Ann Jaramillo writes with a profound understanding of the complex realities faced by young migrant students in California. Her literary debut offers a poignant exploration of their lives, capturing their resilience and the challenges they navigate daily. Through her work, Jaramillo illuminates the intersection of culture, education, and the immigrant experience with a sensitive and authentic voice. Her perspective offers readers a deeply humanizing look at a community often unseen and unheard.
Miguel and Elena attempt to cross la línea, the border between Mexico and the USA, to escape poverty and follow their parents. They face dangerous adventures, from jumping on moving trains to crossing a desert. Ann Jaramillo's novel poignantly explores the perilous journeys of illegal immigrants and their motivations.
The mata gente. The "people killer." An ordinary freight train. And the only way North without paying a peso.