12-year-old Tyler is enjoying life at his Vermont farm, and all seems well. Then, his family hires illegal immigrant Mexican workers. Tyler is very ambivalent about his parents dabbling in this source of labor. On one hand, he does not appreciate his parents breaking the law. However, he enjoys the company of the three girls who are named Maria. Good thing they have different middle names.
Mari, the eldest, hangs with Tyler, since she is around his age. The daily fear that she and her family live through is striking. They want to be in the United States, and they dread facing deportation by the immigration police. Mari and her sisters speak Spanish and English, and they attempt to enjoy life in their trailer on the farm. I liked the fact that the voices in the book included letters from both Mari and Tyler.
Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez, 2009