Books Sharing the History of Mexican Americans and Life in Border Towns

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Schools are starting back which means September is almost here. Hispanic Heritage Month begins September 15th and today I am sharing two books that are perfect for it. One is for middle grades (10-14-year-olds) about the history of Mexican Americans (released last week), and the other is an autobiography for young adults. Obviously, both are nonfiction. We will start with the book for the middle grades. It is a book from the Race to the Truth Series. It is Borderlands and the Mexican American Story by David Dorado Romo. 

From the Publisher:

Until now, you’ve only heard one side of the story, about migrants crossing borders, drawn to the promise of a better life. In reality, Mexicans were on this land long before any borders existed. Here’s the true story of America, from the Mexican American perspective.

The Mexican American story is usually carefully presented as a story of immigrants: migrants crossing borders, drawn to the promise of a better life. In reality, Mexicans were on this land long before any borders existed. Their culture and practices shaped the Southwestern part of this country, in spite of relentless attempts by white colonizers and settlers to erase them.

From missions and the Alamo to muralists, revolutionaries, and teen activists, this is the true story of the Mexican American experience.


The Race to the Truth series tells the true history of America from the perspective of different communities. These books correct common falsehoods and celebrate underrepresented heroes and achievements. They encourage readers to ask questions and to approach new information thoughtfully. Check out the other books in the series: Colonization and the Wampanoag Story, Slavery and the African American Story, and Exclusion and the Chinese American Story.

Until now, you've only heard one side of the story, about migrants crossing borders, drawn to the promise of a better life. In reality, Mexicans were on this land long before any borders existed. Here's the true story of America, from the Mexican American perspective.

The Mexican American story is usually carefully presented as a story of immigrants: migrants crossing borders, drawn to the promise of a better life. In reality, Mexicans were on this land long before any borders existed. Their culture and practices shaped the Southwestern part of this country, in spite of relentless attempts by white colonizers and settlers to erase them.

From missions and the Alamo to muralists, revolutionaries, and teen activists, this is the true story of the Mexican American experience.

The Race to the Truth series tells the true history of America from the perspective of different communities. These books correct common falsehoods and celebrate underrepresented heroes and achievements. They encourage readers to ask questions and to approach new information thoughtfully. Check out the other books in the series: Colonization and the Wampanoag Story, Slavery and the African American Story, and Exclusion and the Chinese American Story.

From Me:

This book begins with the history of indigenous people of Mexico before the Europeans came. It shares some updates science about the indigenous people and their arrival in the Americas. It also shares the first Thanksgiving between the indigenous people and the Europeans, and it was not in Plymouth! The book follows the history of Mexican Americans and shares eye opening experiences from the beginning to current day with the border wall and so much more. It is not the history that is taught in most schools or in our white male dominated history books. Yet, it is a history that every child should know. 

Throughout the book there are grey boxes with additional information asides. Some share words from the Native languages and Spanish and others share more information about part of the history. There are also black and white photographs throughout the book sharing a bit of the history. At the end of each chapter there are questions to think about or discuss as a class. This book will help bring another perspective to history lessons.

As a white American I will admit at times the history makes me feel sad and ashamed. I am ashamed that white people could be so greedy and awful to the people already living on the land. Yet, I also know it is important for us all to learn the true history of our country so that we do not repeat the mistakes made before us. At times it is difficult to hear what our ancestors did to others. I truly feel that a good teacher will discuss these feelings as well as why it is important to learn about the history even if it is uncomfortable. This book will be an amazing addition to a United States history unit and especially for the Southwest history. 

Our second book is Hurdles in the Dark by Elvira K. Gonzalez. Elvira (Kristy) shares her story growing up in a border town and training to become an award-winning hurdler. 

From the Publisher:

A Mexican-American teen girl dreams of winning an athletic scholarship against all odds in a Texas border town. This true story of survival, strength, and triumph is perfect for fans of Educated and Athlete A.

