriculum department at Parsons. It appeared serially in the webcomix site topshelfcomix 2.0

I'm currently working on two new picture books. And I regularly upload new illustrations about current events to my blog.

Reviews

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Visually stunning and incredibly powerful! Truly a must-purchase.

I'm sure librarians everywhere will cringe a bit about the vulnerable accordion-fold design interpreting the Mixtec codices but Abrams has done an outstanding job of making it as sturdy as possible.

[Gary Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You don’t know our names but you’ve seen us.” So begins Undocumented: A Worker’s Fight, Duncan Tonatiuh’s important new book exploring what it means these days to be an undocumented worker in America.

After his father’s death, Juan is smuggled across the border as a minor and travels to “a strange city” to live with relatives where police harassment and poverty are parts of his daily existence. When Juan is later hired to work in a restaurant, his boss says he is doing him a favor because Juan is undocumented. The boss takes advantage of Juan and the other workers in many ways.

Eventually, the workers discuss how they are being mistreated, and they unite to file legal complaints against the boss and the restaurant. After threats of reprisal, the boss is forced to pay his employees fairly, and Juan begins helping other groups of workers to fight for their rights. All of this takes place with the obvious awareness that taking a stand, organizing, and fighting back are especially risky for the undocumented because deportation is always a possible outcome for those who enter the legal system without legal standing.

The messages in Undocumented are clear: All humans deserve to be treated with dignity regardless of their immigration status, and when workers unite effectively, they can create change.

Why are these concerns relevant to those who are not undocumented? Tonatiuh’s “Author’s Note” makes the often overlooked point that underpaying a particular class of workers generates a “race to the bottom” for employers who see how low they can go with wages, which creates a drag on the economy that we all share.

Undocumented is visually captivating. Tonatiuh’s artwork evokes ancient Mayan and Mixtec images, showing characters in sharply outlined profiles set against colorful backgrounds. Although these conventions appear in many Duncan Tonatiuh books, they are particularly effective in Undocumented as they connect modern Mixtecan immigrants in America to their ancestors.

Undocumented is handsomely produced with a sturdy slip cover and fold-out-and-flip-over pagination. This format literally requires readers to handle Juan’s story differently than other stories, a metaphor for the exigencies involved in handling undocumented immigrants with fairness and compassion.

Is this a children’s picture book? Yes and no. Some of the characters are children, or at least they start out as children, and the text is accessible, even though some of the political and legal activities may go beyond the understanding of the youngest readers. Upper elementary students can probably follow the narrative and understand the plot, especially if they have some personal familiarity with the issues under examination.

Just as Undocumented isn’t quite a picture book, it’s also not exactly a graphic novel, although it approaches that format in its scope and depth. Such a complex literary hybrid makes me especially enthused about the potential impact of this title on older readers. The ideas in Undocumented will generate thinking and discussion among students interested in and concerned about immigration and prejudice. Consider pairing it with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TED Talk “The Danger of a Single Story” to explore how stereotypes affect both the perceived and the perceiver.

-------------------------

I’m honored that Duncan Tonatiuh will be a panelist in the session I’m chairing at the National Council of Teachers of English conference this November in Houston, Texas. If you will be there, please consider joining Duncan, Chris Barton, Nancy Churnin, Heather Lang, Andrea J. Loney, and me as we present “Building Persistence with Picture Book Biographies” on Friday, November 16, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.

(This review is also featured on my What's Not Wrong? blog.)

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the unique folding design of this book, the striking illustration, the unsentimental-yet-compassionate point of view. This was a GREAT companion to The Faraway Brothers, a book I read last year about the same sort of struggles and issues of undocumented workers.
I'd like to see both books in our libraries, and I will be donating this one to mine.
The Goodreads giveaway program has broadened my world in so many ways....books I probably wouldn't have picked up or topics I never would've approached are now part of my reading list. This little (yet significant) book is one of them. Read it! Even if it makes you mad or uncomfortable.
ESPECIALLY if it makes you mad or uncomfortable.

