My Side of the River by Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez

MY SIDE OF THE RIVER by Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez offers a unique, although sad at times, perspective on being the child of immigrants. Gutierrez is a talented writer quite capable of evoking emotion. For example, it was difficult to read about the nights her parents worked as janitors at a movie theater and brought her (then a young toddler) and her infant brother to that work so the children could sleep and be safe. She chronicles her adventures through grade school and high school – including the absence of her parents for much of that time due to visa restrictions. While sharing her efforts to help a younger brother, this entire story poignantly highlights taking privilege for granted. MY SIDE OF THE RIVER deserves wide readership and discussion, perhaps even as a one library-one book or one school-one book program. I also hope that efforts will be made to advocate that this title (a painful “mirror” for first generation Americans and an informative “window” for others) be included in high school state reading award programs. The publisher has made a series of discussion questions available. Highly recommended.

It could be interesting, for example, to contrast this text with others about overcoming obstacles for economic opportunity in the United States like Class by Stephanie Land or with another (although much longer and more analytical) newly released text about immigration called Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here by Jonathan Blitzer, a staff writer at The New Yorker – that also has a memorable, beautiful cover.