Disappeared, by Francisco X. Stork, is the story of Sara and her brother. They both get caught up in the dangerous workings of Juarez, Mexico. Sara, is a reporter whose best friend mysteriously disappeared a few months prior. Despite what people know happens to these young women who disappear, Sara doesn't give up hope that her friend is alive somewhere. She continues to report and investigate these desaparacidas (missing girls). Her brother, Emiliano, will do just about anything to be with the girl he has fallen in love with. Luckily, he has an eye for business but others realize this and want to take advantage of his ability to get products into the United States. At some point, they both realize that their lives are in danger and their only choice is to leave Juarez, and everyone they love, behind.
One of the things that I enjoyed about this book is that I feel it paints pretty clearly a picture of what life is like for many living in Latin American countries in poverty. They are constantly worried about walking home alone, affording the things they need, and being separated from their dad who went to the US. They talk about the struggles to pay for necessities like medicine and medical procedures. They talk about these girls who face so much violence.
I feel like anyone who reads books like these will begin to understand and have empathy for the plight of many of those who seek to enter our country illegally. These undocumented citizens face so many difficulties and problems in their home countries that dangerous border crossings and poverty here in the United States seem to them much safer options. Having met many undocumented citizens of the United States, I can see how books like these benefit my students when they read about the lives of others.
Keeping in mind the difficulties immigrants face, I' aways on the lookout for organizations that help. United We Dream is a youth-led immigrant organization working to help those documented and undocumented immigrants struggling in the country. This is something that the US has struggled with a lot in the past. It has come up again in more recent news as a
whistleblower has raised allegations against an ICE detention center for giving uninformed women unnecessary hysterectomies. This organization is "
fighting to improve the lives of ourselves, our families and our communities." You can donate and find out more here.
Francisco Stork himself was born in Mexico and moved to the United States with his adoptive parents when he was 9. His most well-known book is Marcelo in the Real World which details the experiences of a boy whose brain works just a little bit differently than everyone else's.
Francisco Stork's second book Illegal is the continuing story of Sara and Emiliano. It goes in depth into the process of applying for asylum in the United States.
Disappeared and Illegal are perfect for lovers of YA literature, those seeking more empathy for the cause of those who enter our country illegally seeking a better life, and readers of mystery and action novels. You can purchase a copy here!
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