Overall, I think this book did an adequate job showcasing the many issues that revolve around this topic. I say adequate because there was so much going on. And, at times it felt like the author was trying to cram it all into 300 pages. These issues need much more than 300 pages!
I think the main character, M.T., describes many high school girls. Even though most girls do not struggle with the insecurity of being an illegal alien, she was forced to survive through many issues. Specifically, her feelings towards her boyfriend, turned ex-boyfriend were oh so real for a teenage girl! I also really appreciate how this book showed how quickly depression can affect teenagers. At the beginning of the book, M.T. did not show any signs of depression. This was not even on her radar, and the adults around her did not have to be worried about her. However, by the end of the book, teachers and friends were very aware that M.T. was struggling emotionally. This served as a great reminder for me that I need to be aware of all of my students, not just ones that are currently showing signs of depression. As a teacher, we never really know whit might trigger these feelings that students are experiencing and what they are hiding from adults.
Another big topic that this book opened my eyes to was domestic violence and its relation with immigrants. I had an, "Ah ha!" moment when M.T. first talked about her father's abuse. Of course these men are allowed to act in this way. This is like battered women 2.0. He has total control over the family. Heartbreaking. However, I see why M.T.'s mother allows it. Really, she is pretty dang stuck in her situation. This should not happen to anyone. Our laws and policy are obviously super broken.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and our discussions of the topic. It is not something that I am familiar with or that has been on my radar the last few years. Now, I have been reading more articles and trying to understand what can be done to help support students such as M.T.
