I received a complimentary copy of Don't Ask Me Where I'm From from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This novel surprised me in so many wonderful ways! I appreciated the Latina point-of-view, which is not a huge presence in YA. Struggles including impromptu jobs, little money, lack of opportunities for equal education, race and socioeconomic discrimination, and possible deportation affect every member of Liliana's family, casting overwhelming shadows over most every moment of their lives. A strong character, Liliana defied or at least challenged the odds against her. I was actually quite inspired by her spirit. (So much so that I plan to use the assembly activity for a class lesson to help 6th graders become more accepting!)

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book rang true for me. The story of a first generation student integrated into a more affluent school and the struggles she has not only as a Latina but also as a high school student of color in a whole new world will hopefully open the eyes of many. Parents that want the best for their children and children that are making the most of their situations is clearly exemplified in this book. Great read for adults and students alike.

15-year-old Liliana Cruz, has a lot on her plate. Here’s her laundry list: best friend troubles, keeping her little brothers in line, dealing with her dad who always seems to be traveling, and trying to fit in at Westburg. Westburg is the wealthy, suburban, majority-white high school where Liliana has just been accepted. It is quite different from her inner city Boston neighborhood.

Liliana, is half-Guatemalan and half-El Salvadorian. So, she wonders, if maybe it would benefit her to change her name and way she talks? Then some hard truths come to light. Is her father traveling more or does he just not want to come home. This fact has put her whole family in jeopardy.

On top of all this the racial tensions at school are reaching what seems to be insurmountable proportions.

This is a well written novel for the teen audience as the characters make their way through friendships and romantic relationships.

This book was reviewed by me on Goodreads. My review can be found at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48426158-don-t-ask-me-where-i-m-from

This is what I wrote after giving it 4 stars:

I must confess I began reading this book and did not stop until I read the last word.

Looking back on my reading of the book made me aware of the different lenses I used throughout the story.

1. First and foremost, how did the story compare with my Latinx lens, with a constant eye for using what I know about my culture, (my education, my family stories, or the stories of Latinx people I have met) to either believe or be turned off by the writing? How believable was this author? Check plus! There were so many true little details among the Guatemalans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, or altogether the children of families who migrated to this country and live in that dual-culture world.

2. How did the two high schools compare? I have been to both, and I have taught (briefly) in both. Physical descriptions were truly believable.

3. Why didn't I give the book 5 stars? There was one unanswered question bugging me throughout the book: how did the family make it to pay rent, pay for utilities, and buy food, especially since Dad wasn't around, there was no family close, and mom couldn't get a job? Yes, the mom would pick up little jobs here and there, but there was no constancy in this to justify covering a family of 4 living in the city.

4. I liked that there was no dreamy ending with race relations at school, but just a seed that was planted (the paper & markers mural). It's up to all of us to make a change.

5. Would I buy this book for our library and recommend it to teachers and students? Yes!

Thanks to NetGalley for bringing my attention to this book and sharing it with me.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book to read. I was not given it in exchange for a positive review. I could not put this one down. I loved the characters and how well De Leon drew me into Liliana's struggle. A new school where she is an outcast (poor, Latinx, etc.), undocumented parents, and a father who has been deported are all major issues for her.....as well as friendships and romantic relationships and how teens navigate those. I love the empowerment involved and how there isn't a Hollywood element here.

Interesting story of young immigrant girl thrust into unfamiliar surroundings and how she adjusts. Lol I is a strong female character and inspirational. Good story that held my interest.

As someone who lives in MA and knows people who have had experience with the METCO program, it was very interesting to compare some of Liliana's experiences to those I've heard about. The cushy suburbs west of Boston offer plenty of opportunities, but acceptance of minorities can be a mixed bag, and I think De Leon does a strong job of showing both the positive and negative experiences Liliana has with this. She also portrays the struggle of uncertainty that the families of undocumented immigrants experience, and unfortunately, it is all too topical. De Leon gives voice to people who are not always heard from as often as they should be.

I reviewed an ARC of this book from Netgalley. It was okay, definitely not my favorite, but I think my students will like it because it deals with the racism and division/segregation that goes on in schools, still even today in 2020. I needed a better ending though to give this one a higher rating.

Liliana Cruz is perhaps her school's best writer, and when she has the chance to leave her inner city school for a prestigious program in the suburbs, Liliana is not all that excited, but her mother is thrilled.

Once ensconced in her new school, Liliana struggles to understand where she fits in among the affluent, white students who call the school home. She struggles in her classes, and when a basketball star is knocked off the team, tensions come to head between the students bused to the school and those zoned for it.

As a teacher, I felt the book was well-written for a teen audience and did not talk down to young adults or become preachy. I felt Liliana's family struggle was handled deftly, as was the relationships between her new and old friends.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it for my students.

