Summary
A boy prepares for a trip with his dad. They cross the border from Mexico to the U.S. They run errands and meet up with family members. As they head back to Mexico, the dad pulls over on the side of the bridge to let his son out. The boy shares some of the things they picked up while they were running errands like medicine, food and comic books with a refugee family. The boy questions why the family can’t stay with them in Mexico. Dad tells him they will be welcomed when the time is right.
Theme(s):
Family, Culture, Friendship
Personal Response
I thought this was a powerful story that portrays an issue that still exists today and has been a problem for years. There was use of Spanish words as well as English words throughout the story. As I read, I felt sad for the refugee family and became even more sad when I read that the boy did not understand why the refugees were stuck there for the time being. One picture showed them crossing back into Mexico, and there was a patrol officer with a dog. It made the story feel a lot more real.
Teaching Ideas
I would have students compare and contrast the lives of the boy and the refugee children. I would show a kid-friendly news article about refugees and the students would use inferring, background knowledge, and what they gathered from the story and article to create their comparisons. I would then talk about how the actions of some people in multiple countries are affecting other people and where they are able to live. They could also compare their own lives to those of the boy and the refugees.
Recommended Reading Level
Birth-PreK, Grade 01, Grade 02
