RATING: 3/5 STARS

This book has really important themes, but was very heavy and had a lot of triggers for me.

Thank you Penguin Young Readers and Netgalley for an early copy of this book. This book will break your heart, but it will also mend it. It is full of hope, love, and perseverance. The experiences of immigrants from South and Central America to the United States vary, but this book brings those stories to the forefront and really opened my eyes on what this experience is like. It is not an easy experience and one that we should all understand or at least read about so that we can do better.

This is a hard-hitting book about the very kinds of events so many high school students have faced. It's a powerful, moving book for teens and adults.

This is a fantastic story to provide windows and mirrors to young adult readers. The multiple narrators draw the reader in quickly and build empathy for the events they are faced with in the novel.

WE ARE NOT FROM HERE by Jenny Torres Sanchez is an absolutely stunning read which received multiple starred reviews and numerous accolades, including being named a Pura Belpré 2021 Young Adult Author Honor Book. The action-packed story focuses on the lives of three young people who are fleeing Guatemala. As they follow the infamous train known as La Bestia north through Mexico, Pulga, Chico, and Pequena face a dangerous, brutally difficult journey. Kirkus describes WE ARE NOT FROM HERE as "a gripping, heart-wrenching, and thrilling tale of survival." The short chapters will keep students reading and relevance to current headlines will further enrich discussions.

This is a heart-wrenching book about three teens trying to make their way to the United States from Guatemala. For people who don't understand the very human cost of immigration policies, I want to throw this book at them and tell them to get busy reading. This is a book that I've been thinking about a lot since I finished it. A must-buy for high school collections!

This book was a powerful look at what life is like when trying to make it better. Raw, poignant, and timely.

Have some tissues handy - this will make you cry. Pulga, Chico, and Pequeña are not strangers, they are family, they grew up together, but since Pequeña got pregnant she hasn't been the same. Pulga knows that she needs to leave Guatemala, he knows that in order to be herself again, she needs to go to el norte.

Pulga is a 15-year-old boy with an artist's heart. He is sentimental yet savvy about the world around him and he knows that his future in his small town in Guatemala is grim. He understands that the only chance he has to live a somewhat decent life is to go to America. He, and his best friend Chico, recently witnessed something terrible and because of that they have been forced to start running errands for a local drug dealer.

Pequeña is a 17-year-old who has just given birth to a baby she never wanted, shouldn't have had, and doesn't want to love. She isn't herself anymore and she can't escape him.

Together the trio head north, through Guatemala and into Mexico hoping that riding la bestia will get them to a better tomorrow.

“Because the world doesn't care how much pain you are in, or what terrible thing has happened to you. It continues. Morning comes, whether you want it to or not.”

We Are Not From Here is a book about three young kids from Guatemala. Pulga, Pequena , and Chico have no choice but to leave their village they've known their entire lives. They leave their families behind in the hopes that they will be okay. If they stay they die. This particular story is about their trials and tribulations and their quest for freedom in the United States. Each has memories of home and each has their own reasons for leaving. This book will cause your heart to ache.
This book was the most gut wrenching book I have ever read. It is not short on sadness and just when you think things are looking up for the main characters it gets worse. So much worse. I could not put We Are Not From Here down. I had to know how our main characters fared. If you are looking for a happy ending I do not think that this book is for you. The thing that gets me about this story is how realistic it is, how this happens to so many people making the trip to freedom. This book is an own voices book. One that should be read by so many people because it is important. An important piece of literature.
I can't stop thinking about the characters and what they went through. It was continuous and had my heart going with adrenaline. It is thought-provoking and powerful.

Things I didn't like: I got annoyed with Pulga after awhile because he was strong for so long but then lost himself and his ability to want to keep going. It was frustrating for many chapters. I know people deal with grief and heartbreak in many different ways but for me personally it was hard to read. I also felt like the characters were constantly being barraged by something every few chapters with no reprieve. I just wanted these beautiful characters to flourish. Aside from that this book is one of my favorites for this year.
“You can outrun danger...But you can’t outrun the pain.”
A haunting tale that will never leave you. I highly recommend this book. It is a conversation starter and a book that can show the horrors that many people have to go through to be safe and grasp freedom.

