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INTERMEDIATE FICTION
Cisneros, Ernesto

Efrén Divided

272 pp. | HarperCollins/Harper | June, 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-0-06-288168-7 $16.99 | Paper ISBN 978-0-06-288169-4 $7.99 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-06-288170-0 $7.99
(2) 4-6 In this debut novel, winner of the 2021 Pura Belpré Medal for narrative, Cisneros introduces readers to an immigrant family whose desire for better opportunities means contending with cruel and politically motivated policies, backbreaking work for subsistence wages, and the constant threat of deportation. Seventh grader Efrén lives with his parents and twin five-year-old siblings in a one-room apartment in Southern California. He and the twins were born in the States, but their parents are both undocumented immigrants from Mexico. Conscientious Efrén is aware of the immigration raids happening in his neighborhood; he's heard the news stories and the laundromat gossip. He and his siblings know to go into "lockdown mode" in their apartment when they hear helicopters circling or sirens blaring. Still, he's able to enjoy the life he has with his loving, hard-working parents and in his friendly Mexican American neighborhood. The family's worst fears are realized, however, when his amá (mom) is deported. Efrén has to take responsibility for the twins (one of whom has behavioral challenges), the household, and his schoolwork. Spanish words and phrases, including some dialogue, lend authenticity to the narrative; while meaning can usually be gleaned in context, a twelve-page glossary provides English translations. Cisneros's vivid descriptions of Mexican and Mexican American culture, food, and traditions bring the characters and setting to life. The devastatingly realistic conclusion is heartbreaking and brutally makes clear the plight of undocumented immigrants in this country.
Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

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