[Thomas Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

23 pages. An estimated 5% of the U.S. workforce is unauthorized. A much higher fraction of the workforce works for less than a decent living wage. Wage theft and denial of workers' rights are rampant in the U.S. Unauthorized workers have no defense; authorized workers have little power enough. Workers' rights centers try to help workers fight the abuses. Occasionally they win one. http://www.wrcmadison.org/

no business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country. . . . by living wages I mean more than a bare subsistence level-I mean the wages of decent living.--Franklin Delano Roosevelt http://docs.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/odn...

This tiny book doesn't touch on ways in which the U.S. government has damaged economies all over the world:

As by subsidizing agribusiness, which then dumps commodities on world markets at less than cost, destroying farmers' livelihoods. This forces people to seek work at whatever depths of low pay and misery. For that, see books like Understanding Power: The Indispensable Chomsky by Noam Chomsky, and Addicted to War: Why the U. S. Government Can't Kick Militarism by Joel Andreas.

And, the U.S. government abets conditions of slavery and near-slavery by granting visas that tie immigrants to a particular employer. For details, see The Slave Next Door: Human Trafficking and Slavery in America Today, Kevin Bales.

For a wider view of the soul-crushing nature of most jobs, see Studs Terkel's Working: A Graphic Adaptation, Harvey Pekar.

Then when the world is too real, read P.G. Wodehouse.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This eye-opening look at undocumented workers and the challenges they face needs to be read by everyone. The opening line is just stunningly accurate: "You don't know our names but you've seen us" (unpaged). This is so true of almost all of us, taking for granted the labor of others and often even benefiting financially from what they do. Not only does the book explain some of the reasons someone like Juan, the main character in this graphic novel might want to cross the border from Mexico to the United States as well as the perils in attempting to do so. But reaching one's destination doesn't mean all the problems have been solved. Juan faces possible police harassment, speaks Mixteco and not Spanish or English, and struggles to find work. When he does, he is paid low wages for his labor. He falls in love, gets married, and then is drawn into the workers' rights movement by Li, another waitress at the restaurant. As he helps organize the other workers, his employer threatens to fire Juan and cut his hours. Young readers will be shocked when they realize how much employers such as his are taking advantage of their workers since they have no papers and are undocumented and how much someone like Juan risks by holding them accountable for their actions and demanding fair treatment and fair wages. The story distills a complicated issue in a relatable fashion even while acknowledging that the immigration system needs to be overhauled. It is clear that Juan and others like him help make the United States' labor force remain viable, often taking on jobs that others refuse to do and paying paid far less than they deserve. The fact that the author/illustrator relies on artwork that adheres to the ancient Mixtec codex format, using accordion folds to tell the story, adds to its interest for readers. The pages are as sturdy as possible to withstand multiple hands handling them, and the book itself is protected in a sturdy cardboard box sleeve for storage. While some of the pages might become torn through careless handling, tape can fix any damage, and that concern should not dissuade teachers or librarians from adding this important book to their collection. It offers food for thought and the story of one man and his family against some of the anti-immigration rhetoric spouted frequently today. I loved it, and finished it, filled with admiration for the fictional Juan and for Duncan Tonatiuh for providing such a clear view of the problems someone like Juan faces.

[Ben Truong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Undocumented: A Worker's Fight is a children's picture book written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh, which follows the plight of undocumented workers.

The text is rather simplistic and straightforward. Tonatiuh's lean and elegant fable plots a memorable map of one man's immigration experience in an accordion fold manner. The illustrations are inspired by the styles of native Mesoamericans, are bound in a folded codex which also harkens to the author's and protagonist’s Indigenous Mexican roots.

