We Are Not from Here

A poignant novel of desperation, escape, and survival across the U.S.-Mexico border, inspired by current events.

A Pura Belpr 2021 Young Adult Author Honor Book
A BookPage Best Book of 2020
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best of 2020
A School Library Journal Best Book of 2020
A New York Public Library 2020 Top 10 Best Book for Teens

Pulga has his dreams.
Chico has his grief.
Peque a has her pride.

And these three teens have one another. But none of them have illusions about the town they've grown up in and the dangers that surround them. Even with the love of family, threats lurk around every corner. And when those threats become all too real, the trio knows they have no choice but to run: from their country, from their families, from their beloved home.

Crossing from Guatemala through Mexico, they follow the route of La Bestia, the perilous train system that might deliver them to a better life--if they are lucky enough to survive the journey. With nothing but the bags on their backs and desperation drumming through their hearts, Pulga, Chico, and Peque a know there is no turning back, despite the unknown that awaits them. And the darkness that seems to follow wherever they go.

In this striking portrait of lives torn apart, the plight of migrants at the U.S. southern border is brought to light through poignant, vivid storytelling. An epic journey of danger, resilience, heartache, and hope.

Praise for We Are Not From Here

"A fierce and tender story...Relevant, timely, and perceptive." --Margarita Engle, winner of the Pura Belpre Award and Newbery Honor

With poignant, exhausting lyricism and heart wrenching poetic prose, Jenny Torres Sanchez digs deep and shows us the throbbing, aching coraz n--the hopeful, unbreakable spirit of the embattled immigrant. A book for the starving, lost soul. --Guadalupe Garc a McCall, Pura Belpr Award-winning author of Under the Mesquite

An incredibly powerful, soul-searing YA. I]mportant and necessary.... I could not put this book down. --Padma Venkatraman, award-winning author of The Bridge Home

One of the most relevant and needed young adult novels of the year, a must-read. --Jennifer Mathieu, critically acclaimed author of The Liars of Mariposa Island and Moxie

An achingly beautifully story...masterfully told...Jenny Torres Sanchez is a true leader within young adult fiction. --Christina Diaz Gonzalez, award-winning author of The Red Umbrella

We Are Not From Here is absolutely stunning. It's raw and real, gritty and gorgeously told. A story that's painfully relevant today, and told with such precision and beauty, you can feel it. It's breathtaking and left me absolutely breathless. --Lauren Gibaldi, author of This Tiny Perfect World

This] is a book that will mark your heart. Jenny Torres Sanchez challenges us to feel, empathize and understand. A searing, necessary and ultimately beautiful book. --Alexandra Villasante, critically acclaimed author of The Grief Keeper

* A brutally honest, not-to-be-missed narrative...gripping, heart-wrenching, and thrilling. --Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

* A candid, realistic story that will leave readers thinking about the characters--and about our own world--long after the last page. --SLJ, STARRED REVIEW

* Gripping, poignant...this soul-shaking narrative recalls] the works of Gabriel Garc a M rquez. --Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

* A devastating read that is difficult to put down, this unforgettable book unflinchingly illuminates the experiences of those leaving their homes to seek safety in the United States. --Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

Author: Jenny Torres Sanchez
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Published: 05/18/2021
Pages: 368
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.70lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.40w x 1.10d
ISBN: 9781984812285
Audience: Young Adult

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 4.5
Point Value: 14
Interest Level: Upper Grade
Quiz #/Name: 510791 / We Are Not from Here


Award: Pura Belpre Award - Honor Book

About the Author
Jenny Torres Sanchez (www.jennytorressanchez.com) is a full-time writer and former English teacher. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, but has lived on the border of two worlds her whole life. She is the author of We Are Not From Here; The Fall of Innocence; Because of the Sun; Death, Dickinson, and the Demented Life of Frenchie Garcia; and The Downside of Being Charlie. She lives in Orlando, Florida, with her husband and children. Follow her on Twitter @jetchez and on Instagram @jennytsanchez.