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The Other Side: Stories of Central American Teen Refugees Who Dream of Crossing the Border
Award-winning Mexican author Juan Pablo Villalobos explores illegal immigration with this emotionally raw and timely nonfiction book about ten Central American teens and their journeys to the United States.
You can't really tell what time it is when you're in the freezer.
Every year, thousands of migrant children and teens cross the U.S.-Mexico border. The journey is treacherous and sometimes deadly, but worth the risk for migrants who are escaping gang violence and poverty in their home countries. And for those refugees who do succeed? They face an immigration process that is as winding and multi-tiered as the journey that brought them here.
In this book, award-winning Mexican author Juan Pablo Villalobos strings together the diverse experiences of eleven real migrant teenagers, offering readers a beginning road map to issues facing the region. These timely accounts of courage, sacrifice, and survival—including two fourteen-year-old girls forming a tenuous friendship as they wait in a frigid holding cell, a boy in Chicago beginning to craft his future while piecing together his past in El Salvador, and cousins learning to lift each other up through angry waters—offer a rare and invaluable window into the U.S.–Central American refugee crisis.
In turns optimistic and heartbreaking, The Other Side balances the boundless hope at the center of immigration with the weight of its risks and repercussions. Here is a necessary read for young people on both sides of the issue.
You can't really tell what time it is when you're in the freezer.
Every year, thousands of migrant children and teens cross the U.S.-Mexico border. The journey is treacherous and sometimes deadly, but worth the risk for migrants who are escaping gang violence and poverty in their home countries. And for those refugees who do succeed? They face an immigration process that is as winding and multi-tiered as the journey that brought them here.
In this book, award-winning Mexican author Juan Pablo Villalobos strings together the diverse experiences of eleven real migrant teenagers, offering readers a beginning road map to issues facing the region. These timely accounts of courage, sacrifice, and survival—including two fourteen-year-old girls forming a tenuous friendship as they wait in a frigid holding cell, a boy in Chicago beginning to craft his future while piecing together his past in El Salvador, and cousins learning to lift each other up through angry waters—offer a rare and invaluable window into the U.S.–Central American refugee crisis.
In turns optimistic and heartbreaking, The Other Side balances the boundless hope at the center of immigration with the weight of its risks and repercussions. Here is a necessary read for young people on both sides of the issue.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published September 5, 2018
21 people are currently reading
1503 people want to read
About the author
Juan Pablo Villalobos
22 books611 followersJuan Pablo Villalobos nació en Guadalajara, México, en 1973. Estudió Marketing y Literatura Hispánica. Ha realizado cientos de estudios de mercado y ha publicado crónicas de viaje, crítica literaria y crítica de cine. Se ha ocupado de investigar temas tan dispares como la ergonomía de los retretes, la influencia de las vanguardias en la obra de César Aira, la flexibilidad de los poliductos para instalaciones eléctricas, los efectos secundarios de los fármacos contra la disfunción erectil o la excentricidad en la literatura latinoamericana en la primera mitad del siglo XX. Ha sido becario del programa Alban, becas de alto nivel de la Unión Europea para América Latina, y del Instituto de Investigaciones Lingüístico-Literarias de la Universidad Veracruzana. Estudia un doctorado en Teoría de la Literatura y Literatura Comparada en la Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona. Actualmente vive en Barcelona, donde combina la escritura con su trabajo en una empresa de comercio electrónico.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
June 6, 2019
Thanks to Fierce Reads for the advanced reader's copy!
This is one of the quickest books I've read all year, including graphic novels. It's not even 150 pages and all the short stories are 5-10 pages, so it really flies by. I really liked hearing about a specific group of people's struggles on their way to immigrating to America, especially the forces in action that caused them to need to leave their home countries and what they have to persevere through to get where they are. Because of that informativeness, I think this was a valuable read.
However, I'm not sure I loved the format of this. The author interviewed multiple teens and young adults and then spun their answers into first person short stories that grasped the heart of their journey and struggles but lacked any meaningful emotion or detail. It offered a good overview of a selection of different teens, but I think I would have preferred hearing one fleshed out story rather than 10 glimpses of other stories just because I don't think this was super memorable in the end because it only scratched the surface.