The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Juan, a Mixteco-speaking man, who crossed from Mexico to America as a teenager now works with no papers. He is underpaid and unknown, laboring seven days a week and living in miserable poverty. This comic is both inventive in form and (darkly) humorous. The plot is a staunch, if short, ode to the power of collective labor, as Juan is recruited to and ultimately leads the fight for better wages and visibility for immigrant workers of many different nationalities.

All in all, Undocumented: A Worker's Fight is a wonderful graphic novel telling the plight of one of many undocumented workers.

[Jolanta (knygupė)]

Patiko a la Majų (Maya) stiliaus iliustracijos.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novella comes in a box. I didn’t understand why until I pulled it out. When you do, you discover the book unfolds like a scroll, and continues all along one side and then along the reverse side.

It begins:

“You don’t know our names but you’ve seen us. In this country we build houses, we harvest crops, we cook, we clean, and we raise children. Some people want to kick us out and some act like we don’t exist, but we are here, compañeros. We may not have documents, but we all have a story and we all have a name. This is my story. I am Juan.”

Juan is fictional but his story is representative of others in his situation.

The book is made in the accordion-fold form of Mixtec codices from the 14th century. Mixtecs are an indigenous group from southern Mexico. As Tonatiuh relates in an interview, some of the people he met at the worker’s center in New York City where he volunteered were Mixtec, and their experiences inspired Tonatiuh’s book.

As Juan’s story unfolds (literally), we learn that Juan, who grew up in a small Mixteco village in Mexico, travelled to the U.S. when he was 18 to find work. He moved in with his uncle and cousins, and finally got a job in a New York restaurant.

He met his future wife there, and she helped him learn Spanish (he spoke Mixteco) and English. He also met a Chinese waitress who asked him to come with her to a workers’ center where they were discussing efforts to improve conditions at their jobs.

Many of the immigrants felt fear, because they were illegal: if they complained about their treatment, their bosses could have them deported. The people at Juan’s workplace agreed to stick together: if they all made the demands, the boss could not get rid of everyone! But the boss still tried to punish Juan for his leadership by cutting his hours, and thus, his pay.

Juan and the rest of the workers protested, and when it made the newspapers, the boss offered Juan thousands of dollars to drop the case:

“But I said no. I wasn’t fighting for only me. I was fighting for everyone in the restaurant.”

Eventually, they settled out of court.

Juan started volunteering at the workers’ center to share what he learned with others there. Some of the fights for better treatment were successful, and some not. But Juan maintained:

“We need laws that protect ALL workers. You may not know our names, but we are here. We work hard. We pay our bills. We pay taxes. Papers or no papers, we have our dignity and we deserve to be treated fairly.”

In an Author’s Note at the end, Tonatiuh writes:

“Many people in the United States are hostile toward undocumented immigrants. These immigrants are seen as criminals who need to be kicked out or stopped from entering this country. But the undocumented are an important part of the workforce. They are a source of cheap labor, performing work many Americans will not do.”

And in fact, in spite of repeated falsehoods promulgated by the Trump Administration, statistics do not bear out the accusation that illegal immigrants commit crimes disproportionately.

According to the National Academy of Sciences, for instance:

"Neighborhoods with greater concentrations of immigrants have much lower rates of crime and violence than comparable nonimmigrant neighborhoods.  Foreign-born men age 18-39 are incarcerated at one-fourth the rate of native-born American men of the same age."

And immigrants do, like Juan in this book, pay taxes. They are not just getting a "free ride." History professor Aviva Chomsky, in her book They Take Our Jobs! And Twenty Other Myths About Immigration, cites studies attesting that "Immigrants, legal and illegal, are more likely to pay taxes than they are to use public services."

Tonatiuh also offers evidence about how difficult it is for the undocumented to stand up against unscrupulous bosses, lest the bosses retaliate and have them deported. In fact, he reports, “43 percent of workers who dared to complain or tried to organize were threatened, suspended, or had their hours cut.”

