Desert Passage

by P.S. Carrillo

Miguel and Ramón are in big trouble with their family. The cousins were almost expelled from school for fighting, and just as they're finishing up their final year in middle school and preparing to enter high school, their grades have dropped. Miguel's father Rodrigo who, with his wife Connie, has raised Ramón since his father's tragic death in a car accident has decided the boys need to be punished. So instead of going on the family's summer vacation to Santa Fe, they'll stay with their Abuelita Rosa in a remote town in northern Arizona and do chores around her place.
Dreading a long, boring month with their grandmother in the middle of nowhere, the boys get started on the extensive list of tasks they are supposed to complete. Cleaning the shed seems like the least disagreeable one, and soon they find something a two-wheeled Vespa scooter covered with dust and cobwebs. Excited at their find, the boys decide fixing the scooter might enliven their stay. If they can get it to run, they'll at least be able to get around town.
The next morning, though, Miguel and Ramón wake to a quiet house, and they're shocked to find their grandmother unconscious in her bed. When the ambulance takes her away to the hospital, the boys are left alone and unable to contact Miguel's parents. Suddenly, the scooter seems to be the only answer to reaching their family, and so the boys gather food, water, sleeping bags, and the small amount of money they have and begin the long trip to New Mexico.
Miguel and Ramón quickly learn that traveling across the country isn't as easy as they had expected. Sharing the road with fast-moving eighteen-wheelers and camping in the cold desert all make for an exhausting trip. But along the way the boys see many wonderful sights including the Grand Canyon and the red rocks of Sedona and meet lots of interesting Frank, an old friend of their grandfather's who helps them get the scooter ready for the trip; Turner, an attentive youth group counselor they meet at the Grand Canyon; and a group of scientists exploring an ancient Native American site. Most importantly, Miguel and Ramón will discover a lot about themselves through their growing independence as emergent young men.

136 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Lupe Medina · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far Miguel and Ramon are trying to contact the hospital but they won't give them any information because they are underage. I know how that feels because I have been in the situation where my mother was in the hospital and they couldn't tell me anything. It makes you feel like "I'm not gonna just sit here with my arms crossed over my chest. I want to take action." In other words, it makes you feel helpless.

(contiued....)

They decided to go see their dad/uncle over in Santa Fe. On the way there the camped out in the dessert and made interesting friends. They got to have great adventures hiking in the Grand Canyon and exploring in a cave with an archeologist. After three days of exploring, they continued on their scooters to Santa Fe. I liked it when the author switched points of view. Sometimes the story is told third person, "they" about Ramon and Miguel. Then the author tells the author from the dad's point of view. Rodrigo, the dad, tells the story of the family reunion and wanting to be a better father/uncle. I recommend this book to people who can connect with Miguel and Ramon who are trying to find themselves. Hispanic families have big, big families, extended families who share the love with each other. The book really shows this love of family between the generations.

[Justin]

Looks like this one isn't popular cause I'm the second one to mark this book LOL