A gut wrenching urban to suburban story of a teenage child of two undocumented immigrants. You get to follow Lili(ana) as she navigates homelife vs. School life in two drastically difference environments.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was a contemporary YA romance that revolved around the theme of race. The language was Abit gritty for me but thought this was a good read for our youth of today.

This book reminds me our our local high schools -- I love how real the characters are. Teens will enjoy the story of a young girl transferred to a new school in order to reap educational benefits, only to find out she needs to change her ways -- and her color (!) -- to survive the new environment. Will she be able to fit in AND remember her own culture?

A very timely novel, well written, and engaging. As a teacher of predominantly minority students, I'm always looking for representation in YA for them. Liliana Cruz is a wonderful character. De Leon shows us through this book how even though technically segregation doesn't exist, it still does. Liliana gets accepted into the METCO program, that takes her from her comfortable neighborhood school and friends to a white school in a suburban neighborhood. While she struggles with those changes, she also has to cope at home with her missing father and the home life; we discover De Leon's parents are undocumented and her father has been deported.

Despite the serious subject matter, I really enjoyed this book and would absolutely recommend it to my students and other teens who cross my path.

I enjoyed this story that is very relevant to today. Both sides of the issue of immigrants and refugees was represented I believe fairly. A well written book that every adult and teenager should read.

When Liliana Cruz finds out she’s been accepted into the METCO program and will have to switch from her inner-city high school to a wealthy suburban one she doesn’t want to go. Who would? But Liliana decides to make her recently missing dad proud and she rises to the challenge. Jennifer De Leon’s debut YA novel, Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From, takes on a lot of difficult but timely themes--race, class, bussing and undocumented immigrants. De Leon handles it all with realistic characters, a sense of humor and a clear style that keeps the reader eager to see what happens next. If certain plot points seem a bit contrived and others strangely skimmed over, the entire story is still compelling and well done. Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From tells a strong story about life as an outsider trying to fit in, and manages to show many views in a very real way. De Leon’s story will resonate with a lot of students and give others something to think about. A definite must-read in the vein of Angie Thomas, Ibi Zoboi and Elizabeth Acevedo.

As a teacher, I found this novel to be exceptionally gripping. Lilliana Cruz is a student who is accepted into the METCO program at a suburban high school, leaving her old school and the world behind in Jamaica Plains, Boston. Lili and the other students in the METCO program are adding diversity to the white upper-middle-class high school. Lili's father has been missing for the last few months and when the reader discovers where he is it very timely for this current climate. Lili needs to navigate her relationship with her mom, her new school and classmates who are increasingly rude and racist. Her teachers make assumptions about her because she is Hispanic and does not seem to realize and/or care how their remarks affect her. I can not recommend this novel more and would definitely recommend it to my students.

I enjoyed reading this book. I definitely feel this book should be required reading. The thought put into it, helping you understand the plight of immigrant families.
The empathy you feel for this family and the realization hits that these are struggles people face everyday. We all have a choice in how we deal with people who maybe in a similar situation. Highlights the importance of learning about people and not judging. The importance of family and coming together in difficult times. So much can be taken from this wonderfully written novel. This book felt comfortable to me because I know these people, diffrent names, immigrated from diffrent countries, but I understand and empathize with this family. It is one I would recommend. Truly enjoyed this one. Thank You #Netgalley for the opportunity to check it out early.

Liliana Cruz, a first-gen American Latinx living in Boston, is just trying to navigate being 15, with annoying little brothers, a dad who is MIA, and a mom who is depressed. Suddenly, she’s told she will be going to a nearly all-white school an hour away in Westburg.
While Liliana is trying to navigate this new world, she learns that her dad has been gone for over a month not because he wants to, but because he can’t come back. In an effort to do what she thinks will make her dad proud, Liliana decides to use her voice and speak her truth.

I enjoyed this book, as I found Liliana’s teenage voice very real. I could personally relate to Liliana struggling with fitting in with the (handful of) other students of color, as well as dealing with the racist actions of many of the white students around her.
I also really liked that things didn’t end perfectly at her school, but it was like a seed had been planted to actually open honest dialogue about how racism affects everyone.
I would definitely recommend this as a YA book to others.

Very enjoyable YA novel narrated by Lili (Liliana Cruz) as she navigates being bused to a suburban, majority white, high school as part of a diversity program. While she struggles with keeping touch with her life-long friends, grades, making new friends, and the long hours of commuting, she worries over her father's absense and mother's depression. Very topical, with some predictability, but not at all trite.

This book is well written and should be required reading for anyone growing up in this crazy period of history. In fact, it should be required reading for anyone. This book teaches empathy in a way that only truly honest books can. I highly recommend it and will be sharing it with all the educators I know.