3.5 Stars

CWs: Descriptions of childbirth, self-injury/abortion attempt, some child neglect, gang violence, gun violence, murder, severe injury, blood, dismemberment, fatphobia and fatphobic comments, allusions to rape, as well as descriptions of depression, illness, concussions, and conditions within immigrant detention centers.

"We Are Not From Here" describes a harrowing journey from Guatemala to the U.S.-Mexico border as three friends leave their families behind and run for their lives in search of something better. That journey takes up most of the book, really forcing the reader to sit with the dangers of that choice and confront the trauma that comes with it. It is not, in any sense, an "easy" read, because the realities of undertaking that perilous journey are constantly shown in their fullness.

I do think this book is beautifully written and deeply emotional. It's easy to get invested in this trio, and you want to root for them as they constantly skirt the line between life and death. You want them to keep going, and you want them to be safe, because they deserve that. There's also an interesting use of surrealism woven throughout the text, especially by way of vivid day dreams where the characters imagine they are somewhere else or doing something else. Those out-of-body moments were extremely compelling, and really drove home that desire of wanting to escape or feeling detached from your own reality.

Where the story fell short for me, personally, was towards the end, when I felt the story relied heavily on factors of convenience. I think luck does play a part in any immigration journey such as this, especially if it is to end "successfully," but only to an extent. As a side character in the story actually mentions, this is a journey that some people take upwards of four or five times before even making it all the way, much less making it *into* the States. So the fact that our trio of main characters are young teenagers by themselves who have heard a few stories and did some cursory research at their school's library somewhat pushes the boundaries of believability for me, especially considering where they end up.

I also question who exactly this story is written for and who benefits from this specific kind of immigrant story. I know the author has mentioned that she wrote it for immigrant kids who are facing these same choices and the realities of such a journey every single day, and I think that's completely valid. But I also worry that the people drawn to this story might be people who believe that "immigrant stories" owe them danger, trauma, suffering, and a statement on the "indomitable human spirit." Because of the nature of this book, it sits right in that zone. It *is* deeply traumatic and full of suffering, it's about these three kids who keep going forward only because they cannot go back. It's not that I think it's inaccurate or unearned, but I do worry about the stereotypes it might play into and I wonder how it fits in conversation with real-life Latinx immigrant narratives.

Overall, I think this is a strong story that seeks to shed light on a journey that is all too real for many Latinx immigrants. It strives to show how these three characters are people who deserve their dignity and safety, and how they're willing to fight for it. I appreciate the vision, but as I said some of the execution left me questioning a bit. If this one is of interest, I would encourage people to further contextualize this book with other nonfiction narratives written by Latinx immigrants.

Jenny Torres Sanchez’s latest novel, We Are Not From Here, is an absolutely heart-wrenching story about three teenagers, Pequena, Pulga, and Chico, who are trying to escape the abusive and dangerous conditions they’ve been surrounded by for most of their young lives. Traveling from Guatemala and up through Mexico, the teens are desperate to find a way across the Mexican border into America where they have a chance to live a better and safer life.

I became invested in Pequena, Pulga, and Chico from the moment I first met each of them. My heart broke for them because they felt like they had no choice but to take off on such a dangerous and potentially deadly journey, but I also admired their courage and their loyalty to one another. It was impossible not to root for them to make it safely into America. In that sense, it was a very emotional read for me. I laughed with them at times, but then I also cried a lot and just felt so angry and frustrated that their lives are so hard. As touched as I was by these incredible kids though, it was the tension and suspense that really pulled me along through the story. Every moment of their journey is downright terrifying and tragedy touches them way too many times along the way. I was on the edge of my seat and flew through the pages waiting to see what their fate would be.

We Are Not From Here is a powerful and emotional read, and it’s also an important and timely one. It’s one of those stories I wish everyone would read because I think it would help to create some much needed empathy and understanding toward those who are so desperately looking for a better life for themselves and their loved ones.

If you’re looking for a timely and thought provoking read filled with unforgettable characters and experiences that will move you to tears, We Are Not From Here should be on your reading list. 4.5 STARS

There are a few stories which can capture you and make you feel like you are on the journey with the characters. This is one of them. My heart is hurting. Yes, I know this is fiction. But I also know people live this story every day.