Still, if you want to learn more about Central American teens coming to America for a better life and the hardship they had to deal with surrounding that, I think this author faithfully translated their stories without exploiting them at all.
This is one of the quickest books I've read all year, including graphic novels. It's not even 150 pages and all the short stories are 5-10 pages, so it really flies by. I really liked hearing about a specific group of people's struggles on their way to immigrating to America, especially the forces in action that caused them to need to leave their home countries and what they have to persevere through to get where they are. Because of that informativeness, I think this was a valuable read.
However, I'm not sure I loved the format of this. The author interviewed multiple teens and young adults and then spun their answers into first person short stories that grasped the heart of their journey and struggles but lacked any meaningful emotion or detail. It offered a good overview of a selection of different teens, but I think I would have preferred hearing one fleshed out story rather than 10 glimpses of other stories just because I don't think this was super memorable in the end because it only scratched the surface.
Still, if you want to learn more about Central American teens coming to America for a better life and the hardship they had to deal with surrounding that, I think this author faithfully translated their stories without exploiting them at all.
November 1, 2018
En las páginas iniciales del volúmen aparece una advertencia. En ella se menciona que se utilizan técnicas narrativas para preservar el anonimato de los personajes.
Es precisamente a través de estas técnias que estos relatos se convierten no solo en testimonios si no en una hermosa pieza literaria.
El 25 de Septiembre de 2018 tuve la oportunidad de estar en la presentación del libro en Barcelona.
Ahí se platicó sobre el reto y responsabilidad que implicó para Juan Pablo lograr éste compendio.
Las historias por sí mismas son desoladoras. Pero la conducción de cada relato con elegancia y respeto logró estremecerme.
Los últimos años están marcado por una creciente migración humana. El Epílogo de Alberto Arce hace un recuento bastante resumido de las cifras que acompañan a la problemática tan solo de América Central a EEUU.
Este fenómeno es global. En mi opinión, el sistema económico mundial acompañado de la avariacia económica y/o política está tambaleando. Lamentablemente con ello, escucharemos historias de este tipo en cada ocasión más cercanas. No importa dónde nos encontremos.
La pregunta es: ¿hasta cuando lo permitiremos?.
Es precisamente a través de estas técnias que estos relatos se convierten no solo en testimonios si no en una hermosa pieza literaria.
El 25 de Septiembre de 2018 tuve la oportunidad de estar en la presentación del libro en Barcelona.
Ahí se platicó sobre el reto y responsabilidad que implicó para Juan Pablo lograr éste compendio.
Las historias por sí mismas son desoladoras. Pero la conducción de cada relato con elegancia y respeto logró estremecerme.
Los últimos años están marcado por una creciente migración humana. El Epílogo de Alberto Arce hace un recuento bastante resumido de las cifras que acompañan a la problemática tan solo de América Central a EEUU.
Este fenómeno es global. En mi opinión, el sistema económico mundial acompañado de la avariacia económica y/o política está tambaleando. Lamentablemente con ello, escucharemos historias de este tipo en cada ocasión más cercanas. No importa dónde nos encontremos.
La pregunta es: ¿hasta cuando lo permitiremos?.
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June 17, 2019This wasn't bad but I feel as if the stories were too short to make me feel much for them and I think some emotions got lost in translation.
September 24, 2019
The Other Side: Stories of Central American Teen Refugees Who Dream of Crossing the Border by Juan Pablo Villalobos (translated by Rosalind Harvey ) came to my attention after it made the shortlist of two for this year’s Kirkus Award for Young People’s Literature . It’s a harrowing series of short vignettes about unaccompanied teenage refugees from Central America trying to cross into the US. Though written as if fictitious these are actually the stories of young people the author interviewed at the border. As bold and gripping as the stories are, their brevity is a problem. I wanted to know more about their characters, about why they had been treated so badly, and how long they were detained for. There’s a palpable sense of fear in each of them, which really draws the reader in, but frustratingly Villalobos has only done half a job.
