Una Jornada Hacia La Esperanza

by Victor Hinojosa, Coert Voorhees, Susan Guevara (Illustrator)

La historia de cuatro niños migrantes no acompañados que se unen a lo largo del arduo viaje hacia el norte a través de México hasta la frontera de los Estados Unidos, Una Jornada Hacia la Esperanza es una oda al poder de la esperanza y la conexión ante la incertidumbre y el miedo.

Cada año, aproximadamente 50,000 menores no acompañados llegan a la frontera entre los Estados Unidos y México para presentarse para asilo o visas relacionadas. La mayoría de estos niños huyen de la violencia sistémica del “Triángulo del Norte” de Centroamé Honduras, El Salvador y Guatemala. Una Jornada Hacia la Esperanza cuenta la historia de Rodrigo, un niño de 14 años que escapa de la violencia hondureña; Alessandra, una guatemalteca de 10 años cuyo primer idioma es el Q’eqchi ’; y los hermanos salvadoreños Laura y Nando. Aunque sus razones por hacer el viaje son diferentes y la jornada hacia el norte es peligroso, los cuatro niños se unen y se fortalecen mientras se comparten los sueños de su pasado y las esperanzas de su futuro.

Escrito en colaboración con el Proyecto Global sobre el Hambre y la Migración en la Colaboración de Innovación Social de la Universidad de Baylor, Una Jornada Hacia la Esperanza presenta cuatro páginas de información adicional y recursos para padres, maestros de escuela, bibliotecarios y otros.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Immigration, Realistic Fiction, Latinx, Cultural, Fiction

39 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2020

Reviews

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a wonderful story that needs to be told!

It's so lovely that tales like these are getting out and showing the world. While it's a sad tale, it is a very hopeful story. We follow Alessandra as she tries to take a very tough journey. She is a refugee and is trying to get to safety with her family.

I think this is a marvelous way to introduce immigration to children, especially since in my community we have many children who have stories similar to this. I think it tells the story in an easy to follow way and makes it so you feel for the characters. It does make the story way safer and nicer than it (most likely) truly is. That being said, this is a children's picture book so it probably is better it didn't go into the rough depths of these tales.

The pictures are unique, but a little strange with the water colour pictures. They looked kind of weird to me on some of the pages, but I still kind of liked the style. It's a 3/5 for style on my accounts.

Overall, this is an important story and is told beautifully.

Three out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Six Foot Press for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from Six Foot Press through NetGalley.
3.5 stars
Sensitive portrayal of four children who seek to come to the United States to escape their situations in Central American countries. They connect along the way and stay together until they get to the Nueve Laredo camp in Laredo, Mexico.
My main concern is the small font size. It is difficult to read and elementary level readers will struggle with this. The message is important and the illustrations are lovely and include plenty of meaning when readers study them closely.
Informative text included at the end as well.

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's sometimes hard for Americans to think about allowing their children to travel unaccompanied by an adult through their own and neighboring countries, but that is exactly what sometimes happens when kids lives in countries where they are no longer safe. And that is the story of the four migrant children in this book.

Alessandra, 10 leaves her home in Guatemala, hoping to reunite with her mother; Laura, 13, and her brother Nando, 7, must leave El Salvador and live with their aunt and uncle in the US; Rodrigo, 14, is leaving his home in Honduras where things are no longer safe for him, and joining his parents in Nebraska.

As they journey toward the United States, they meet and form themselves into a protective little family. Their journey is long and often perilous. At one point, Laura falls out of the boat to Mexico and Rodrigo loses a shoe and must go barefoot until he is given shoes at a shelter.

The children are often hungry, but sometimes find kindness among strangers in shelters where they can sleep and among other who give them food. They must travel by foot and by boat, but once they are in Mexico, they can jump La Bestia, a series of connecting trains where they must ride atop the cars, the most dangerous part of the trip, but one that will take them closer to the U.S. border.

Though the story ends before they do reach the United States/Mexico border, their journey is always a journey of hope - each child has a dream for their future that they hope can be fulfilled in America.

This is an excellent picture book for older reader for introducing them to what is going on in the world today, particularly at the border between American and Mexico, and generating some informative discussions. Each child's story is simply told in accessible language. The illustrations are bright, done in a palette of soft pastels. Readers will also notice that each child has a lightly drawn animal by him or her. Be sure to read the Illustrator' Note to discover the meaning behind these animals. There is also more information in the back matter about the reality of life for migrant children as well as ways to get involved and help. Though I have reviewed the English edition of this book, there is a Spanish language edition available as well: Una jornada hacia la esperanza.

