Caravan to the North: Misael’s Long Walk

by Jorge Argueta, Manuel Monroy (Illustrator), Elizabeth Bell (Translator)

An urgent and eloquent account of a boy traveling in a caravan from his beloved homeland of El Salvador to the US border. This novel in verse is a powerful first-person account of Misael Martínez, a Salvadoran boy whose family joins the caravan heading north to the United States. We learn all the different reasons why people feel the need to leave ― the hope that lies behind their decision, but also the terrible sadness of leaving home. We learn about how far and hard the trip is, but also about the kindness of those along the way. Finally, once the caravan arrives in Tijuana, Misael and those around him are relieved. They think they have arrived at the goal of the trip ― to enter the United States. But then tear gas, hateful demonstrations, force and fear descend on these vulnerable people. The border is closed. The book ends with Misael dreaming of El Salvador. This beautiful and timely story is written in simple but poetic verse by Jorge Argueta, the award-winning author of Somos como las nubes / We Are Like the Clouds . Award-winning Mexican illustrator Manuel Monroy illuminates Misael’s journey. An author’s note is included, along with a map showing the caravan’s route. Key Text Features
author’s note
map
illustrations Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.3
Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions).

Genres: Poetry, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Middle Grade, Family, Novel In Verse

112 pages, Hardcover

Published October 1, 2019

About the author

Jorge Argueta is a celebrated award-winning poet and author of many highly acclaimed bilingual children's books and short stories, covering themes related to Latino culture and traditions, nature, and the immigrant experience.
A native Salvadoran and Pipil Nahua Indian, Jorge spent much of his childhood in rural El Salvador. He immigrated to the United States in the 1980s during the Salvadoran Civil War.
Jorge lives in San Francisco, California.

Reviews

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moving, these poems describe the many reasons (poverty, gangs, no work, poor prospects for education) people make the 4000 km walk, with their children, from El Salvador to Tijuana and the US border.
Though written for children, there are probably many adults who should read this to understand the desperation and fear and hope that fuels the people making the trek.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A middle-grade migrant novel, written in verse. Its seemingly simple language packs emotional punch. Misael and his family make the 4000km journey, mostly on foot, from El Salvador to the US with so much hope for a better life. Helpers and dangers are encountered along the way. Poignant.

[Jessica L · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells the story of Misael, a boy from El Salvador who joins a group of people walking to the United States. They are looking for safety and a better life away from the crime and gangs that have taken over El Salvador. Along the way, he and the caravan face hunger, fear, and danger. The story is told as a poem, in Misael’s voice, and shows what it feels like to leave home and hope for a better future while missing and mourning the home he is leaving behind. Caravan to the North and author, Jorge Argueta have received awards from the USBBY Outstanding International Books List, 2020, NCTE Notable Poetry Book and Verse Novel, 2020, Westchester Fiction Award Honourable Mention, 2020, Américas Award Children’s and Young Adult Literature Commended Titles, 2020.

I read the translated version on the Kindle App, which has English print. The poem format made the story easy to follow and form an emotional connection to the characters. The illustrations at the beginning of each poem helped show what the characters were feeling and going through. I enjoyed reading and learning about the diverse experiences that some endure as they leave their homes for the north.

This book shows diversity and cultural understanding with respect for immigrants. This text is ideal for grades 4 through 8 or ages 8 to 14 and would be great for teaching poetry and empathy. It can be used in lessons about immigration, human rights, and multicultural understanding. It also supports bilingual reading and helps students think critically about others.

[Ana Ruiz-Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Published in 2019, this fiction book written in verse describes the journey of a boy traveling with his family along with a caravan to the United States. It powerfully paints a picture on migration and the hardships that occurs on the way, making it perfect for a book set on migration.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

i wish everyone had to read something like this. a perfect example about how reading can help ignorance. there are so many things the majority of us cannot picture happening in our lives. people in other countries live completely different lives. this story shows what someone else is going through. very important

[Phil J · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was just okay.

