La Línea by Ann Jaramillo

La Línea is an engaging text surrounding Miguel and Elena, brother and sister, as they attempt to reunite with the parents by crossing the border. Miguel and Elena's parents left seven years ago to California, attempting to raise the money to bring them to the United States. When they finally raised the money to bring Miguel over, there are complications that lead him to a dangerous and perilous journey across the border.

This book deals with the controversial topic of illegal immigration, but rather then showing the "white perspective" on the issue, it shows how desperate these families are to come to the United States. The author, Ann Jaramillo, is a 7th and 8th grade ELL teacher, whose classroom is composed of newly immigrated Mexican students. In her acknowledgements, she states that she utilized her ELL classes to review her manuscripts for accuracy to their personal experiences. I believe this book is a good read for 7th and 8th grade students, especially ELL students. There are really exciting moments that will capture their attention, and there is also incorporation of Spanish throughout the book which can be a novel experience for students. Another disclaimer: the issue of rape does appear in the text, and there is a non-explicit rape scene that occurs between minor characters.

Reference information: Jaramillo, Ann. La Línea. New Milford: Roaring Book Press, 2006.