The Only Road by Alexandra Diaz

Publisher: Paula Wiseman Books (Simon & Schuster)
Expected On Sale Date: October 4th 2016
Pages: 320
Age Range: Middle Grade/Young Adult

Jaime is living with his family in a rural village in Guatemala. He loves drawing, and is very good at it. He also loves to hang out with his best friend and cousing Miquel.
But one day when he is drawing in his sketchbook on his bed, he hears a terrible scream that can only mean bad news. A notorious and violent local gang named the Alpha's has committed a murder again, and sadly, the victim is Miguel. When Miquel is buried, the family gets a note that more or less states that if Jaime doesn't join the gang, he could be next. 

The only option now for Jaime is to flee. To his brother Tomas, who works on a farm in the USA. His family is devastated to let him go, but there is simply no other option. So with his cousing Ángela he sets of on a dangerous journey, which leads them hiding on a truck full of clothes from Guatemala to the Guatamalan-Mexican border. Constantly in danger to be discovered by La Migra and be sent back, which the author describes in some dramatic scenes, for example on their first trip on a bus where many people are taken out from by La Migra.

From there they have to find out how to reach the Mexican-American border. Luckily during their trip they meet a few kids (and a dog) who are on the same journey as them, but they also find out the danger of it and that even kids can't be trusted, as some steal their stuff when Jaime accidentally falls asleep. Will they ever reach the border and find Tomas?

The Only Road is a very moving and touching children's book. What I liked about it mostly was how the author beautifully shown the contrasts between the two main characters, who are very sweet and kind and trusting, on the backdrop the harsh, raw and dangers of the places and the people that are everywhere around them. Another great point of this book is the place it is set in: Guatamala and Mexico. You can just see before your eyes were Jaime and Angela where, it was al so alive and realistic. Not many authors can describe the backdrop so vividly.
I just felt so sad for Jaime and Angela. As a reader you only wish you could drive them to the border yourself and drop them off safely. But then the story wouldn't be so adventurous ofcourse. Jaime was such a postive spirited character, altough all the dangerous obstacles they face, he never lose sight of the final goal and put trough. Ofcourse with the help of Angela. She is an older cousin of him (altough I couldn't pinpoint her age) so she feels kind of responsible as a kind of surrogate mom for the time being.

Overall, this book is beautiful and very well written. Very scenic, full of plot twist and turns. Just all the things a great book must contain. Recommended read!