After Tyler’s father is injured in a farming accident, the family has to hire migrant Mexican workers to save the farm. 12-year-old Tyler meets and becomes friends with the oldest daughter, who is his age. When Tyler finds out that many family members are illegal immigrants and that their mother has been missing for many months, he struggles with this issue and his newfound friendship. The blossoming of Tyler’s and Mari’s friendship and their discovery of commonalities and appreciation of their differences is tender and heartwarming. I’m a bit disappointed in the writing. Tyler’s story is told in third person present tense, “Tyler looks out the window…He rubs his eyes” feels sort of strange. Mari’s story is told in letters to her mother and to other relatives. A lot of backstory is told in the letters, things that the recipient would know, and it feels a somewhat contrived, because it’s there solely for the reader’s benefit. The topic is timely and interesting, and the story is a good one, it’s geared toward middle-school and young teen readers.I'd like to give this 3 1/2 stars. Return to Sender is told from 2 perspectives, the first from an 11 year old girl, Mari, who was born in Mexico but immigrated to the US with her parents when she was very young and the second from an 11 year old boy, Tyler, whose parents own a dairy farm. This book could illicit much response and discussion among readers. Some of the difficult issues that the book addresses include struggles with morality and culture clashes among immigrant families.
What do You think about Return To Sender (2009)?
This is a great book that puts the readers in the shoes of a family of immigrants.
—r1roller70
A story well worth telling, but somehow the tone comes across a bit too preachy.
—Citlali
Great book about 2 races working together for a common goal. Upper elementary.
—lieke1996
Very timely, must read for all ages!!
—acordova1989