Chico, Pulga, and Pequiña need to leave their hometown, their families, their whole way of life. If they don't they will most likely die. Sanchez shows us the gut-wrenching story of life in Guatemala, so we perfectly understand why the three need to leave the hell they're in, to go through a different hell, all for the chance to stay alive by reaching the United States.

In a time where undocumented neighbors are looked down upon in the "land of the free", this story is a must-read for kids and adults alike. Fans of "Crossing the Wire" will understand and appreciate the heartbreak and terror for the possibility of democracy.

Recommend for middle school and up.

CW: sexual assault, unwanted pregnancy, death, dismemberment, gang violence

Thanks so much to Penguin Teen for providing me with an ARC of this #OwnVoices novel in exchange for an honest review! This book does everything that American Dirt claimed it would do for the migrant experience. Reading this fictionalized version of the story of three teens traveling from Guatemala in the hopes of starting a new life in the states filled me with sadness, fear, hope, and anger.

While Sanchez is unflinching in her condemnation of how the U.S. government treats these refugees, she doesn't hold back in her critique of Mexico, either. In fact, the title phrase "We are not from here" is stated in reference to the fact that Pequeña, Chico, and Pulga couldn't stop journeying through Mexico even when it felt too perilous to continue. Life in Guatemala was too dangerous for them to return, and they would be "illegals" in Mexico if they stayed there instead of continuing to the U.S.

So much of their journey hinged on factors outside their control, or tiny twists of fate. Rather than feeling like deus ex machina , this drives home the point that the difference between survival and death was a mere inch between your hand and the train's railing, an accurate map, or a bottle of water. And then you factor in the age of these children and it breaks your heart even further. The focus on children reminded me of the book "Tell Me How It Ends: An Essay in Forty Questions," which I also highly recommend. If you're going to read a book about migrants in 2020, please make it this one! We Are Not From Here is so powerful and its YA label shouldn't mean that it gets overlooked.

The cover called me name when I saw it and I knew I had to read this book. Then the characters called to me and I knew they would stay in my heart forever. Then the real men, women, and children making this journey called to me and my heart is broken knowing that human beings are being treated this way. Everyone needs to read this book.

We Are Not from Here
Jenny Torres Sanchez

What a phenomenal read about three teens' harrowing journey from Guatemala through Mexico to the US. Based on real life events, the writing was visceral, realistic and gut wrenching. I was completely immersed into the story of these teens' lives as they escape danger as you find yourself rooting for their survival and plight. I highly recommend this book. an absolute 5 star read for me.

Trigger Warnings: rape, sexual assault, death (on page), dismemberment (on page), violence against children, gang violence, racism

We Are Not From Here is one of those books that takes directly from real life experiences and puts on page for the world to experience. While I'm not a 24/7 watcher of the new (sometimes it makes life too depressing), I am actively aware of what's going on. This novel is a clear discussion of the experience of adults and children but more specifically children who make long and dangerous journeys in attempt to seek asylum from the atrocities that are occurring in their home countries. I must warn all readers that Sanchez does not shy away from the difficult topics that come with this book. If I am correct in my assumption, she was aiming to provide as close to a real life example of what people experience when they make these journeys. Due to the care with which she handled this entire book I felt so much in the pit of my soul for Pulga, Chico, and Pequena. This book, these characters made me laugh, cry, and take a look at my own life and realize that I could never imagine in a million years what these children have to go through and what they are willing to do just to make it to safety.

This is the first time that I need to come back and write a review. There is so much that I want to unpack, but I need to make sure that I gather my thoughts in a way to truly express how great this novel is without spoiling it.

Edit: Below is the rest of the review...

The events that lead to the journey of Pulga, Chico, and Pequena weren't easy to follow either. But I think by bringing the atrocities that these children face in their home countries really illustrates the need for them to make this journey. I wasn't aware of La Bestia prior to reading this book. It's literally a train that hundreds of immigrants ride the top of in order to make a quicker journey to US Borders. Some people call it "the death train" and rightfully so. While reading this book, the reader learns about the shear amount of fear that exists in just getting on this train. This doesn't include the harassment, threat of murder, sexual assault, starvation, and dehydration that most see during the journey. And Sanchez takes the opportunity to make sure that readers are completely aware of every possible scenario. But she does so in conjunction with showing the hope and unbreakable spirit that is exhibited by our three main characters. Don't get me wrong there were times when all three characters wanted to quit and I don't blame them, but it was heart-wrenching to realize that they would rather die trying to make this journey than return home.

