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Summary:
Journey of the Sparrows is a children’s chapter book that explores the difficulties and hardships of the secret lives of young immigrants coming to America. In this story, the main character Maria, her pregnant older sister Julia and their younger brother Oscar, journey across the U.S. border and north to Chicago, the whole time suffering nailed inside of a crate on the back of a truck. The siblings endure this cruel journey into the United States after they witness their father and Julia’s husband get killed by Mexican guards. As the danger in Mexico increases, the three siblings are forced by their mother to leave. Although they had to leave behind their mother and younger sister, they plan to work and save money to send for them later. Once they arrive in Chicago, they receive the help from other illegal immigrants to find shelter, food and jobs. They are forced to work under horrible conditions and barely make it through day to day life. Constantly afraid they might get caught and deported, they stay under the radar and Julia can’t even visit a hospital to deliver her baby. They barely make any money and hardly ever have enough food to eat. With the help of others just like them, they are able to overcome their hardships and be reunited with the rest of their family. Although their journey is long, exhausting and extremely dangerous, Maria is forced to grow up at a very young age of fifteen and bring her family to safety.

Comments (arguments/opinions):
This story is a great example of how difficult it is for immigrants in our country. It explores all the hardships and struggles of immigration and surviving to live in a new environment. All of the characters in this story are all very relatable to real immigrants because they possess real personalities and characteristics just like anyone else. They all possess their own strengths and weaknesses and are represented fairly, without stereotypes. As they go through many different struggles, they find ways to resolve their problems and always strive for a better life. When Maria is forced to leave her siblings and go back to Mexico to retrieve her mother and sister, she does it all alone. Just like any other human being, she forces herself to be independent and do what she has to, to survive. This book does not include any illustrations because it is a chapter book, but while reading you can’t help but imagine the scenarios in your mind. The imagery you can receive from this story is phenomenal. The text really does a great job painting a picture for the reader. I think this story would be great for any child who went through a similar immigration struggle or even a move to a new place. It shows that even though times can be rough and moves can cause struggle and hardship, that we all have our family and friends to help us through anything. Even through times like Maria’s, we have the ability to be brave and strive to succeed. ( )

Maria and her siblings sneak across the American border to escape the war in El Salvadore. There they must make a living while not get caught and deported. ( )

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