This is a very general telling of a migrant's travel from El Salvador to the US/Mexico wall. The illustrations are interesting, but the text is so sparse that I didn't have enough to feel connected to the main character's experiences.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a poignant novel-in-verse by Jorge Argueta, illustrated by Manuel Monroy. Argueta heard of a caravan of fellow citizens from El Salvador, gathering together in a particular Plaza before their morning departure. He says his heart was with them and went to visit with them that day because they were him, thirty-five years ago.
Written with brief chapter groupings that follow the journey, like "Us", "Waking Dreams", and "Tijuana". There is grief in the leaving, excitement and exhaustion showed in the poems told in the first person by Misael, a young boy walking with his family. They walk, ride buses, sometimes trains, always dreaming of that future in the US, often wishing their homeland had not forced this terrible choice of leaving. "Sometimes all you hear are footsteps/of people walking–,/ tran tran tran tran–,/ as if we were marching,/or as if we were/horses." The trip is about 2500 miles. When they arrive at the wall, "It feels like we're in the middle/of a bunch of poisonous snakes./There are lots of people/shouting chants/against us."
Illustrations mirror the cover, stark and rough, black and white sketches of people walking, carrying bags and children, sleeping, waiting, often waiting, then Misael himself at the end, his village behind him, dreaming of going back to El Salvador.

[Ben Chleboun · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book through it's placement on the 2020 USBBY Outstanding International Books List and its place on the Americas Award commended list.

The story is essential for students of all ages. It provides a nuanced and complicated look into the story of migration. The account is told from a first-person perspective of Misael Martinez, who joins a group of Salvadorans heading north to the United States. Misael tells of the reasons people leave their homes, weaving into the account a straightforward look at the emotions of desperate hope and sadness to leave the land they love. Misael quotes "some boys" when he says, "We're going to Mexico. After that we're not sure but we're going. We're like birds looking for a new dawn" (p.31). And another man, "I love El Salvador. Bet here they don't love us. We are poor" (p. 36). Many speak of the hope of education, of college and economic opportunity.

The challenges this caravan are many. The journey is long. The hope seems to end as a chimera. This is a tragedy. The caravan is met with hate, fear and tear gas on the closed US border.

Although this book left me deeply saddened by the fate of the travelers, I believe it is a book that many students through high school would benefit from reading. This is an account that will open the eyes of some and bring tears of understanding in others. The beauty and simplicity make it easily read by students grades 4 and up. But the conversations that may emerge about the politics of migration might be best suited for students with maturity and empathy. I highly recommend this beautiful little book.

[Kass]

~ Mexico unit

[Marisa Duarte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jorge Argueta (Pipil Nahua) is a writer of childrens books. This book illustrates the long journey of a boy traveling with his family and fellow Salvadoreños by foot, train (La Bestia) and bus all the way to Tijuana, hoping for a chance to enter the United States. I recommend this book for families teaching their kids about the injustice of ICE, Homeland Security and the failures of the US immigration system to welcome refugees into the US in dignity. This is also a way to teach young people about economic injustice and the effects of gang activity in countries struggling to build healthy local markets. Manuel Monroy's line drawings are simple and elegant, offering readers a way to imagine families on their journey. Recommended for readers age 10 to 18, and for adult readers seeking a humanistic orientation to the migrant and refugee crises of El Salvador, Mexico, and the US border with Mexico.

[Adriana Carlos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caravan To The North: Misael’s Long Walk, 2020
OIB Award
Genre: International, Immigrating
I would highly recommend this book. It is a short read. This is about Misael and his family fleeing El Salvador to el Norte because there is no work, violence, and people losing hope. The parents want their children to have what they didn’t have. They walked for weeks. They slept in parks, shelters, anywhere they could. There were a few uplifting moments in the caravan and some sad ones. They met people who helped them along the way and some that pushed them away. They made it to Tijuana but their experience there was not perfect. They started making their way to El Norte and the ending left me speechless. I would incorporate this in a class by making a research project or inviting a guest speaker to share their story. This book is full of stories from multiple perspectives.