Tonatiuh, who is an award-winning illustrator, creates gorgeous folkloric art work that juxtaposes indigenous style with modern characters and settings. He also uses the pictures to enlarge upon the text.

Evaluation: Tonatiuh has crafted a beautiful testament to hard-working immigrants who want a fair shake for the work they do, and an opportunity to build lives in the [at one time at any rate] “land of opportunity.” Prior to the current administration, the U.S. policy was "charity toward all, malice toward none." Now, according to the false narrative purveyed by President Trump, "Our country is full." There is no more room, he mistakenly claims, among other lies about immigration.

The suggested age range for this book is 8 and up; it provides a wonderful way to approach the debate about immigration. The message, while multi-faceted, is delivered simply and effectively. In addition, the choice of art style lends itself to a discussion of the role of communication by media as well as through media.

Rating: 4.5/5

[orangerful · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - a very quick read, a short graphic novel attempting to show the struggles of what it is like to be an undocumented worker in the United States and how they are demanding to be treated with respect. I picked this up off the return card at work because of it's very unique art style and format - the pages fold out and then the whole book flips over.

[Brichimt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel so bad giving this beautifully artistically constructed title 4 stars, but it is not meant to be handled by children. It will be torn and of little use due to its accordian style format. The content is exquisite. The artwork is excellent. Starting off with "you don't know me but you've seen me" is a direct allusion to the silent facelessness of the undocumented workers in this country that work in the fields, factories, restuarants, as yardmen, and numerous other menial positions they work for survival-sake.

The story starts off with the protagonist sharing his immigration border crossing with the reader in his late teens. He shares the unstable conditions of trust he has to bare along the journey's way...on how he was beat by border patrol unmercifully, and how he lives in an apartment with 3 or 4 other Mexicans. I really appreciated knowing that the character was very involved with workers' rights issues on his job, however it was settled too simplistically, because most places don't hire back the person that picket them unless they are in a place where the union has power. The setting seemed to be in Texas.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This powerful story, told in a book designed in the accordion fold format of the ancient Mixtec codex, centers on Juan who crosses over from Mexico into the United States to find work and becomes an undocumented worker, living in a poor neighborhood, struggling to survive. Severely undercompensated working as a busboy, he receives less than half of the minimum wage. Risking his employer reporting him to the authorities for not having proper papers, Juan risks everything standing up for himself and the rest of the community.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este libro está increíble importante. El libro cuenta de una historia que es desestimada por muchas personas en la actualidad, incluye nuestro gobierno. Las ilustraciones están preciosas y son en el estilo del códices de la Mixteca, los antiguos de México. Me encanta este libro pero yo quiero que la historia mostrara más de la fea realidad de ser indocumentado. La historia parecía como un cuento de hadas - Disney - en vez de la realidad. Entonces, 4 estrellas.

[Cheriee Weichel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book that needs to be shared again and again with people of all ages. It tells the story of one undocumented worker in the United States and introduces readers to others. The author's note at the end provides additional information.
I worry about the accordion fold format of the book. Published in the ancient Mixtec codex that represents this worker, I fear for it's durability in a school library.

[Heather McC · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plight of the undocumented worker - including their struggle to receive fair compensation - is covered in graphic format by Duncan Tonatiuh, who wrote the equally essential 'Separate is Never Equal'.

[Lin Lin]

A timely book to help young readers understand the current issue of migrant workers and undocumented immigrant. The author shares an uplifting story of Juan, one of the millions of migrant workers in construction, agriculture, and service industries in the United States, and how he joined other workers to fight for minimum wages and better working conditions as undocumented workers. The migrant workers' contributions to our economy are too easily ignored that few of us realize that the U.S. economy depends significantly on their service. Their rights, just like rights of all citizens, must be granted and respected.

On the page of the Author's Note, I found that the National Employment Law Project (HELP) and National Mobilization Against Sweatshops center (nmass..org) both offer resources to help us understand migrant workers' issues.

