The Crossing by Gary Paulsen

I have been a fan of Gary Paulsen since Dogsong and Hatchet were first published in the 1980's.  These novels have been beloved, particularly by boys, for the last thirty years.  I have also enjoyed Paulsen's nonfiction books like Guts and Puppies, Dogs and Blue Northers, so I was excited to see he had written the novel The Crossing because I am looking for books about immigration.

El Paso and Juarez, separated by the Rio Grande

 I found Manny's story compelling.  An orphaned Mexican boy living on the Juarez border is trying to cross the Rio Grande to the Promised Land.  Sergeant Locke's story was equally compelling; as Vietnam veteran, Locke drank nightly to keep the ghosts of dead comrades from haunting him.  Separately, I found these two stories plausible; however, as the two merge together, I began to be a little disappointed in the plot.  I just didn't believe it.

I don't want to give away the ending for those who might be interesting but suffice it to say that even though the novel ends on a hopeful note, I'm just not that optimistic.

Becoming Naomi León

This book made me want to read more by Pam Muñoz Ryan especially Esperanza Rising, a book I have heard a lot about, but haven't yet picked up to read. Becoming Naomi León is a meaty book which would be ideal for a book discussion group since it covers wide ranging topics such as alcoholism, child abuse & child custody. Naomi León is a character who grows in her sense of self as she discovers her father's heritage and the importance of her sculpting ability. However, this book is geared toward approximately fourth grade readers...it is a bit heavy thematically for this age group, and I, as a parent, am not sure that I would recommend this book for independent reading for this age group. I think some adult guidance is necessary to navigate this very sad, but very hopeful book.