Brothers Gabriel and Gustavo, high school students in South Texas, are horrified when their father suggests that they spend the summer in California doing field work for extra money. They're not immigrants; they and their sister Paula were born in Texas, and the idea of picking fruits and vegetables-hard labor usually associated with undocumented workers-is humiliating. But their father thinks it will be good for his children. After all, the experience didn't hurt him when he was a kid. Gustavo, a rising senior, doesn't want to leave his girlfriend nor deal with friends' opinions. Gabriel doesn't care what anyone thinks, but he is not interested in doing back-breaking labor. It's only when the promise of visiting Disneyland is offered that they ultimately agree to the "vacation." Before long the family finds itself in a migrant camp, living in a shack with no electricity or bathroom. Toiling in the fields by day, the boys and their father attempt to make sense of it all. Unfortunately, while learning their way around town, the family members experience the racism frequently directed at recent immigrants. In this illuminating novel for teens that sheds light on the subjects of immigrant labor and prejudice within the Hispanic community, Genaro González blends the ageless theme of fathers and sons at odds with a contemporary issue weighing on many minds. While set in a place unfamiliar to many, the characters' hopes and dreams for the future will resonate with young adult readers.
