We Were Here

This book was deep and heady. It dealt with bigger issues than most teens deal with, but I think that it is a good book for your kids to read because it really makes you appreciate the small things in life. The story follows three young boys, Miguel, Rondell, and Mong, as they sneak out of home that they were assigned to from the court and travel to Mexico in hopes of finding a new life. Each boy has dealt with more things than I could even imagine dealing with. We follow as the characters open up to readers and each other as they make their way to "freedom". Its a great book for kids to read due to the fact that it shows an entire world that most young adults have never been exposed to. The lives that these three boys have lived thus far have been difficult, strenuous, and emotional. Their problems are bigger than looks and popularity, which has forced them to act certain ways that are not always appropriate. Its a book about finding yourself, facing your past, and overcoming obstacles.

While discussing this book in my YA English class, many people did not agree that the book was appropriate for teens because most people can not relate to the issues that these boys are dealing with. I know that in past blogs I have stated that young adults like to read books about issues that they can relate to, but sometimes it is necessary to read a book that is out of your comfort zone. This book forces readers to come face to face with a lifestyle that so many young kids are living. It shows struggle, pain, heartache,abuse...all of which can make readers uncomfortable. I remember the first time that I read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. I was in sixth grade and had never read anything like it. The gangs that were presented in the book was something completely foreign to me. Although there was no way that a young ballerina going to a charter school could relate to these boys, I found the book completely humbling. It forced me to really look at my life and appreciate the things that I had never thought deserved appreciation. That is the same reaction I have with We Were Here by Matt De La Pena. Yes it is controversial, and yes it may make you uncomfortable, but it is also an eye-opener.

"It felt nice and warm and mellow. Ir made me feel like us three
were on some kind of journey to save America from evil. Like a brand new kind of
war. No fighting, or bombing, or invading other places, just living out in the
open, on the beach. The opposite of being in jail. We were totally free."
(130)

I liked this quote because it showed how these three boys are searching for something that they had never had before. They want to get away from all of their problems and forget about the past. The quote also points out how friendship was a major theme in the book. The boys are going through drastic changes in their lives, but most importantly they are going through them together. They need one another to get to the next stage in their life. The book really made me be thankful for the people that have gotten me through difficult situations.

The book is great for your son or daughter because it will make them really re-evaluate their lives. It makes readers think through situations in their lives and realize that they are not the only ones going though difficult times. Their are others out there who are going through similar or worse problems. Overall its a great read and I encourage you to get it for your kids!