April 8, 2022
"no one leaves home until home is a sweaty voice in your ear
saying-
leave,
run away from me now
i dont know what i’ve become
but i know that anywhere
is safer than here" ~Warsan Shire
No human being is illegal and every human being has a fundamental right to seek asylum and refuge.
This collection of stories of teenage refugees fleeing to the US/Mexico border is powerful and deeply moving. Each of the teens tell their stories of the dangers that plagued their cities from the Cartel to gang warfare to poverty to violence that killed their families that led them to make the dangerous treks to seek refuge. From traveling through the unforgiving desert to crossing treacherous rivers to being caged in the 'freezer' cells by US border patrol to the tragic abuses they face along the way these teens tell their truths of the hardships of trying to cross the border.
I recently watched a documentary about the 'iron river'; the trafficking of guns from the US into Central and South America that takes the lives of so many every day (some were even weapons in LAPD custody sold to some of the suppliers of the Cartels). It is a sickening irony that the US floods the iron river with guns but turns a blind eye to the devastation it creates within the countries it spreads to, and then criminalizes the people trying to flee the US-manufactured weapons of destruction in the hands of the Cartels.
saying-
leave,
run away from me now
i dont know what i’ve become
but i know that anywhere
is safer than here" ~Warsan Shire
No human being is illegal and every human being has a fundamental right to seek asylum and refuge.
This collection of stories of teenage refugees fleeing to the US/Mexico border is powerful and deeply moving. Each of the teens tell their stories of the dangers that plagued their cities from the Cartel to gang warfare to poverty to violence that killed their families that led them to make the dangerous treks to seek refuge. From traveling through the unforgiving desert to crossing treacherous rivers to being caged in the 'freezer' cells by US border patrol to the tragic abuses they face along the way these teens tell their truths of the hardships of trying to cross the border.
I recently watched a documentary about the 'iron river'; the trafficking of guns from the US into Central and South America that takes the lives of so many every day (some were even weapons in LAPD custody sold to some of the suppliers of the Cartels). It is a sickening irony that the US floods the iron river with guns but turns a blind eye to the devastation it creates within the countries it spreads to, and then criminalizes the people trying to flee the US-manufactured weapons of destruction in the hands of the Cartels.
July 16, 2019
Based on interviews conducted in 2016, The Other Side is a non-fiction collection of accounts from minors who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border. It is moving, eye-opening, thought-provoking, and very timely, given how much conditions have worsened since 2016. I think this exactly what YA non-fiction should do, opening relatable views into different experiences and starting conversations! This includes stories from young people of various ages from several different Central American countries. We see the realities of what many of them are running from as refugees, harrowing journey to the border, and mixed experiences during and after crossing. It is well worth reading.
However, I do wish this was longer and included a little more discussion and context. At only 160 pages it is quite brief and feels less substantial than I would like. However, the short length and easy-reading narrative might make this ideal for classroom instruction! I received an advance review copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
However, I do wish this was longer and included a little more discussion and context. At only 160 pages it is quite brief and feels less substantial than I would like. However, the short length and easy-reading narrative might make this ideal for classroom instruction! I received an advance review copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
May 27, 2025
A reading goal is a reading goal 💀
Read for school, but would definitely recommend. I personally loved the format and the writing, and even though the stories were only a few pages they were so insightful and intriguing.
Read for school, but would definitely recommend. I personally loved the format and the writing, and even though the stories were only a few pages they were so insightful and intriguing.
April 16, 2021
Every time I read a story, or memoir, about people making the journey to the US to escape the terrible situations in their home country I am moved. I am moved by their bravery, their determination and the sheer strength of will that it takes to make this treacherous journey. This book is more difficult to read because it is the stories of children, some as young as 10, making this journey alone in search of a better life. Their voices as clear and direct, and often difficult to take on because of the enormous weight they carry. A fantastic read that I am glad I bought a class set of.
January 17, 2020
A very powerful read.
I read this for the Mock Printz Awards discussion for work and I’m glad I did. Although the writing was simple and straightforward, I like it because it didn’t need anything special to tell these teens’ stories. The stories tell of why and how they got to the US as well as what it was like waiting to get back to their families who lived there. I also liked how a few people’s stories were told at different places in the book. I wish it had a little more of that but I still liked what I read.
