New Arrival/New American Books

Written by Alexandra Diaz
Published by Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books

Jaime is sitting on his bed drawing when he hears a scream. Instantly, he knows: Miguel, his cousin and best friend, is dead. Everyone in Jaime’s small town in Guatemala knows someone who has been killed by the Alphas, a powerful gang that’s known for violence and drug trafficking. Anyone who refuses to work for them is hurt or killed like Miguel. With Miguel gone, Jaime fears that he is next. There’s only one choice: accompanied by his cousin Angela, Jaime must flee his home to live with his older brother in New Mexico. Inspired by true events, The Only Road is an individual story of a boy who feels that leaving his home and risking everything is his only chance for a better life. The story is told with heartbreaking honesty, Booklist raved, and will bring readers face to face with the harsh realities immigrants go through in the hope of finding a better, safer life, and it will likely cause them to reflect on what it means to be human.

Primary ISBN: 9781481484411
Available As: Hardcover, Paperback
Middle Grade, Age 09 or older

Community Represented: Guatemalan/Guatemalan American

Themes: Family Separation: Living with Other Family or Friends, Non-English Book: Spanish, Own Voices/Lived Experience, Recommended: Infinite Country Read Alike, Refugee Journey, Refugee: Gang Violence, Trauma & Healing: Death of Family or Friend, US/Mexican Border Crossing

Setting: Guatemala, Mexico, United States

Character’s New Arrival/New American Status: Refugee

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

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