Efrén Divided

by Ernesto Cisneros

Paperback, 2021

Status

Available

Call number

813.6

Genres

Fiction

Publication

Quill Tree Books (2021), 272 pages

Description

Juvenile Fictio Juvenile Literatur HTML: Winner of the Pura Belpré Award! "We need books to break open our hearts, so that we might feel more deeply, so that we might be more human in these unkind times. This is a book doing work of the spirit in a time of darkness." �??Sandra Cisneros, author of The House on Mango Street Efrén Nava's Amá is his Superwoman�??or Soperwoman, named after the delicious Mexican sopes his mother often prepares. Both Amá and Apá work hard all day to provide for the family, making sure Efrén and his younger siblings Max and Mía feel safe and loved. But Efrén worries about his parents; although he's American-born, his parents are undocumented. His worst nightmare comes true one day when Amá doesn't return from work and is deported across the border to Tijuana, México. Now more than ever, Efrén must channel his inner Soperboy to help take care of and try to reunite his family. A glossary of Spanish words is included… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member Salsabrarian

Efren's mother has been deported, leaving behind Efren, the little twins and her husband. Although Efren is aware of la migra and of ICE raids happening in his community, he hasn't thought deeply about their impact until now. Now he's old enough to worry about taking care of his siblings and

noticing his father's haggard and worried appearance through the ordeal. This book is a window and mirror on the very real trauma of family separation due to deportation; Efren is a good kid caught up in tough circumstances and readers will identify with or appreciate his battle.

Show Less

6 more

LibraryThing member ewyatt

Efren lives with his parents and twin 5-year old siblings. When his mother is caught by ICE and deported, it turns his life upside down. He tries to hold things together. He steps up when his dad asks to take care of his siblings, which puts new pressures on him to get his work done and get to

school on time. Who can he trust with what is happening? When he needs to carry money to his mom in Mexico, he thinks a lot about why his parents left and the privileges he has even if he doesn't have all that some of his classmates do.

Show Less

LibraryThing member jennybeast

Efrén's mother gets caught in a sweep and deported, leaving him, his father and his siblings to try and figure out how to get her home. The audio book was excellently read, and the story is a too-familiar one. Great book, great characters. Efrén's big heart makes it necessary for him to do some

scary things.

Show Less

LibraryThing member rgruberexcel

RGG: Amazing middle grade. While totally appropriate to the target age group, the book is comprehensive and authentic, bringing humanity to what may seem like a distant political issue. You'll fall in love with all the characters. Reading Interest: 10-13.

LibraryThing member rgruberexcel

LibraryThing member GRgenius

Very moving, very now. Well written and some readers will definitely find themselves in it, but I wonder about one part. You need to have a STRONG or persistent reader to push through the language challenges presented by the English to Spanish and vice versa transitions. There is a glossary of all

the terms and phrases used in the back, and you can gather the meaning without knowing the language from surrounding paragraphs, but it still requires more dedication to the story/book/task than your average book. Still, a great read that will touch hearts with its challenges, heartaches, and triumphs.

**copy borrowed from library; read for Cybil's Middle Grade Fiction, Round two

Show Less

Fewer