Trayecto: Mi historia de migración

Gr 3-7–This memoir will appeal to readers who seek a tale about finding strength in family when times get tough. Early chapters demonstrate how five-year-old Luis’ older siblings and cousins are making their way in Mexico while he waits his turn—until Mami’s and Papi’s business collapses and hard choices need to be made. The narrative takes off when Luis’ father leaves Mexico to forge a new path and his absence is deeply felt. Luis gradually finds ways to support Mami and his siblings until they reunite with Papi in California. Together they adapt to life in the United States. by watching one another’s backs to overcome challenges at school and in the new neighborhood that threaten to tear their family apart. This first-person, Spanish-language account presents a harrowing coming-of-age journey that will empower readers to consider what undocumented families in the U.S. experience when their lives are disrupted across our southern border. With a compelling narrative, Valencia reminisces about his parents’ and siblings’ struggles alongside his own to drive home what led him to become a community mental health advocate for U.S. migrants and immigrants, and, ultimately, to write this stirring book.