I read this for the Mock Printz Awards discussion for work and I’m glad I did. Although the writing was simple and straightforward, I like it because it didn’t need anything special to tell these teens’ stories. The stories tell of why and how they got to the US as well as what it was like waiting to get back to their families who lived there. I also liked how a few people’s stories were told at different places in the book. I wish it had a little more of that but I still liked what I read.
December 22, 2018
Enternededor y rabioso y conmovedor: testimonios de niños y niñas migrantes, la mayoría centroamericanos, contados con estilo.
April 7, 2025
Los primeros 2 relatos me han parecido muy reduccionistas, pero el de "El otro lado es el otro lado" me ha parecido interesante y el de "Allí hay culebras" se me hizo bastante bueno. Luego vino "Era como algodón, pero cuando lo toqué era puro hielo", que está hermoso; para luego dar paso a "Prefiero morirme en el camino" que me dejó con mucha angustia y le da una nueva perspectiva al primer relato.
En "El y yo nos caímos muy bien" hay una historia de amor, pequeña, pero linda.
Mencionan mucho que "lo más peligroso es México" por "los cárteles y todo eso" y aunque creo que es verdad, siento que eso mismo pone en perspectiva el hecho de que prefieren enfrentar eso que seguir en su país, lo cual dice más que la misma historia.
El relato de "Cómo nos íbamos a ir" se relaciona también con otro relato anterior. En "La cabuya" me estresé mucho por la situación. "Antes y después" me pareció muy real e incluso algo con lo que muchos se podrían relacionar, al menos esa sensación.
En "Hasta el sol de hoy" se muestran muchas de las cosas de las que no hablan los otros relatos y en el Epílogo, se hace un buen resumen y análisis de la situación de migrantes de Centro América, específicamente de Honduras, El Salvador y Guatemala.
Si bien inicialmente no me atrapó, la continuación que hay entre los relatos me parece buena y siento que la forma de escritura es fácil de leer, entretenido, pero con temas fuertes, desde la perspectiva de niños y adolescentes.
Si lo recomendaría a los que les gustan las lecturas desde una perspectiva más infantil o tipo "El Diario de Ana Frank".
En "El y yo nos caímos muy bien" hay una historia de amor, pequeña, pero linda.
Mencionan mucho que "lo más peligroso es México" por "los cárteles y todo eso" y aunque creo que es verdad, siento que eso mismo pone en perspectiva el hecho de que prefieren enfrentar eso que seguir en su país, lo cual dice más que la misma historia.
El relato de "Cómo nos íbamos a ir" se relaciona también con otro relato anterior. En "La cabuya" me estresé mucho por la situación. "Antes y después" me pareció muy real e incluso algo con lo que muchos se podrían relacionar, al menos esa sensación.
En "Hasta el sol de hoy" se muestran muchas de las cosas de las que no hablan los otros relatos y en el Epílogo, se hace un buen resumen y análisis de la situación de migrantes de Centro América, específicamente de Honduras, El Salvador y Guatemala.
Si bien inicialmente no me atrapó, la continuación que hay entre los relatos me parece buena y siento que la forma de escritura es fácil de leer, entretenido, pero con temas fuertes, desde la perspectiva de niños y adolescentes.
Si lo recomendaría a los que les gustan las lecturas desde una perspectiva más infantil o tipo "El Diario de Ana Frank".
September 26, 2020
In the audiobook it was difficult to tell when one story ended and another started, except for the change in narrator. Since it is nonfiction I think every attempt was made to keep the narrative simple and unadorned. And these teens spoke out for themselves. It wrenched my heart that most of them were trying to escape the violence of their countries, but the violence they encountered on the trip to reunite with their families, crossing borders and rivers, staying in cramped trailers or immigration holding cells brought them face to face with violence on a daily basis. I felt like each narrative was beautiful for the story it had to tell but the translation of some of the stories felt a bit stilted, awkward, with out of date language that no teenager would use. I also wanted more from each story. More details. More narrative. I was glad the author wrote an update for them after they reach the United States. But what about all those teenagers whose story never gets told because they never made it? A book you should read to try and understand some if the desperation behind migration of unaccompanied minors.
