{"product_id":"the-crossroads-9781534414563","title":"The Crossroads","description":"\u003cb\u003eWinner of the International Latino Book Award\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"An incredibly heartfelt depiction of immigrants and refugees in a land full of uncertainty.\" --\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\"Insightful, realistic picture...especially important reading for today's children.\" --\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\"Fans of \u003ci\u003eThe Only Road\u003c\/i\u003e will appreciate...while teachers and librarians may find the text useful to counter unsubstantiated myths about Central Americans fleeing to the US.\" --\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eJaime and  ngela discover what it means to be living as undocumented immigrants in the United States in this timely sequel to the Pura Belpr  Honor Book \u003ci\u003eThe Only Road\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAfter crossing Mexico into the United States, Jaime Rivera thinks the worst is over. Starting a new school can't be that bad. Except it is, and not just because he can barely speak English. While his cousin  ngela fits in quickly, with new friends and after-school activities, Jaime struggles with even the idea of calling this strange place \"home.\" His real home is with his parents, \u003ci\u003e abuela\u003c\/i\u003e, and the rest of the family; not here where cacti and cattle outnumber people, where he can no longer be himself--a boy from Guatemala. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWhen bad news arrives from his parents back home, feelings of helplessness and guilt gnaw at Jaime. Gang violence in Guatemala means he can't return home, but he's not sure if he wants to stay either. The US is not the great place everyone said it would be, especially if you're \u003ci\u003esin papeles\u003c\/i\u003e--undocumented--like Jaime. When things look bleak, hope arrives from unexpected places: a quiet boy on the bus, a music teacher, an old ranch hand. With his sketchbook always close by, Jaime uses his drawings to show what it means to be a true citizen. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003ePowerful and moving, this touching sequel to \u003ci\u003eThe Only Road \u003c\/i\u003eexplores overcoming homesickness, finding ways to connect despite a language barrier, and discovering what it means to start over in a new place that alternates between being wonderful and completely unwelcoming.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlexandra Diaz is the award-winning author of \u003ci\u003eThe Only Road\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Crossroads\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSantiago's Road Home\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eFarewell Cuba, Mi Isla\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003ci\u003eThe Only Road\u003c\/i\u003e was a Pura Belpré Honor Book and won the Américas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature, as well as numerous other accolades. \u003ci\u003eSantiago's Road Home \u003c\/i\u003ewas an International Latino Book Award gold medalist and an ALA Notable Children's Book. \u003ci\u003eFarewell Cuba, Mi Isla \u003c\/i\u003ewas a \u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews \u003c\/i\u003eBest Book of the Year, was selected as a Children's Book Council Teacher's Favorite title, and received two starred reviews. Alexandra is the daughter of Cuban refugees and a native Spanish speaker. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, but got her master's in writing for young people at Bath Spa University in England. Visit her at Alexandra-Diaz.com.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Simon \u0026 Schuster\/Paula Wiseman Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50556877242642,"sku":"9781534414563","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_e6344f61-ed8d-4448-a8db-585b9889f7a5.jpg?v=1731766177","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-crossroads-9781534414563","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}