One day, the Mexican boy Manuel (during the story called Manny)has to go with his father, away from their rural village to Mexico City to find work. Manny is excited that he can go with his dad, couse he is a big boy now, and can support the family financially. They walk to the bus station, which takes two days.But then something unexpected happens: Manuel's father buys only one ticket: for himself, and he says to Manuel to walk back home and to tell his mother that they will never see him again. Manuel is sad to see his father go.
Years later, he tries to get over the border to the USA, smuggled into a truck by a coyote. He gets over the border safely, and gets a job at t the cattle ranch of Mr. Green in Eden Plain., Texas. He has a good job there, but then Mr. Green gets seriously ill and Manny has to set his work at the outside of the ranch aside to take care of him. And then
Mr.Green's daughter also arrives at the ranch.. When Manny and Owen's daughter fall in love, will racism or friendship prevail?
I was totally blown away by this book. The author, Annette Smith, has written it in the narrative of Manuel in a simple but amazing way. The story itself is amazing, many parts are really sad but that its just the power of this novel. The main characters are also amazing: Manny is really the hero of the book, Mr.Green is a bit of a grumpy old man, but that has its reasons. (but I really disliked how bad he treated Manuel in a sceneat the end of the book) If you really want to be taken away with a book, just pick this one.