[Kaity Kilpatrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This moving novel written in verse is a must read for this generation. It tells the story of a young immigrants journey to America. It portrays things that we hear about every single day in the news. It is a quick read, but one that will stick with you long after you’ve finished. It certainly leaves readers wanting more. I highly suggest reading this book.

This novel would be excellent to use in the classroom setting. It describes real life, relevant events in a way that children can easily understand and comprehend. It takes a difficult subject and makes it relatable to children. I think it would be a wonderful way to teach the somewhat controversial topic of immigration to children.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short novel in verse that documents one young boy's trip with his family from El Salvador to Tijuana, Mexico. I wanted to understand this experience differently, from a different perspective and this poem did just that for me. The author divides his time between El Salvador and San Francisco, and builds libraries in his native country, "inspiring a love of reading in children who previously had no access to books." He actually went in person to talk with people about why they were leaving their country, and from that, this novel was born. The ending is ambiguous, as is the fate of many immigrants.

[Autumn Charboneau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Date: 2019
Stars: 4
Awards: OIB
Genre: Poetry, Realistic Fiction, Novel
Summary: This book is about a boy named Misael who Is in the process of immigrating to American. Him and his family, along with many other people from his home town get on a large caravan and take the dangerous journey to crossing the border.

This book does wonderful job at highlighting the struggles and hardships immigrants have faced trying to have a better life and more opportunities. It talks about the violence and unlivable conditions of their village and why they needed to move. Students may connect to this or it can be a window.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one of those books that adults will love and children will probably ignore.

Adults will love it because of its topical subject – caravans of people forming in Central American countries such as El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to escape the poverty, violence, and lack of opportunities there, and then walking north together looking for a better life in the United States. These are the caravans that we have been told either to fear or to embrace depending upon our political leaning. Most kids have probably not heard of these caravans to the U.S. and there is not much about the look of the book or the story to draw them in.

This is the story of a boy, Misael Martinez, traveling with his family in one of those caravans. They love their country and are sad to leave, but it is too dangerous to stay. They walk 2,500 miles and find hardship but also simple acts of kindness along the way. When they finally reach their intended destination, Tijuana, where they hope to start their new lives, they are held back with tear gas, force and fences. The border is closed to them. The book ends with the families running from the gas and Misael falling asleep dreaming he is back in El Salvador.

This short book (109 pages) is a novel in verse. Chapters are extremely short, and most pages are only half filled with text That makes for a quick read, but doesn’t work to invest the reader in the story. For such a long journey, the end comes too quickly and without much action.

Each chapter begins with a black and white print by Manuel Monroy who also did the cover artwork of the same style but with a few colors added. The artwork is dull and uninteresting so most kids probably won’t pick up this book without prompting.

In the back of the book there is a map showing the distance the marchers covered from San Salvador to Tijuana which is amazing, making the length of this book, and lack of action even more amazing.

In order to get the true value of the book, readers should be knowledgeable of its historic aspect.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Star rating: 4
Copyright: 2019
Genre: Poetry
Theme(s): Immigration; Gangs; Security; Sacrifice; Discrimination

This book is a touching Realistic Fiction story (written in verse, so it is easy to read) about a young boy and his family traveling “to the North”. The family is escaping gang violence and poverty seeking asylum in the United States. My favorite part about the book is how each character loves and respects their homelands but are willing to sacrifice everything for a chance of a better life. I think this would be a great read aloud book and also one to add to my classroom library.

[Ms. Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written for children, this story in verse begins,

"We decided to leave
because you can't really live
in my village anymore.
There's no work.
There's no way to get by.
What there is,
is violence, gangs."

