Enrique's Journey: The Story of a Boy's Dangerous Odyssey to Reunite with His Mother

An astonishing story that puts a human face on the ongoing debate about immigration reform in the United States, now updated with a new Epilogue and Afterword, photos of Enrique and his family, an author interview, and more--the definitive edition of a classic of contemporary America

Based on the Los Angeles Times newspaper series that won two Pulitzer Prizes, one for feature writing and another for feature photography, this page-turner about the power of family is a popular text in classrooms and a touchstone for communities across the country to engage in meaningful discussions about this essential American subject.

Enrique's Journey recounts the unforgettable quest of a Honduran boy looking for his mother, eleven years after she is forced to leave her starving family to find work in the United States. Braving unimaginable peril, often clinging to the sides and tops of freight trains, Enrique travels through hostile worlds full of thugs, bandits, and corrupt cops. But he pushes forward, relying on his wit, courage, hope, and the kindness of strangers. As Isabel Allende writes: "This is a twenty-first-century Odyssey. If you are going to read only one nonfiction book this year, it has to be this one."

Praise for Enrique's Journey

"Magnificent . . . Enrique's Journey is about love. It's about family. It's about home."--The Washington Post Book World

"[A] searing report from the immigration frontlines . . . as harrowing as it is heartbreaking."--People (four stars)

"Stunning . . . As an adventure narrative alone, Enrique's Journey is a worthy read. . . . Nazario's impressive piece of reporting [turns] the current immigration controversy from a political story into a personal one."--Entertainment Weekly

"Gripping and harrowing . . . a story begging to be told."--The Christian Science Monitor

"[A] prodigious feat of reporting . . . [Sonia Nazario is] amazingly thorough and intrepid."--Newsday

Author: Sonia Nazario
Publisher: Random House Trade
Published: 02/01/2007
Pages: 400
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.75lbs
Size: 8.00h x 5.20w x 1.10d
ISBN: 9780812971781
Audience: Ages 9-12

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 5.6
Point Value: 12
Interest Level: Upper Grade
Quiz #/Name: 108723 / Enrique's Journey: The Story of a Boy's Dangerous Odyssey to Reunite with His Mother


Award: Americas Award for Children & Young Adult Literature - Commended
Award: Delaware Diamonds Award - Nominee


Review Citation(s):
New York Times 02/04/2007 pg. 24

About the Author
Sonia Nazario, a projects reporter for the Los Angeles Times, has spent more than two decades reporting and writing about social issues, earning her dozens of national awards. The newspaper series upon which this book is based won the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing, the George Polk Award for International Reporting, and the Grand Prize of the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards. Nazario grew up in Kansas and Argentina. She is a graduate of Williams College and has a master's degree in Latin American studies from the University of California, Berkeley. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband.