The Other Side

For this striking, stripped-down account of youth immigration, Villalobos interviewed teens at various stages of the immigration process to illustrate their stories—the physical and emotional difficulties of their travels. He then changed certain elements of these stories in order to protect the children's identities. Each chapter brings forth the voice of one young immigrant's experience, from crossing the Mexican desert to gang violence to the freezers at ICE detention centers. Together, these teen voices paint a vivid and thought-provoking picture of United States-Central American immigration and the American refugee crisis, which will resonate with young listeners, educators, and fans of Villalobos’s adult fiction.