November 30, 2018
Está por ver si alguien asume como suya la resolución de una crisis de refugiados que permita que decenas de miles de niños centroamericanos logren cumplir su sueño de vivir mejor. De vivir.
Read
June 5, 2019Reviewing for professional magazine- see it in SLJ.
November 10, 2022
A very important book
July 1, 2025
A quick, but impactful read. People sacrifice so much
November 12, 2018
Lectura obligada para cualquiera que quiera entender el problema de la migración Centroamericana a EU, y sobretodo la migración de niños sin acompañar. Un tema relevante como pocos en estos días complejos de caravanas migrantes y trata de personas. Es una tragedia lo que sucede en Centroamerica, son estados fallidos que no pueden proteger a su población, sobretodo a la más vulnerable. Narrado desde la perspectiva de los niños, el mensaje llega con fuerza por lo que se cuenta, por cómo se cuenta y por lo que deja sin decir. Se lee un una tarde.
August 27, 2020
I was given this book to read by my principal to help understand some of the things students have gone through or their parents have gone through at our school.
The book is exactly what it is says it is, Stories of Central American Teen Refugees who have successfully crossed the border and are now living with their family in America. Each story is inspired by interviews gathered from the author, and the author considers it nonfiction although things have been changed to protect identities.
It's a good book. The stories feel real because they are real. You get a feeling for the way these children have suffered, but, more importantly, you get a feeling for a way these children have overcome.
The only negative here is in structure, which is common for collected stories. South America is a big place, with a variety of problems. This book is very good at turning those big place problems to small people problems, and it is to the books credit. However, it does this at the expense of a big picture. It is a small book that could have been improved by organization. Get 5 stories from kids escaping Honduras, put those one after another. Get 5 stories from kids escaping Guatemala, put them one after another. Get 5 stories about kids experiencing "The Freezer" at the border, put them together. This book is a collection of snapshots, and after reading it I find myself wishing for more pictures.
It's short, it's purposeful, it's powerful, but it requires a companion piece of deeper reading to be satisfying. Final score: 8/10.
The book is exactly what it is says it is, Stories of Central American Teen Refugees who have successfully crossed the border and are now living with their family in America. Each story is inspired by interviews gathered from the author, and the author considers it nonfiction although things have been changed to protect identities.
It's a good book. The stories feel real because they are real. You get a feeling for the way these children have suffered, but, more importantly, you get a feeling for a way these children have overcome.
The only negative here is in structure, which is common for collected stories. South America is a big place, with a variety of problems. This book is very good at turning those big place problems to small people problems, and it is to the books credit. However, it does this at the expense of a big picture. It is a small book that could have been improved by organization. Get 5 stories from kids escaping Honduras, put those one after another. Get 5 stories from kids escaping Guatemala, put them one after another. Get 5 stories about kids experiencing "The Freezer" at the border, put them together. This book is a collection of snapshots, and after reading it I find myself wishing for more pictures.
It's short, it's purposeful, it's powerful, but it requires a companion piece of deeper reading to be satisfying. Final score: 8/10.
October 21, 2019
A quick and heartbreaking read, "The Other Side" is a short nonfiction book aimed at young adults about the experiences of Central American teens and their journey to America. Most of the stories are 5-10 pages each and describe several different scenarios surrounding their migration to the U.S., including their reasons for migrating, the perils of the journey, and the misery of ICE custody. "Now I'm Going to Sleep for a Bit" is about a Honduran girl's encounter in the 'icebox' (the prison-like enclosures where migrants are placed after they are captured by Border Patrol), "It Was Like Cotton But When I Touched It, It Was Just Ice" is about a young boy's experience in a 'tender home' shelter for unaccompanied minors, and "La Cabuya" is one girl's terrifying account of crossing a freezing river to get to the other side of the border.
A note in the beginning states that the interviews for this book were compiled in 2014, however, the format of this book are first person accounts. There is also an update in the back of the book that gives the current whereabouts of all of the teens interviewed. Overall, I think this is a very necessary and timely book, particularly in today's political circumstances. I think that teens would relate well to the accounts in this book and better understand much of the hype that surrounds this issue.