There is also a discussion of how these children are treated once they make it into US borders. The recklessness and disgusting behavior that we see in our daily headlines about immigrant children being kept in horrendous situations like cages isn't glossed over in this book. To have made such a perilous journey to escape the abuses of your own country to then be abused by another country broke my spirit. I hope that in reading this book more people become aware of the dire situations that are being faced by immigrant children and how it's imperative that we develop a more humane method of helping those that are seeking asylum. I think for a lot of people in the United States it's easy to ignore issues that aren't directly affecting you; however, I couldn't imagine my child or any child going through what these characters went through and yet I know it happens. This is probably one of the saddest books that I have read in my lifetime and I hope that more people pick it up and share a willingness to learn more about the experiences of others.

How far would you run to be safe? Would you brave the deadly coyotes that prowl in the desert? We Are Not From Here is a emotionally raw journey to safety. Torres Sanchez does not glamorize the immigrant experience but rather gives a deeply authentic depiction of running for freedom. Pequena and Pulga guide the reader through their dangerous lives and their attempt at escape. Both these narrators are genuine in their hopes to have a better life. They are real people and are not stereotypical gangsters or drug addicts. They give the immigrant experience a human light and give a voice to those that have lost their life trying to reach freedom and safety. The reader will feel every heavy decision the trio makes as well as feel the heat and starvation while the trio are trying to reach the US. From the start, the plot is fast paced, leaving the reader with a sense of urgency and breathless. We Are Not From Here may seem outlandish in how the journey unfolds but it is a reality for many individuals and families escaping violence and death in their own country. We Are Not From Here is a book that everyone should experience.

Gripping story of family struggles and pulsing desire for dreams of a better life in America. You fell every difficult step as family members struggle with obstacles of reality to make that happen. A page-turner.

Imagine you live in a country that is overrun with violence and death around every corner. You live in daily fear and have been mapping out an escape plan. When the threats comes to your front door you know it is time to grab your map, saved up money, backpack and flee. We Are Not From Here is a hard story to read. Jenny Torres Sanchez describes a realistic world in which three young people, Pulga, Pequeña, and Chico, must escape from for a chance to live a better life.

These three cousins, by blood and by choice, leave their families in Guatemala and head for the U.S border. They follow a train system that many migrants take called La Bestia. The danger of train hopping is vividly shown in these pages. You can truly feel the way the characters change the deeper they get into their journey and the type of physical and mental toll this trip takes is felt. This cannot be an easy decision for someone to make and it definitely details how the horribleness of the journey outweighs the dangers back home. If you stay you die. If you leave you also may die, but you also might make it to your American family.

This book was not without it's shortcomings. I know the journey was about Pulga, Pequeña, and Chico, but I wanted to know more about the mothers, and the baby in Pequeña's case, they left behind. They ran for their lives but does that mean the bad guys leave the family alone? What about the baby? The father was a top gang leader and cannot imagine him leaving the family alone once he realizes his chosen one ran away. What happens in the aftermath. Maybe another book? I'd read it.

Thank you to Netgalley for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. I would recommend this to teens. Reading about other people's experience help us grow and be better people. I honestly believe that.

Rey exemplifies the narcos that control his small Guatemalan town. When Pulga and Chico witness Rey’s gang executing the owner of a small shop, Rey threatens the brothers into coming to work for him. When Pequena catches Rey’s eye, he rapes her and demands that she become his girlfriend. After Pequena gives birth to Rey’s son and Rey insists that she must come and live with him, all three friends decide their only hope is to run north together.

Though they are met with some kindness along the way, their travels, especially on La Bestia, the train running through Mexico, are harrowing and the hope that each of them has been clinging to starts to slip away. Told in alternating chapters by Pulga and Pequena, don’t miss this necessary look at what impels migration and how migrants are met at our southern border. EARC from NetGalley.