This book is recommended for readers age 8+
This book was gratefully received from Casey Blackwell at Media Masters Publicity

[Jessica Haider · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Journey Toward Hope is a picture book about 4 children from Central & South America making the journey toward the United States. The story tells of the challenges and obstacles they face and the hope that they hold for their life in America.

The illustrations in the book were beautiful and a bit dreamlike. The story itself was good and got the point across of the challenges they faced without being too graphic. This story book would be good for elementary school aged children. This would be a good pick if trying to educate children about refugees.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Jenn Georges · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is a wonderful story of hope especially for migrant children. I work with a lot of families that have done this to seek a better life for their loved ones. I think the message is very powerful. One suggestion would be the find a better font/color for the text. It was a little difficult to read because the text blended with the illustrations on many of the pages. Other wise it was an great story. I would recommend this book to any elementary school teacher especially this dealing with high migrant populations.

[Cathleen (Woven From Words) · Rating 5 out of 5]

**I received a copy of 'A Journey Toward Hope' through NetGalley and Six Foot Press, in exchange for an honest review**

'A Journey Toward Hope' is a moving story about the struggles four migrant children face as they travel through dangerous conditions in order to attain a better life. Each child featured in the book have a different life story, yet they all share the common goal to life a better life, without the fear of violence. These children's stories are portrayed as a snapshot of what the reality is for many children migrating to the US without their families, forced to leave what's familiar to them behind.

The illustrations in the book are stunning, as we see the children's immediate surroundings with vibrant images and animals spread throughout the pages. We witness the plight of these children as they travel through unknown territory, yet the images are presented in a way that's not extremely graphic. Each child is also represented through different animals, their interpretations included in the story.

'A Journey Toward Hope' does a wonderful job educating children about the current situation migrant children face as they're traveling through Central America and Mexico to reach a better life. This would be a great story for young elementary school children. I also appreciate that this book will be available in both English and Spanish upon publication, as well as educational materials for teachers.

[Rajiv · Rating 5 out of 5]

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A BIG Thank You to Netgalley and Six Foot Press for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of “Journey Toward Hope” for my review.

This is a short yet beautifully written children’s picture book. Firstly, the illustrations by Susan Guevara are breathtaking. Each page has a beautiful watercolor feel to it with bright colors that make the story stand out. Moreover, you immediately root for all the characters because they are brave and hopeful! No matter how arduous their journey is, they keep moving on for a better future. Also, I loved how the book depicted each character as a separate animal to showcase their strengths. Furthermore, I found the footnotes at the end of the book very informative as well. It has a note from Baylor University that talks about how there are many children who migrate from Central America to the United States for various reasons, and not all of them are pleasant.

While I loved how positive and hopeful the characters sounded in the book, I wish the author had also depicted the dangers better. As this is a children’s book, I can understand the limitations to what they can put in. However, the story makes it sound like the kids have a fun time sitting on top of trains and have no problems in Mexico City like theft etc. It would have been nice if the author included this somehow. Also, I cannot imagine the street life in Mexico City being friendly towards homeless children. But this is a very minor aspect.

Having said that, I really liked the rest of the book. Overall, this is a beautifully illustrated children’s book that I feel should be in all the schools and libraries.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations in this book are simply stunning, they’re colourful and inviting and they left me with such a warming feeling. While the story explores the children’s experiences of leaving their homes for a better life, and is filled with hope and a little drama, I feel it could maybe be written slightly better in parts (just the sentence structure and maybe could be slightly simpler) but overall it’s a lovely book which explores a topic that all children need to understand better.

[Najah Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This child'ren's book ambitiously aims to explain the concept of fleeing and asylum for immigrants through vivid brushstrokes and hopeful language. Reading the text, you tread between heartbreak for these children and wonder at the artist for being able to see these animals in trains, buses, etc. I enjoyed the story of Rodrigo and his friends. I believe that, if read with similar books, you can expose a child at a early age without depressing them, to concepts of social justice like this.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great text that informs children and their story-teller about the hushed subject of child immigration. It raises awareness while connecting the reader to the individual stories of the children involved. Great story!
*NetGalley provided me with an ARC of this book, but all views and opinions are my own.

