Efren Divided by Ernesto Cisneros

The Hook: 

Efren has a close family—Max and Mia, his little brother and sister, are twins.  He also has his hard-working dad and his mom who is the glue that keeps the family together.  School is going good too.  He is making excellent grades, and he has lots of friends.   

But one day, Efren’s life comes crashing down when his mom gets unexpectantly deported back to Mexico.  Now it’s up to Efren to take care of the twins before and after school.   He’s got to be strong for his dad who is stressed out and working two jobs so that he can earn enough money to pay someone to smuggle his mom back to the United States.  He feels isolated because he is not sure if he can talk to his friends and teachers about what is going on at home. After all, his dad is undocumented as well, someone might tell the authorities. So, Efren keeps everything to himself and withdraws from his friends and his teachers.  He tries to keep up with everything as best he can by himself but it’s hard. Can this family go on without Ama, his mom? You’ll have to read the book to find out.  

This book gives a very authentic look into the heartbreaking impact of deportations and separated families.  

This book is in our library.  It is also in Sora and Axis 360.  It is 6 AR points. 

My Thoughts and Recommendations (Careful! There Could Be Spoilers): 

This book does a great job showing the many difficulties some immigrant families must endure. It clearly communicates the heartbreaking impact of deportations and splitting families in two. Efren is kind, brave, and responsible as well as scared, anxious, and overwhelmed with what to do for his family. Efren is forced to grow up fast and undertake situations beyond his years. This is a must read in building empathy for others around us. 4.8 stars.