A note in the beginning states that the interviews for this book were compiled in 2014, however, the format of this book are first person accounts. There is also an update in the back of the book that gives the current whereabouts of all of the teens interviewed. Overall, I think this is a very necessary and timely book, particularly in today's political circumstances. I think that teens would relate well to the accounts in this book and better understand much of the hype that surrounds this issue.
February 28, 2019
La mayoría de mis amigos de la secundaria migraron a Estados Unidos, la regla en mi pueblo hidalguense era terminar la secundaria e irse al norte a ganarse la vida. Algunos estudiaban la prepa pero la mayoría se iban. Algunos de mis amigos y yo manteníamos contacto telefónico, ellos en el norte y yo en mi pueblo, siempre les preguntaba cómo había sido su paso y las historias que me contaban se parecen mucho a lo que en este libro se describe, con la gran diferencia de que no huyeron por la violencia de las pandillas, o los abusos de ciertos grupos crimínales. Las historias de estos niños son difíciles, y en algunas crónicas me dio mucho coraje que no hubiera más información, sin embargo al terminar el libro uno puede tener una visión un poco más detallada de los grandes y tristes problemas qué hay en centro America y lo decepcionante que es leer que México sea un país tan peligroso para el migrante centroamericano. Por favor, lean este libro y piensen que esto solo es un pedacito muy bien contado de una realidad oscura.
December 22, 2020
This book was a little upsetting. It was originally written in Spanish, so I'm pretty sure US readers aren't the intended audience. It doesn't focus on US policy or make any direct call to action. The book just tells the border crossing stories of some teenagers. It makes it really clear just how dangerous crossing the border is, and how bad the gang violence is in some parts of Central America, especially in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. It also shows how inhumane the immigration centers are. What really stands out to me is what people are willing to do for hope of a better life.
This would be fine for ages 14+. It's not particularly explicit. It says enough to let you know things are bad, but it neither commodifies violence nor lingers on it to prove a point. There is a lot of mention of murder and sexual assault, but the book is not graphic at all. If anything the writing feels quite understated considering the subject matter.
This would be fine for ages 14+. It's not particularly explicit. It says enough to let you know things are bad, but it neither commodifies violence nor lingers on it to prove a point. There is a lot of mention of murder and sexual assault, but the book is not graphic at all. If anything the writing feels quite understated considering the subject matter.
October 25, 2018
Una excelente presentación del tema de la inestabilidad en Centroamérica, que da origen a la emigración, como refugiados de facto, de miles de niños y jóvenes al norte, es decir, a EEUU. Tema candente y de tremenda actualidad, que hace pensar y evaluar el mundo en que vivimos y sus razones de ser. Una obra, además, de gran calidad literaria en mi opinión.
March 13, 2023
First person accounts of teenagers immigrating to the United States from Central America across the Mexican border, mostly around 2012-2014. As the children are fleeing dangerous and life-threatening situations, their accounts are tragic and heartbreaking, yet also hopeful. A good read for anyone wanting to learn more about immigrant and refugee experiences.
October 4, 2020
An excellent vehicle to promote empathy. The struggle for the featured teens to get to the U.S. is daunting, and once here does not mean life is easy. The stories of them so crowded in Immigration Centers holding cells that they had to sleep standing up is heartbreaking.
January 26, 2020
Después de terminar el libro tuve que tomarme un momento para analizar a fondo lo que acababa de leer, y descubrí con suma tristeza cuan poco sabía sobre la situación migrante de centroamérica y cuan poco se habla del tema.
"Yo tuve un sueño", narra diez historias de niños que atraviesan la frontera en busca de un mejor hogar, escapando de hogares dónde se sufre extrema pobreza y delincuencia.
El libro está narrador desde una perspectiva infantil, así que desde un inicio nos topamos con un lenguaje coloquial centroamericano.