[Medeia Sharif · Rating 5 out of 5]

A group of unaccompanied children from Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala go on a train ride through Mexico to gain freedom in the United States. The serious text combined with the beautiful and colorful illustrations deliver a powerful story. I read this via NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.

[Pooja Banga · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was sent to me by Netgalley in exchange of an honest review

A Journey Toward Hope tells the story of Rodrigo, a 14-year-old escaping Honduran violence; Alessandra, a 10-year-old Guatemalan whose first language is Q'eqchi'; and the Salvadoran siblings Laura and Nando. Though their reasons for making the journey are different and the journey northward is perilous, the four children band together, finding strength in one another as they share the dreams of their past and the hopes for their future.


The use of colours on every page is breathtaking and the illustrations used is just brillant

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Journey Toward Hope is a touching story about four children and the journey they take to migrate to America. Victor Hinojosa and Coert Voorhees a beautiful book with stunning illustrations, sure to appeal to children and educate them at the same time. The story provides information about what the children must do to rejoin their families in the United States, and there is also an informational page at the end with resources to learn more about the dangers of the process and how to help with world hunger.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Six Foot Press for the advance copy.

[Artep · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Journey Toward Hope tells the stories of four unaccompanied migrant children making their way across Central America to the United States, where they hope to apply for asylum.

Writing a book on this topic for young kids is obviously tricky because the authors need to walk the thin line of attracting interest and raising awareness while leaving out some of the bleaker details (and, let's face it, there are a lot of bleak details in the reality of asylum seekers at the US border). This book errs on the side of being too optimistic, aided by the colorful and absolutely gorgeous illustrations by Susan Guevara. This might make it more age-appropriate for its intended audience, but I did wish it had delved into the issue with a bit more depth. A more factual presentation of migrants' condition is included at the end of the book, but I still hoped more of the information would make it into the storytelling itself.

Another small gripe is that the typesetting was somewhat uninspired, especially when compared to the lovely illustrations.

Even with the minor criticisms, this is a beautifully illustrated story that needs to be told today.

[Elizabeth Hobbs Voss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Migrant children face dangers, share hope for better life



A Journey Toward Hope

Written by Victor Hinojosa and Coert Voorhees and illustrated by Susan Guevara

Six Foot Press, 2020

Four children from different Central American countries join forces during their long and perilous journey to America in “A Journey Toward Hope.” They are “unaccompanied minors,” but they find strength in one another.

Ten-year-old Alessandra of Guatemala and 14-year-old Rodrigo of Honduras intend to rejoin their parents, who came to America seeking a better life for their families. Laura, 13, and her brother, Nando, 7, of El Salvador plan to live with their aunt and uncle. Their parents are sending them to America so they will have better lives.

Award-winning illustrator Susan Guevara brings the story to life with beautiful, colorful two-page spreads. She adds Central-American folk art-influenced details to her artwork.

“I’m coming to meet you, Mama,” whispers Alessandra as she begins her journey.


Nando cries and says he does not want to leave. His sister Laura comforts him.


”I’ll be with you, Nando,” she says. “We can be strong together.”


Rodrigo leaves a note on his sleeping little sister’s bed before he leaves. He tells her that soon the whole family will be together and be happy.


Alessandra and Rodrigo meet in El Ceibo as they are about to cross into Mexico. Right away, both sense that they can trust one another.


Soon the two of them meet Laura and Nando. Then the four children form a team to complete their journey.

Halfway across the Suchiate River, Laura slips off the raft and tumbles into the rolling water. A stranger rescues her. Nando hugs her tightly.


The four children continue to face hunger and danger along the way, but they also enjoy the kindness of strangers and the friendship of one another. Together they dream and hope for bright futures. The author says Alessandra will become an artist, Rodrigo will be a doctor, Laura will be a chef, and Nando will be a track star.


This book is a collaboration between Baylor professor Victor Hinojosa, his students, and children’s author Coert Voorhees. Every year, about 50,000 unaccompanied minors arrive at the U.S. – Mexico border seeking asylum and related visas. Most of them are fleeing poverty and violence in Central America’s Northern Triangle (Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala}. Hinojosa and his students wanted to tell their story to children.


Four pages of backmatter in the book tell more about the problems raised by the book, the Global Hunger and Migration Project at Baylor University, and illustrator Guevara’s folk art-influenced artwork.

