The Far Away Brothers (Adapted for Young Adults): Two Teenage Immigrants Making a Life in America by Lauren Markham
Published by Delacorte Press on August 20th 2019
ISBN: 1984829777
Pages: 288
Goodreads

In this young adult adaptation of the title by the same name, author Markham tells the tale of twin brothers, Ernesto and Raul Flores, who made the arduous and terrifying journey from El Salvador to the United States. Ending up on the wrong side of the infamous MS-13 gang, Ernesto’s life was in severe danger and the only way out was escaping to el Norte (United States). Getting as far as Mexico, Ernesto finds that Raul is to join him, as Ernesto’s identical twin he is now being mistaken for Ernesto so he is also in danger.

Markham is not only a journalist, but an English teacher at the Oakland (CA) International High School, where she met the boys and describes the legal process that they and many other undocumented youths have to go through not to be deported back to the hell and violence that they escaped from. Informational text at the end of the book discusses the historical context of immigration and provides thoughts and ideas about how this crisis might possibly be resolved.

Recommended for grades 8 and up and highly recommended for all book shelves.

Reviewed by Kristin Taylor,  Biddeford High School, Biddeford.