Twenty-four hours: that's how long fourteen-year-old Elvira Gonzalez is given to come up with the $40,000 she needs to save her kidnapped mother from a drug cartel. It's 2006 and Elvira's hometown of Laredo, Texas, has become engulfed by the Mexican Drug War. Elvira's life is unraveling around her—setting her on a harrowing path that leads her to being locked up in one of South Texas's worst juvenile detention centers.

After Elvira's released from juvie, she's resolved to never go back. That's when her unexpected salvation arrives in the form of 33-inch-high plastic hurdles. Determined to win a track scholarship out of Laredo, Elvira begins breaking into the school, alone, at 5:30 in the morning to practice hurdling. Soon, she catches the attention of a renowned high school coach, an adult man in his 30s. As they train, their coach-student relationship begins to change, becoming sexual. At just seventeen years old, Elvira experiences the dangers many young athletes face, especially those who are marginalized. In spite of these towering obstacles, Elvira eventually propels herself to become one of the top ranked hurdlers in the USA and the first in her family to go to college.

This inspiring true story of grit, tenacity, and hope traces Elvira's path as she overcomes impossible hurdles in her race to freedom.

From Me:

Wow, what a tough life Elvira had. I cannot imagine being her. Having to raise enough money at 14-years-old to pay her mother's ransom showed her the awful truth of people. She truly discovered who was there for her and it was not who she expected. Then when she gets her mother back, her mother is not the same. Elvira and her mother fight. Elvira gets to a point where she is basically suicidal but when she asks for her mother for help, she gets sent to juvie. It is in juvie that she decides to write this book. She realizes the other girls there are going through similar things as her and she wants to share her story so kids also going through it will know they are not alone. 

Now before I go further, I want to start with the fact that Elvira went by Kristy when she was growing up. Throughout the book she is referred to as Kristy. The name is eventually explained in the book. Kristy's goal (and her mother's goal for her) is for her to get a track scholarship for college. Her mother gets enough money to move them out of the barrio and to the north side of town. The north side has better schools and more money. Kristy misses her family and friends in the barrio, but she slowly adjusts to the north side. She has a coach trying to help her, but she has to listen to his awful stories that really are sexual harassment. Then she gets a new coach who helps her train on hurdles. He buys her things and works with her privately for free. Then eventually the coach has a price that makes her very uncomfortable. She is yet again sexually harassed by one of the adults who should be protecting her. Her story is a sad one, but I believe she is correct. There are other kids going through similar things. Hopefully this book will help them know they are not alone.

The story is well written. At times I felt like it had to be made up because I cannot imagine a young woman having to live like this, but I know there are people who have these experiences. Elvira is brave to share her story with the world. It is eye-opening to a white woman like me to hear her story and see what she has had to go through. It truly shares the story of a young Latinx woman growing up in a border town. It shares what it is like to be Latinx and poor in our country. 

These books are a perfect way to share a bit of Mexican American history and culture with readers. I hope you will check them out!

Until now, you’ve only heard one side of the story, about migrants crossing borders, drawn to the promise of a better life. In reality, Mexicans were on this land long before any borders existed. Here’s the true story of America, from the Mexican American perspective.

The Mexican American story is usually carefully presented as a story of immigrants: migrants crossing borders, drawn to the promise of a better life. In reality, Mexicans were on this land long before any borders existed. Their culture and practices shaped the Southwestern part of this country, in spite of relentless attempts by white colonizers and settlers to erase them.

From missions and the Alamo to muralists, revolutionaries, and teen activists, this is the true story of the Mexican American experience.


The Race to the Truth series tells the true history of America from the perspective of different communities. These books correct common falsehoods and celebrate underrepresented heroes and achievements. They encourage readers to ask questions and to approach new information thoughtfully. Check out the other books in the series: Colonization and the Wampanoag Story, Slavery and the African American Story, and Exclusion and the Chinese American Story.