1. The author keeps certain Spanish words untranslated—mojado, cerote, cruzó—blending them naturally into the dialogue. How did this impact your reading experience? What do you think code-switching reveals about the characters’ cultural identity and sense of belonging?
2. Javier’s relationship with Grandpa evolves throughout the journey. How do difficult circumstances reveal different sides of family members? Have you ever seen a relative in a completely new light because of a shared challenge?
3. To cross into the U.S., Javier must “become” Mexican, rehearsing slang and memorizing national anthems. How does forced assimilation shape identity? Have you ever had to adjust how you present yourself in different cultural settings?
4. The book is told through Javier’s perspective, capturing his innocence, fears, and observations. How does this childlike voice shape your connection to the story? Would it have felt different if told from an adult’s perspective?
5. Pupusas and Pollo Campero steal the spotlight in Javier’s farewell feast. What meal instantly takes you home, and why? And let’s be real, what food from the book are you now craving?
6. Masculinity takes many shapes in this story: Grandpa’s quiet strength, Marcelo’s hardened edge, Don Dago’s detached leadership. Javier not wanting to cry. How do cultural expectations define what it means to “be a man”, and how do these pressures shape boys as they grow up?
7. The idea of moving to the U.S. for a better life is central to the book. How do different cultures interpret the “American Dream,” and does it change when viewed from outside the U.S.? And for non-Americans—does it always involve McDonald's, pizza, and snow (because tbh, that’s exactly what I had imagined)?
2. Javier’s relationship with Grandpa evolves throughout the journey. How do difficult circumstances reveal different sides of family members? Have you ever seen a relative in a completely new light because of a shared challenge?
3. To cross into the U.S., Javier must “become” Mexican, rehearsing slang and memorizing national anthems. How does forced assimilation shape identity? Have you ever had to adjust how you present yourself in different cultural settings?
4. The book is told through Javier’s perspective, capturing his innocence, fears, and observations. How does this childlike voice shape your connection to the story? Would it have felt different if told from an adult’s perspective?
5. Pupusas and Pollo Campero steal the spotlight in Javier’s farewell feast. What meal instantly takes you home, and why? And let’s be real, what food from the book are you now craving?
6. Masculinity takes many shapes in this story: Grandpa’s quiet strength, Marcelo’s hardened edge, Don Dago’s detached leadership. Javier not wanting to cry. How do cultural expectations define what it means to “be a man”, and how do these pressures shape boys as they grow up?
7. The idea of moving to the U.S. for a better life is central to the book. How do different cultures interpret the “American Dream,” and does it change when viewed from outside the U.S.? And for non-Americans—does it always involve McDonald's, pizza, and snow (because tbh, that’s exactly what I had imagined)?