"Do you guys have Internet?.."."How about TiVo?.."."You do get American TV?" The house was dark. "Wait a minute -- do they even have electricity?"<...
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reviews
Jan 25, 2008
Jennifer
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This young adult novel has a great set-up and wonderful characters but is marred by some seriously clunky writing. Sofi Mendoza sneaks down to Tijuana with some friends to attend a Senior Class bash given by one of her classmates. Though Sofi was born in Mexico, she has lived in San Inocente (really?), California since she was three and is barely in touch with her Mexican heritage--she speaks Spanish badly, her idea of Mexican food is Taco Bell, you get the picture. Sofi's plans for the last
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Jul 03, 2010
Christy
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"I really enjoyed this book. Based loosely upon a true story, this fictional account starts out with Sofi, a protagonist who is a young first generation Mexican-American girl. Sofi decides to disobey her parents and sneak to Tijuana, Mexico for a Senior Class party. Little does she know that her green card is fake and when she and her friends try to re-enter America, she is detained by the INS at the border. Luckily for Sofi, she has relatives in the area and can stay with them until her
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Aug 07, 2010
Marina
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High school senior Sofi and her two best friends go to Tijuana, Mexico for a Memorial Day weekend party at a classmate's vacation house. They have a good time and act like typical American girls on vacation without a care. Unfortunately, when they try to cross the border back into the U.S. the border guard tells Sofi that her green card is a fake and that she'll have to stay. Her parents set her up to stay with her father's sister and her family--people that she has never met. They live in a run
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Jul 26, 2011
Fred
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This is a wonderfully exciting mis-adventure and cautionary tale. A high school senior who chafes under the strict rules her parents impose, lie to them and says she will spend the weekend studying for finals at a friend's house. In fact, they cross the border into Mexico for a beach weekend. On the way home, Sofi learns at the U.S. border that she is undocumented; a detail her parents had never shared with her as they hadn't anticipated it would be something she would need to know. She ends up
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Nov 14, 2011
Agatha
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By the same author as ESTRELLA'S QUINCEANERA. Sofi Mendoza lies to her parents and travels to Tiajuana for a rockin’ beach party during her senior year in high school. Lo and behold, she finds out that when she tries to come back, she is stopped at the border b/c her green card was a fake. . . her parents had never told her! She must go live with her aunt’s family in Rosasito if and until things can be worked out. Will she have to live in Mexico forever? Why didn’t she just appreciate what
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Dec 02, 2008
Jenny
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This was a great book and one that I would highly recommend to young adult girl readers, especially those who are from Mexico or whose family is from Mexico. The story is believable! Sofi sneaks away during a weekend to go to Tijuana, Mexico with her friends and party with a boy she has a crush on. As her and her friends approach the border, they get the green light to drive through without their papers being checked. The trip is a disaster (the boy is not as cool as she thought) and when So
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Jul 02, 2010
Sofi was three years old when she moved from Mexico to the U.S. with her parents. She can’t speak Spanish and the most she knows about the Mexican culture is eating at Taco Bell. Sofi sneaks out to go to a party in Tijuana. When Sofi is on the way back into California she is told by border control that her green card is counterfeit and can’t return to the U.S. she must stay in Mexico with an Aunt that lived there. Sofi soon realizes that living in Mexico is much different than her life in Cali.
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May 05, 2009
Mexican-born Sofi gets a rude awakening when she sneaks off for a weekend in Tijuana and gets detained at the border--unbeknownst to her, her green card is a fake, and her parents illegal immigrants. Fortunately she has relatives in Mexico and what starts out as nightmarish turns into a life-changing experience for a high school senior who didn't even speak Spanish before she was trapped in Mexico.
The Girls Gone Wild weekend that starts the book led me to wonder whether this was a mi More...
The Girls Gone Wild weekend that starts the book led me to wonder whether this was a mi More...
Apr 15, 2009
Sara E.
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As a Latina I can say that I definitely enjoyed this book. I have met a few people in my life who have lived in this country since they were two or three and were essentially American, but whose parents never got papers for them, and they were penalized for this, being unable to get a job, a license, or go to college.
The most important lessons in this book are a spoiled teen learning to appreciate the opportunities she has been given, along with learning to appreciate her culture. S More...
The most important lessons in this book are a spoiled teen learning to appreciate the opportunities she has been given, along with learning to appreciate her culture. S More...
May 11, 2008
Jennifer
rated it: 
Reviewed by Cho for TeensReadToo.com
Sofi Mendoza's life was made when she and her best friends were invited to the hottest party of the year.
Just when Sofi thought everything was perfect, her overprotective parents say she can't go. But that doesn't stop her -- after she tells her parents a lie, she heads straight to the party.
After the party, Sofi and a group of her friends decide to make a quick trip to Tijuana and make it back before morning, but little d More...
Sofi Mendoza's life was made when she and her best friends were invited to the hottest party of the year.
Just when Sofi thought everything was perfect, her overprotective parents say she can't go. But that doesn't stop her -- after she tells her parents a lie, she heads straight to the party.
After the party, Sofi and a group of her friends decide to make a quick trip to Tijuana and make it back before morning, but little d More...
Sep 03, 2007
LFPL Teen Services
rated it:
Sofi Mendoza is a Mexican-American girl who can barely speak Spanish and favorite Mexican meal is from Taco Bell. When her fun and posh friends invite her to a secret party in Tijuana, she thinks of nothing except of Nick, the cute senior she will seduce into becoming her boyfriend.
Crossing the border into Mexico is a breeze and the weekend turns sour when Sofi discovers that Nick is a jerk. And then, she's stopped at the border when trying to return to California. She watches her f More...