I wonder why so many Mexicans left their country for the United States, and what the Mexican government could have done better to provide for its own people.

[Jimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This children’s book is readable in a short half-hour and it pulls no punches in taking on the issue of advocacy and support for undocumented immigrants. As usual, Tonatiuh’s illustration artistry is stunning and beautiful, and the physical design of the book to read in the style of the ancient Mesoamerican codices format is a really nice touch. If you want your children to have a good exposure to the unvarnished reality of the difficulties on undocumented workers and their resistance to exploitation, this is a good primer. It’s not a fluffy feel-good thing, and is unabashedly political and aligned in favor of the undocumented workers in the U.S.; but it’s one of the few child-appropriate outreach efforts to tackle this topic. Very highly recommended.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much to process, pore over, and discuss in this short but powerful text. Tonatiuh makes a point to include intersectional concerns, including how the problems related to being undocumented, an IPOC, and working poor are made worse for women. His illustrations never fail to blow me away, as there is so much to examine. I liked the review that stated how the accordion-style is sort of a nightmare for libraries, but it's done well and is just really stunning. This could be used for many ages, from grades 3 and up, including MS and HS!

[Licha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written and illustrated. A clever binding I haven’t seen done before. It’s a shame it was shelved in the teen library section. Plenty of adults need to read it too.

[Rita (RitaReadsTrash) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick, but important read

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Undocumented : A Worker's Fight by Duncan Tonatiuh, PICTURE BOOK Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2018 $19.99. 1419728547

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - OPTIONAL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Juan tells his story as a undocumented immigrant, from crossing the border to finding work and eventually working with a worker's center to improve conditions for others.

I didn't like the accordian-fold design - as a librarian, this is problematic. However, I loved the topic, the text and the subject. Tonatiuh has captured the plight of undocumented workers so well. With his unique mixed media illustrations and simple text, Undocumented is a great introduction to the labor movement for middle school and upper elementary.

Lisa Librarian
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Rich Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a huge fan of Tonatiuh’s work, and this one may be the best one I’ve read yet. His artwork and storytelling is unique, and this one packs a powerful message for current times to match some of his other works that honor struggles of the past. I like that he’s becoming increasingly political and look forward to his future books.

[Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Told in a two-sided accordion-fold format, this follows a documented worker's struggle for rights and the challenges one faces as an undocumented person. I would recommend for upper elementary and up.

[Yapha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Important perspective on the rights of undocumented workers. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A graphic novel based on Mayan codex art (form and style) about the struggle of undocumented Mixteco workers to gain their rights. Spare and beautiful.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Told through unique illustrations laid out almost like a scroll, the plight of undocumented workers is explained in an accessible way for middle grades.

[Bang Learnedly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I recommend seeing if you can borrow this book if you're interested, it's short to a fault. It took about 15 minutes to read, making it feel much closer to a portable museum exhibit than a novel.

Obviously a story of that length is not going to dive too deeply into the plight of undocumented workers. It's hard to imagine anyone learning anything by reading "Undocumented." Art isn't obligated to be educational, but I wonder what I'm supposed to take away from this. I know that undocumented workers are under-appreciated, that they are exploited, that seeking justice in the form of fair pay and reasonable hours can be disastrous. It's hard to imagine anyone who isn't sympathetic toward undocumented workers being swayed by this extremely brief summary of the life of a union organizer. So what's the point? I would have liked to see more detail, more description, more anything really. If you've ever watched a documentary or listened to a This American Life episode on the subject matter then "Undocumented" is a generic, truncated version of a story you've already heard a more emotional, affecting, human version of.

I was interested by the format of the book, it essentially only has two pages. The front and back pages are connected by a single sheet that unfolds into a roughly six-foot long scroll. I thought this would play into the storytelling somehow but the scroll is still separated into distinct pages. What I expected to be one huge image, which perhaps did interesting things like bleed scenes into each other or incorporate some kind of traditional storytelling turned out to be a completely unnecessary gimmick. The book could have been presented like a traditional book with no impact on the experience.