Mientras leí el libro me percate que el autor intenta llevarnos en el recorrido migrante, avanzado de Estados Unidos a Guatemala, y una vez que llegamos debemos emprender un camino de vuelta montados en la fiera, atravesando la ciudad de México, llegando al río para cruzar la frontera, y volver al inicio, a tierras Estadounidenses.
Los niños migrantes son una realidad actual que es imposible no ver, niños que escapan del único hogar que conocen, que emprenden viajes llenos de riesgos, sin saber que les espera, ni en el camino ni al momento de cruzar la frontera. Madres que han dejado a sus hijos en sus países de origen para poder darles una vida mejor al emigrar, y ese miedo que provoca pasar por México, que al parecer es la situación de mayor temor del migrante, quienes se sienten mayormente seguros en un país que no los reconoce como ciudadanos.
Muchas de esas historias me dejaron con un sabor de boca amargo, en varias ocasiones tuve que parar de leer, pues la situación me sobrepasaba tan de sobremanera que no era capaz de continuar solo para descubrir las atrocidades que les esperaban a un par de niños.
"Que la mitad de la población no tienen ninguna confianza en sus instituciones. Ni en el gobierno, ni en la policía, ni en la administración local ni en los políticos....
La justicia no está ni se espera.
El miedo no actúa solo. Tiene aliados. Huyeron junto al miedo, por falta de oportunidades."
"Yo tuve un sueño", narra diez historias de niños que atraviesan la frontera en busca de un mejor hogar, escapando de hogares dónde se sufre extrema pobreza y delincuencia.
El libro está narrador desde una perspectiva infantil, así que desde un inicio nos topamos con un lenguaje coloquial centroamericano.
Mientras leí el libro me percate que el autor intenta llevarnos en el recorrido migrante, avanzado de Estados Unidos a Guatemala, y una vez que llegamos debemos emprender un camino de vuelta montados en la fiera, atravesando la ciudad de México, llegando al río para cruzar la frontera, y volver al inicio, a tierras Estadounidenses.
Los niños migrantes son una realidad actual que es imposible no ver, niños que escapan del único hogar que conocen, que emprenden viajes llenos de riesgos, sin saber que les espera, ni en el camino ni al momento de cruzar la frontera. Madres que han dejado a sus hijos en sus países de origen para poder darles una vida mejor al emigrar, y ese miedo que provoca pasar por México, que al parecer es la situación de mayor temor del migrante, quienes se sienten mayormente seguros en un país que no los reconoce como ciudadanos.
Muchas de esas historias me dejaron con un sabor de boca amargo, en varias ocasiones tuve que parar de leer, pues la situación me sobrepasaba tan de sobremanera que no era capaz de continuar solo para descubrir las atrocidades que les esperaban a un par de niños.
"Que la mitad de la población no tienen ninguna confianza en sus instituciones. Ni en el gobierno, ni en la policía, ni en la administración local ni en los políticos....
La justicia no está ni se espera.
El miedo no actúa solo. Tiene aliados. Huyeron junto al miedo, por falta de oportunidades."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2023
Villalobos wrote these short stories about children who crossed the border on their own; they’re based on actual interviews he had with kids from Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. Harrowing and enlightening—I wish certain politicians and public figures, as well as a whole class of people in my USA, would read these: it couldn’t help but change their attitudes and perhaps policies surrounding the treatment of children migrating to the United States (unless they truly are heartless; a possibility).
Even I, already sympathetic to the plight of migrants at the Southern border, became truly pro-immigrant after hearing about why they are leaving their countries and what they go through to get here. I wasn’t aware of how dangerous and pervasive gangs are in these countries, or how ruthless and evil they are. I didn’t realize how fraught with danger travel through Mexico is for Central American children. These children are asylum seekers who need refuge—refuge that can be provided here; most have relatives with whom they can live anyway. They need to escape, and the United States should look to help them, not return whence they came or warehouse them in cages.
These stories will change you and how you look at migrants. Strongly encourage people—especially Americans—to read.