“A Journey Toward Hope” is a moving story and an important one, especially in the current political climate. It will help children and adults alike better understand the plight of migrant children.



About the Authors

Victor Hinojosa, PhD, is an associate professor of political science in the Honors Program at Baylor University. His primary research is in Latin American politics and U.S. – Latin American relations. He directs the Global Hunger and Migration Project, a social innovation laboratory at the Baylor University Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty. In this project, faculty and students address the challenges of child migration from Mexico and the Northern Triangle of Central America (Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador). Dr. Hinojosa lives in Waco, TX.

Coert Voorhees is the author of the Grammaropolis and Storm Wranglers children’s book series. He also wrote the novels “On the Free, In Too Deep,” a Junior Library Guild selection; “Lucky Fools,” a Junior Library Guild selection; and “The Brothers Torres,” which was named to the ALA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults.

About the Illustrator

Susan Guevara has illustrated more than 20 children’s books including the best-selling “Chato’s Kitchen.” She is two-time winner of the Pura Belpre Award. Visit her at susanguevara.com.

Can You Read Me a Story? on Blogger

[The Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Journey Toward Hope is the story of four migrant children traveling from Central America to the US with dreams of a better life. 10-year old Alessandra from Guatemala, 13-year old Laura, and 7-year old Nando from El Salvador and 14-year old Rodrigo from Honduras, each begins the trek for different reasons but band together in hopes of seeing their dreams become a reality.

The illustrations in this book are stunning. Susan Guevara uses watercolors to capture the light of the children's hopes for a better future or experiencing the humanity of others along the way and then darkening to capture their despair when hunger or fear set in. We can see the traces of her connection to Central American folk art through her use of animals to depict the spirit of each character and the use of Mayan glyphs throughout the text.

This book is excellent for introducing young readers to the plight some children face in this world to get the freedoms some take for granted. In some parts along the journey, the author captures a lightness in the mood, which may lead some children to believe it's a fun adventure, so it provides many opportunities to spark conversations about why families make these journeys and the dangers they face along the way. The information in the back of the book offers more accurate information about the experience many migrants face and how we can help.

Thank you to NetGalley and Six Foot Press for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

[K.L. Bernard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every year thousands of children journey on their own to make it to the United States. The journey of this story begins with the authors who want readers to learn about the challenges and obstacles these children face so they can have a future.

Rodrigo, Alessander, Laura and Nando are all from different parts of South America and yet they all have a common goal. They want a better life for themselves in America. They know the journey ahead will be long and treaturous but inspite of that they have hope. They see that many others have the same dream and in some instances are met with kindness. But even after they reach the border they still have an even longer journey ahead.

Although this story feels light and colorful the underlying darkeness is there. This darkness is the journey and the many harmful things that could and do happen to these children. This book will bring about an awareness that can not be ignored. The back pages provide maps of the journey, how you can get involved and how Baylor University is taking charge of The Global Hunger and Migration Project. Parents and teachers can use this guide as a way of bringing attention the this struggle and offer solutions as to how everyone can help.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Telling the story of 4 children from different backgrounds, A Journey Toward Hope gives an insight into the journeys that many children take in the hopes of reaching a better future in America. Travelling from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, the children meet on a boat and stay together as they journey on toward the Mexican border on the dangerous journey away from everything they know.
Although a work of fiction, this book draws on the true stories of many children who make the journey from central America to the US and tells of some of the things, both good and bad, that they experience on the way. Told sensitively, this book is important in sharing the plight of many children who don't know what they will face when they reach the border.
Beautifully illustrated and told in child friendly language, this would be a great book to use if teaching about immigration and migrants and the experiences they face.
I received an eARC of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Vera Godley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated, emotional story of four young teens who leave their home countries (all different) and embark on a journey from poverty and danger to freedom and plenty to be had in the United States.

This is a controversial subject as the crisis of undocumented, illegal immigrants crossing the border into the United States of America continues. While sympathetic to their need to escape dire circumstances in their homelands, their desired host country has specific rules or laws that govern who can cross and how to do so.

But this story simply recounts the hope and the dangers these four unrelated youngsters encounter as they journey. It is a gentle story told of youngsters who will one day become a doctor, a chef, etc. and when they reach the border anticipate asking for asylum.

