The Thing You’re Good At
Written by Lesley
and Choyce
Published by Orca Book Publishers
After her parents are deported, Maria’s life is not only upended, it’s in danger.
Jake’s friend Maria is the daughter of undocumented immigrants who have been living and working in the country for a long time. But the new government has implemented a crackdown. Maria’s parents are detained and quickly sent out of the country. Maria, who was born here, decides to hide out in Jake’s basement rather than risk becoming a ward of the state. But when she returns to her old apartment to retrieve her hidden birth certificate, Maria is abducted by young men on the lookout for teenage girls who have lost their parents to deportation. Jake is determined to rescue Maria before she’s turned over to the authorities. Or worse.
Primary ISBN:
Publication Date: November 2020
Available As: Paperback, eBook
Young Adult, Age 12 or older
Community Represented: Unspecified
Themes: Canadian Connection, Cross-Group Friendship, Detention & Deportation, Family Relationship: Parents, Family Separation: By Detention, Family Separation: Different Immigration Status, Generation: 1st, Immigrant: Undocumented
Setting: Canada
Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: 1st Generation
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