“The Distance Between Us” Young Readers Edition is a story written by Reyna Grande based on the author’s memories about her family’s life in Mexico and also, as the illegal immigrant in their dream country, USA.

This story describes Reyna’s feelings and experiences through her childhood. Reyna remembers that her father moved to the US for a job and makes money for his dream house, that he planned to build for his family in Mexico. She knows her father just by framed picture and calls him “the man behind the glass”. Reyna always keeps it with her, as something that is very special for her. When Reyna Grande was 4 years old, her mom moved to USA, to help their father to earn money. Her mother left Reyna, Mago and Carlos, her older sister and  brother, to live with their unfriendly, strict and sometimes cruel grandparents. After that, her 11 years old sister, Mago, was like their mother, who tries to carry and protect Reina and Carlos, as much as she can. Even, as the time passes and they escape with their father to the United States, these children face with other troubles that makes their lives unforgettable.

This book could be divided in two main parts: one is about Reyna’s life in poverty in Iguala, Mexico; and another is about their life in California with her father, but without their mother.

The saddest parts of this book are describing of  Reyna’s hard life of poverty, her heartbreaking thoughts, as the child, who is faced with it. And as for me, as a mom, it was hard to read how Reyna loves and misses both parents,and has a wish to reunite and be just a part of her own big and real family: a mom, a dad and their four children.

This book “The Distance Between Us” should be interesting for young readers and also for adults, who are interesting about Reyna Grande’s life and the challenges of immigration.

Review by Marianna