Beautifully told story of hope and of need.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

It can be difficult to explain to younger readers the complex concept of kids their age leaving their families and their home, and walking hundreds of miles to come to the United States. This book seeks to explain why some kids have to leave and what the journey looks like. This book balances the reality of the situation for many while also trying to make this book easy to understand for many readers. I don't feel that hazardous conditions of home or the conditions of travel are often covered in a picture book format, so for that I applaud this book.
The illustrations combined with all of the information packed into this short story is incredible. I hope that it is shared as a learning tool for classrooms all over the US and I hope it inspires other young readers to advocate for other asylum seekers.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Four unaccompanied migrant children cross paths on their long, dangerous journey north through Mexico to the United States border in this ode to the power of hope and connection even in the face of uncertainty and fear. Representing the approximately 50,000 unaccompanied minors fleeing the systemic violence of Central America’s "Northern Triangle" that comprises Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala are Rodrigo, a fourteen-year-old escaping Honduran violence; Alessandra, a ten-year-old Guatemalan whose first language is Q'eqchi'; and Salvadoran siblings Laura and Nando. Though their reasons for making the trip are different and the journey northward is perilous, the four children band together, finding strength in one another as they share the dreams of their past and the hopes for their future. Complementing the powerful text are Susan Guevara's stunning illustrations.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This simple picture book shows the hope that young immigrant children feel as they travel alone or with groups of other children toward freedom and safety in The United States. There are so many unaccompanied minors who attempt this dangerous trek toward their parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and others who have arrived before them. Illustrator Susan Guevara captures the beauty that is Central America. Her portrayal of the market in México made me smile with the glorious detail in the scene. From papel picado and tiny ofrendas to calaveras de azúcar and pan de muerto, my heart warmed as the essence of fall in Mexico decorated the two page spread. This beautiful book is available in English and Spanish, making it one bilingual families can share together.

[Annamarie Carlson (she, her)]

Children Alessandra, Laura, Nando, and Rodrigo travel, unaccompanied, north from Central America, nearly 1,000 miles through Mexico, to seek asylum in the United States. Although the children don't know each other when the book begins, and language differences sit between them, they become fast friends as the band together to make the dangerous journey north.

Based on the true stories of the 50,000 children who make this journey each year, A Journey Toward Hope provides a unique view into these children's experiences. Paired with four pages of back matter giving more details on the real kids who make these trips each year and information on how to help.

[Amtsull44 · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful book! The illustrations are lovely and the story is heartwarming. A small group of children come together during their journey, looking for a better way of life. I would happily read this to my children to teach them about other little ones who dream of coming to America. These children are just like my children; they have hopes and dreams and aspirations for their future. They just happen to be born elsewhere. I think it would make a beautiful baby shower gift too.

Thank you to NetGalley and Six Foot Press for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Kathleen Mixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this ebook in exchange for an honest and fair review. This book is a wonderful lesson in immigration of children and the difficulty they have as they try to get to the United States in hope of a new more prosperous future. The authors/students and professors at Baylor who researched this topic along with the Illustrator presented a story that is relevant and appropriate to use as a teaching tool in the classroom. They then discuss the premise of the book and how individuals can get involved to help these children. I can imagine that this would be useful in my classroom library.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells the story of four migrant children on their journey through Mexico to the United States. It's a heart-breaking and hopeful glimpse into immigration that will be useful to start important conversations. Notes at the end of the book give more information about the journey the children took and the projects that Baylor University, co-publisher of the book, has launched to address issues related to migration and poverty. Thanks to Media Masters Publicity for a review copy.

[Mayra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated, the topic of refugees from Central America is explained in a clear way young children will understand, though the sadness of the situation is not covered up. How can one find beauty in something so sad? I don't know, but I am glad this book was written and published. I wish it had more publicity so more young students understand what this is all about. As it is, it will be #1 in my list of books to purchase for school next year.

[Sara Magnafichi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Media Masters Publicity for sharing a copy with #Collabookation. This is a heartbreaking, yet hopeful story of four children's journey from Central America, through Mexico, to the United States, as they hope to seek asylum and safety for their future after enduring so much in their country. The pictures and symbolism in this story are beautiful.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a powerful story of immigration from northern Central America to the United States. I loved the paintings that were inspired by local folk art and how the illustrations told both the hardships and the hope. This was a beautiful story and is a must read.

[Dylan Teut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extra special because the immigrants are headed toward Nebraska, where many immigrants are welcomed and accepted. As someone said, "What I see in Nebraska [regarding the welcoming of immigrants and refugees] represents the best of America."