I have just finished “The Secret
Story of Sonia Rodriguez” by Alan Lawrence Sitomer. This 312 page book was
published in 2010 and is a realistic fiction story about a girl who is trying
to complete high school while also taking care of her familial obligations.
Sonia
Rodriguez was born to Mexican immigrants
and lives in the United
States . Her father owns three Social
Security number and her mother is pregnant with twins. While her parents are
struggling to make ends meet, Sonia wants to fulfill her big dream of
graduating high school. In order to succeed, Sonia puts school work before
family and her parents become angry with her priorities. They send her to live
with her grandmother in Mexico
for the summer to live like her parents used to.
The writing
was very powerful and beautiful from Sonia’s point of view. There was a lot of
heart and soul in the words and you could just imagine what this girl was
feeling, being caught between two worlds. For example, Sonia thinks “Okay, Si,
I felt guilty that I wasn’t cooking and cleaning every night like Cinderella
Rodriguez, but my grades were getting better, and that’s what really mattered.”
Not only is
there an internal struggle, but also strife between Sonia and her cousin, Maria.
Maria and her baby who also live with her grandmother, making it very crowded
in the house. Maria disrespects Sonia by calling her names and is secretly
jealous that Sonia lives in the United
States . There is a whole sub-plot to Maria’s
life that twists with Maria’s saga and further engages the reader.
I found the
whole book moving and not at all dull. Each time I picked up the book, I
wondered what the next chunk of story line would be. This book left me thinking
about the plight of immigrants and how difficult life must be, especially for
teenagers.
There has been much talk in the news about immigration reform in theUnited States . This
book displayed a personal side to people who come to this country seeking a
better life. It made me appreciate how difficult it must be to bridge cultures
while finding a little bit of happiness in life.
There has been much talk in the news about immigration reform in the
