Santiago's Road Home

How much would you endure for a better life?

This was a phenomenal story that follows Santiago after he decides not to return to his abusive abuela's house, and instead joins a mother and daughter as they attempt to cross the border from Mexico to the U.S, but get detained by ICE. I really enjoyed that this book takes a hard look at what it's like for youth who must spend their time in a detention center, because it's something that isn't typically seen in a middle grade novel. The conditions themselves are bad enough but watching a boy as kind and selfless as Santiago go through it makes it even more heart-wrenching and even harder to put down as you want to keep reading to find out how he copes. Luckily, he meets many kind people during his journey that fills you with hope and lessens the harshness. This is a title that everyone should read in order to gain a greater understanding and sense of empathy for what these kids must go through. Diaz provides a great voice for those that aren’t given the opportunity to share theirs.