LA LINEA BY ANN JARAMILLO

I’m always curious about an author’s background and what led him/her to write a particular story. Ms. Jaramillo’s husband is a lawyer who focuses on helping migrant workers, and Ms. Jaramillo is a teacher with students of Mexican origin. She says, “La Linea is fiction, but it is based on real events.”

Of course I’ve watched lots of news reports about Mexicans crossing the border illegally, but until reading this book, I didn’t realize the grave danger they face to do so. When fifteen-year-old Miguel and his sister leave Mexico, they are robbed, cling to the roof of a train, trek across the desert, and traumatized when their guide is shot by vigilantes. I’m disturbed that this story is based on actual events.

Ms. Jaramillo includes lots of facts about illegal immigration at the end of her book. Many immigrants lose their lives trying to cross the border. They die from dehydration, hypothermia and violence. Still the number of undocumented people in the United States is estimated to be over 10 million.

Kirkus Reviews calls La Linea, “A nail-biting real-life adventure.” I agree and it’s thought provoking as well.