Mateo’s big brother Julian works in the United States. When the family doesn’t hear from Julian for a few weeks, Mateo sneaks out and journeys north to find him, crossing the border with the help of a new friend, Angel. With only his old notebook and a backpack, Mateo heads for the border, where dangers await: robbers, and the border police, who will send him back home or perhaps even put him in prison. On his journey, Mateo meets Angel, a smart, mysterious girl who can guide his crossing. Angel is tough; so is Mateo, and his memories of his loving family sustain him.
- ISBN: 9780385744829
- Author: Giff, Patricia Reilly
- Published: 2015 , Wendy Lamb Books
- Themes: immigration and emigration, Missing persons, Siblings
- Descriptors: Americas, Fiction, Intermediate (ages 9-14), Latinx in US, North America, United States
- No. of pages: 160