Crossing the border into Mexico is a breeze and the weekend turns sour when Sofi discovers that Nick is a jerk. And then, she's stopped at the border when trying to return to California. She watches her f More...
Sep 11, 2007
Lisa
rated it:
Sofi Mendoza is a Mexican-American girl who can barely speak Spanish and favorite Mexican meal is from Taco Bell. When her fun and posh friends invite her to a secret party in Tijuana, she thinks of nothing except of Nick, the cute senior she will seduce into becoming her boyfriend.
Crossing the border into Mexico is a breeze and the weekend turns sour when Sofi discovers that Nick is a jerk. And then, she's stopped at the border when trying to return to California. She watches her f More...
Crossing the border into Mexico is a breeze and the weekend turns sour when Sofi discovers that Nick is a jerk. And then, she's stopped at the border when trying to return to California. She watches her f More...
Nov 25, 2011
Fox
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
May 31, 2009
Julia
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The beginning of this novel was almost repulsive. The voice of Sofi and the other characters were so disingenuous and lame. As I plowed through, it got better, kind of... I never bought Sofi's attachment to America and American things, but there were some nice descriptive passages of life in Mexico. I felt compelled to continue reading, so I did. I liked it in the way that I like reality t.v. It's completely predictable and offers distraction.
Nov 30, 2010
Jocelyn
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This book was really good. It's about a girl that came here with her family when she was about three years old. She does not have papers, but her parents never her told that, and one day when she goes to Tijuana, Mexico, she doesn't have the papers. So she can't go.
I really liked this book. It was really interesting, especially because it was about a girl around my age. This was good but it wasnt as good as ALWAYS RUNNING.
I really liked this book. It was really interesting, especially because it was about a girl around my age. This was good but it wasnt as good as ALWAYS RUNNING.
Nov 15, 2007
Jean
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This starts out as a typical teen "I love him, but he never notices me and my parents are too strict" novel. But it takes a left turn in Mexico when Sofi finds out her ID is forged and that she and her parents are "illegal." She is forced to stay in Mexico, but conveniently, an aunt she's never met lives in the town she was partying in, near the border. Sofi has to live with her aunt's family, learning to get along in a too small house with no phone, no money, no hope. Bu
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Dec 01, 2010
Vanessa
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The back two-thirds of the book has a great story, but I'm weren't reading this for a group I'd never have pushed myself past the Danielle Steele-level painful first 70 pages. Competent if not particularly elegant writing. Probably great for its intended tween-and-teen audience.
May 14, 2008
Maya
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Sofi Mendoza's Guide to Getting Lost in Mexico was good and exciting for the most part, but at the beginning of the book Sofi really annoyed me. I also think it should have been written from the first-person point of view; it seemed disconnected and awkward. It has a really good storyline and had a lot of potential, but I feel like some parts of the book were badly written. I understood most of the Spanish words but there were a few that I was unsure of, and it was annoying to have to look in th
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Jan 01, 2010
Hailey
rated it:
Pretty Good
Could have been a little bit less oriented on boyfriends (she had 5 or so throughout the book which was like 5 months)
plot was good though
she has fake citizenship papers so when she sneaks off to a party in mexico
she can't return
Could have been a little bit less oriented on boyfriends (she had 5 or so throughout the book which was like 5 months)
plot was good though
she has fake citizenship papers so when she sneaks off to a party in mexico
she can't return
Apr 06, 2009
Erika
rated it:
A somewhat fluffy story about a young Latina's coming of age. Sofi comes off as somewhat spoiled and self-absorbed, and even though she learns to love her family in Mexico, there's nothing here that hasn't already been done much better before.
Mar 24, 2011
Lucy
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Sofi Mendoza's family lived in Mexico until she was three years old, but as far as Sofi's concerned, she's American. She has no memory of her life in Mexico - she doesn't even speak Spanish!
Everything changes when she and her friends lie to their parents and sneak away to a friend's graduation party in Tijuana. On the way back to California, Sofi is stopped at the border: her green card is false. Her American citizenship is not valid.
Sofi, stuck in Mexico with her cous More...
Everything changes when she and her friends lie to their parents and sneak away to a friend's graduation party in Tijuana. On the way back to California, Sofi is stopped at the border: her green card is false. Her American citizenship is not valid.
Sofi, stuck in Mexico with her cous More...
Mar 15, 2010
Maggie
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Yes, this could have been you if your parents hadn't immigrated (legally or not), and aren't you so lucky that you were able to get back to America and be a legal citizen? Good lessons and growing up story
Oct 31, 2009
Amy
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Good Book! It totally helped me with my espanol, plus it was hilarious and had a really sweet love story.
Aug 17, 2009
Apryl
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Great YA novel! Plus takes place in one of my favorite places - Baja Norte.
Mar 25, 2008
Frezanda
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Overall I like this book. At first I don't really like Sofi as she is kind of self absorbed. The fact that she was stranded in Mexico is afterall her own fault not her parents. But I love the honest potrayal of Mexico from its poverty to its cultural richness. I guess I am more Mexican than American ( not literally, I am Asian) in point of view and way of life so I can relate. It's not as easy to live in third world country. America seems like a dream country. Thankfully Sofi matured, it has ago
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Aug 26, 2009
Guadalupe
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lost in mexico is a very good book its about a girl who wants to go to mexico with her friends but her parents want to dont let her go but she does go. could she go back tho the united states
Aug 05, 2008
Ellen
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I really enjoyed this book! I was thinking of my students as I read it and wondered how they would react if put in the same position as Sofi. I believe this will be my next book for students to read!! Auntie Ann read it, too and wanted to strangle Sofi as she was whining about her bad luck and it not being fair (as did I, but with some curiosity to what would make her turn around)...but Sofi does indeed come around, which is predictable, otherwise why write the book, but what is interesting i
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