Even I, already sympathetic to the plight of migrants at the Southern border, became truly pro-immigrant after hearing about why they are leaving their countries and what they go through to get here. I wasn’t aware of how dangerous and pervasive gangs are in these countries, or how ruthless and evil they are. I didn’t realize how fraught with danger travel through Mexico is for Central American children. These children are asylum seekers who need refuge—refuge that can be provided here; most have relatives with whom they can live anyway. They need to escape, and the United States should look to help them, not return whence they came or warehouse them in cages.
These stories will change you and how you look at migrants. Strongly encourage people—especially Americans—to read.
October 31, 2023
I would rate the story a 3 out of 5 stars because I like the theme and meaning behind the story but I think the story could have been a little more engaging and entertaining. There are times in the story where the story feels like it's also meant to be read by someone going through similar struggles or problems. This just made me feel a little less connected to the story.
In the story "The Other Side" by Juan Pablo Villalobos there are many strong quotes with meaning but the one that stood out to me was when he runs into a kid he assumes is on a lookout for Salvatrucha and he says "you think I didn't see you come from the other side" (pg.29, Villalobos) witch seams slightly hypocritical as the story is literally based on how he cannot go back home/the other side because of his sexuality.
In this story he has to get his two kids back from mexico that he left with his sister years ago. He knows he will be treated terrible in mexico if anyone finds out about his sexuality. He has to make the journey back and forth illegally which comes with lots of downs and few ups.
I would say the theme of the story is you don't have to change yourself just because people around you say you're wrong. This is based on how he stays true to himself even if his life would most likely be easier if he just acted straight.
In the story "The Other Side" by Juan Pablo Villalobos there are many strong quotes with meaning but the one that stood out to me was when he runs into a kid he assumes is on a lookout for Salvatrucha and he says "you think I didn't see you come from the other side" (pg.29, Villalobos) witch seams slightly hypocritical as the story is literally based on how he cannot go back home/the other side because of his sexuality.
In this story he has to get his two kids back from mexico that he left with his sister years ago. He knows he will be treated terrible in mexico if anyone finds out about his sexuality. He has to make the journey back and forth illegally which comes with lots of downs and few ups.
I would say the theme of the story is you don't have to change yourself just because people around you say you're wrong. This is based on how he stays true to himself even if his life would most likely be easier if he just acted straight.
January 20, 2020
Crossing the border presents a short synopsis or clips into the lives of many teens that crossed the border. The reader enters just a crack into the door of their experiences. I think my middle school students who crossed the border would love this book; however, I do believe others may be confused. Although the author puts a glossary in the back, I think I would have had to build a lot of background for some of my other students to grasp truly what they were reading about. Due to my teaching experience, the book was an emotional one for me. The author does elicit the emotion and authenticity of their experiences and leaves you praying, reflecting and wondering where are these young people now. This is a quick read. I almost feel like the author felt compelled to get something on the shelves to reflect the current situation. I hope Juan follows up with a few of them and writes their stories.
October 6, 2019
THE OTHER SIDE: Stories of Central American Teen Refugees Who Dream of Crossing the Border by Juan Pablo Villalobos, with translation by Rosalind Harvey, is necessary reading. And for those with a functioning conscience and awareness of how some of the societal dangers and corruption were promoted, it will be difficult and guilt-ridden. It’s aimed at a 12+ audience, which is appropriate considering allusions to violence, including murder and sexual assault. There are few explicit episodes of violence, but many stories include tales of threats, intimidation, and fear caused by losing family members and friends to gang violence. While the narration style is inconsistent at times, the stories are both compelling and accessible to readers of many ability levels.
Full review: https://mutterschwester.wordpress.com...
Full review: https://mutterschwester.wordpress.com...
January 11, 2020
Just finished this one and I’m sad to say I’m disappointed. I wanted to love this book-these true, heartbreaking, stories of risk, hope, survival....but I just could not. The stories all end abruptly. The stories were composed through interviews however, whether because of the way the author wrote them or the translation they come across as first person narratives. The structure is poor, as is the translation. On a positive note, the author includes an “updated glance” at the kids who the stories are about. I’d give this one ⭐️⭐️.5 and that’s generous and based on the courage these kids have had through everything they’ve gone through. I would have also liked to see the profits used to help kids through the immigration system and to aid in their trips to America so they don’t have to rely on illegal means.
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