We follow the journey of families dreaming of a life where they can prosper, mustering up the courage to take the long trek North to the U.S. border. The story is sweet and tender, highlighting the joys and sorrows the travelers encounter and the meaningful connections with new people met along the way. The story is tragic, too. It is, in effect, the story of every immigrant who loves their home, but has to leave in order to survive.

[Lily Rollins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Copyright date: 2019
Award: Outstanding International Book award
Genre: Realistic Fiction

This book introduced me to a new subject in realistic/historical fiction, and I am thankful to have learned from the eyes of a character who went through this journey. I really enjoyed the unique illustrations as well as the poetry and style of the book. I would read this book with grades 3rd and up. I would use it to show the different journeys that families and peers may endure, as well as the harsh reality that may be at the end of the road.

[Cheriee Weichel · Rating 5 out of 5]

These poems tell the story of a family hoping for a better life in the USA. The left their home in El Salvador because of their fear of gangs and violence. This hardworking family walked 4000 km to reach Tijuana where the expected to cross the border and make a new life. They were not prepared for the hostility that met them.
Although I knew that people join caravans like this, the important thing about this book is that it gives names and voices to those travellers.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick but heavy read about the plight of refugees from Central America. Courageous people, not characters, in a heart wrenching situation. A serious issue, usually limited to talking points and statistics, is wonderfully humanized by the author’s poetry. This gritty, poignant, and honest text doesn’t feel like fiction and manages to stay hopeful under harsh circumstances. It is informative and left me wanting to understand more.

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Novel in verse, telling why people left their native lands, hoping for safety and better opportunities in the north, and the challenges they faced. A map of the route followed by the caravan is included. What has become of Misael?

"Sometimes I feel sadness.
Sadness makes me sad.
Now I know, sadness
is like not seeing, not hearing
It seems like everything stops,
even the air, even the North,
and your heart leaves you
sigh by sigh." (pg. 77)

[BiblioBrandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a powerful fictional account, though based on true events and on the authors own history, of a Salvadoran boy whose family leaves home to join the caravan heading north to the United States. This is a novel in verse, which I think makes the topic more accessible to younger readers. I paired this with Efren Divided, Caminar, and Two Border Towns and had a great conversation with 6th grader classes. I definitely want to read more by Arguesta.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Misael Martínez, a Salvadoran boy whose family joins the caravan heading north to the United States is fictional, but it can easily be the true story of thousands of Central American migrant refugees forced to leave their home countries to seek refuge from devastating poverty and horrific violence.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in prose, this book is the story of a migrant child, joining the Caravan to the North. They walk from El Salvador to the United States, hopeful to find safety and work. Along the way, they find people trying to stop them, but also people trying to help them. Will they make it?

I enjoyed reading this story. Written for kids, I thought it was a little light on the details, but perhaps that’s okay if you’re a kid reader.

[Esutterlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A famous author gathered stories from El Salvadorans who were trying to escape violence, poverty, and lack of opportunities to flee to the U.S. to create this novel in verse. He brings to life these experiences and emotions to help others see beyond the news coverage.

[JL Salty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel-in-verse shows the human, individual side of the long walk to the North; the story of so many escaping their impossible situations only to find themselves in another impossible situation at the border to the US.
Rating: PG for general content / political complexity.

[Cassidy A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really everyone should read little books like this just to continuously combat the dehumanizing language that politicians constantly throw at people on the move in order to avoid actually fixing anything, and/or to avoid acknowledging Western interference directly causing such mass movements.

[Ryan Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This small poetic story is about feelings as much as actions—the feelings of leaving a loved home because it contains only danger for you; the feelings of being embraced; the feelings of being maligned and unwanted; the feelings of wanting to belong.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Am important story!! I’m pretty sure the poetry flows better in Spanish, but still very much worth the read in English.

[Nicole Roccas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I helped develop a study guide for this book and loved reading it! An important and eye-opening book to help younger audiences understand the emotional, physical, and social toll of immigration.