Important subject matter, and at a time when people should be reminded (or introduced, if necessary) to the experiences of undocumented immigrants. But "Undocumented" is so brief it becomes forgettable.

PS: I notice that a lot of other reviews are calling this a children's book. I wanted to make a note that my local book store did not have this in the children's section and this might sound dumb to someone who understands that "Undocumented" is meant to fall in that genre but that didn't occur to me while I read it. Reconsidering it in that light I think this would be a great way to introduce kids to the issue. I wanted to make it clear that my rating was made with regards to an adult reader. I briefly debated changing my rating but decided not to, I see that "Undocumented" being for children explains the extremely brief length and very simple story-telling but likely due to the subject matter it seems it isn't always marketed as such. If you're getting it to read to a five-year-old please tack on a few stars. If you're not, don't.

[Leigh Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can't scare them. They're sticking with the union.

At the intersection of undocumented persons and labor rights sits our hero, Juan. Having made it to America with great difficulty, Juan works various jobs to make money for his family back in Mexico. While working at a restaurant, Juan is introduced to the concept of workers' rights and unions by a spirited co-worker who shows him how their boss, while pleasant enough, is also taking serious advantage of Juan and the other workers. Juan learns the ropes of organizing, helps other groups with their labor struggles, and, eventually wins justice at his own restaurant. It's a snappy story that humanizes the plight of undocumented workers, who are both reviled by conservatives in one breath and taken financial advantage of in the next.

It's a great introduction to labor and organizing for those unfamiliar with the tactics and strategies, but it's also a cleverly designed book: the story is printed in two long murals that fold into pages, but also stand supported by their covers. Stretched out, what you've got is a long paper wall that can stand on its own, form following function. The art is arresting, especially the faces, and the color scheme, which is heavy on blacks and browns, gives the story an earthy, urban feel. Although the human figures are stylized rather than realistic, readers can easily imagine this story taking place in their own towns. Our hero is an Every-Juan, so to speak.

An author's afterword gives readers some context and links to a bit more information they might find interesting. The book does come in its own slipcover, so if your catalogers are weird about that kind of thing, give them a heads-up before you put in the order. Definitely order it, though, if you work in an urban or suburban library that supports immigrant communities (which may or may not contain undocumented workers, who will appreciate being portrayed with dignity). A solid pick on a timely issue, enthusiastically recommended.

[Celeste Trimble · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the concertina. Really, although I keep looking at the librarian's woes of keeping this book in good condition. It is an homage to the Mixtec concertina format. With this format, the book can be displayed for a larger audience, or read individually, turning pages. Because the concertina is printed on both sides, this can be displayed on a shelf that has access to both sides, ie not on a wall, and can be viewed in this way. My kids love Tonatiuh's unmistakable style, they love that they can recognize him and connect this book with his other books. Personally, I just love the page with the bachelors' pad, the socks on the floor. Of course, this text is not just about format, it is deeply personal AND political, and I believe it could help those who are not yet able to understand the perspective of the undocumented worker to perhaps to begin to open up to this perspective and lived experience. Also, I love picturebooks that work well for a high school audience.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This remarkably designed and executed book defies categorization. Tonatiuh's signature art style is put to good use in a work designed with a slipcase holding an unbound pull out banner. That unfolds to share the history of Mexican immigration told through a first-person-ification narrative that allows readers to see history as an immediate experience. It is possible to hold it carefully as a physical "book" and turn pages, but it works more effectively by expanding into a banner layout then reversing and continuing on the opposite side.

As smitten as I am by the creative and perfectly-suited book design, I am equally impressed with the narrative text that incorporates significant history in a realistic way while not overplaying the horrors or underplaying the hardships.

Handle with care, but do get your hands on this book.