First published 2006
Enrique endures beatings from his stepfather and navigates the dangerous streets of his neighborhood. He watches television and movies, glimpsing another America he desperately wants to join. His teachers become his lifeline. Some ignore him or teach poorly, but others offer encouragement when he needs it most. Enrique pushes to leave his ESL classes behind and study French instead, reinventing himself as Henri. He finds refuge in Francisco's family, who show him the love and support his own home lacks. His mother refuses to protect him from his stepfather's abuse, leaving Enrique angry and confused. When gang members gun down his friend Horacio in a drive-by shooting, Enrique witnesses the killing. The shooters spot him, and now they want him dead too. Gang members hunt him through the barrio streets. Enrique faces impossible choices as violence threatens to destroy his dreams of escape. This is a story about wanting more than your circumstances allow and finding the courage to reach for it anyway.
Genres: fiction, coming-of-age, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: America, Barrio
Period: Contemporary
242 pages · Hardcover · Curbstone Books
Content warnings: abuse, domestic-violence, violence