This book tells the true stories of five brave teens fleeing their home countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guinea, on their own, traveling through unknown and unfriendly places, and ultimately crossing into the US to find refuge and seek asylum. Based on extensive interviews with teen refugees, lawyers, caseworkers, and activists, Tracy White shines a light on five individual kids from among the tens of thousands of unaccompanied minors who enter the US each year. In stark black and white illustrations, she helps us understand why some young people would literally risk their lives to seek safety in the US. Each one of them has been backed into a corner where emigration to the US seems like their only hope.
"Spare, striking, black-and-white illustrations portray five teens fleeing dangerous situations and making hazardous journeys to the U.S. . . . This fast-paced, relatable work is informative and enlightening, treating its subjects with respect. Powerful text and images honor young people's suffering and strength." --Kirkus Reviews
"These are stories of young lives of tragedy, resilience, and transformation that seem incredible yet are heartbreakingly common. Revealing that the myth of an American Dream reserved for the few." --Christina Romero senior staff attorney at the Legal Aid Society and advisor to the Juvenile Rights Practice on immigration matters.
"A crucial resource for all people. Heart-wrenching stories of teenagers who fight to find homes free from violence. These are stories of resilience, survival, and family that every reader will feel in their bones."--Sarah Shay Mirk, author of Sex from Scratch and contributing editor at The Nib
"Diligently researched and deeply moving, shining a light on the often-overlooked human side of America's asylum and immigration system." --Danica Novgorodoff, illustrator of Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
"Please read this book. It shows us in painful and beautiful detail what it really means if we close our doors to even one person." --Zach Weinersmith, author of New York Times bestseller Soonish
"This is a narrative we desperately need. Recentering the story of migration to the US away from politics and onto the intimate lives of these vulnerable and courageous teen refugees and their families. A powerful and meaningful read no one should miss!" --Pamela Jackson, Comic Arts Curator at San Diego State University
"Here we see the full, devastating power of comics. These images and stories will remain with me, and with readers, longer after they put the book down." --Hope Larson, author of All Summer Long
"An essential read for the modern age, shining a light on the often-unseen challenges of child migrants." --Myfanwy Tristram, editor of Draw the Line
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tracy White is a cartoonist and teacher. Tracy's first graphic novel, How I Made it to Eighteen: A Mostly True Story was a Bank Street Book of the Year, a YALSA Great Graphic Novel, and a Texas Maverick Graphic Novel. Her autobiographical webcomic TRACED was nominated twice for an Ignatz and became a series for Oxygen TV. When not making comics, Tracy is a mom, a cat wrangler, and a daily dark chocolate eater who enjoys nature walks even though she lives in a city. She believes stories have the power to change the world.