We Were Here

"When it happened, Miguel was sent to juvi." In Juvi he meets Rondell a huge African American whose strength can easily overpower just about anyone and who insists he can read. Rondell loves to hold his Bible and appear to be reading it. He also meets Mong who introduces himself by spitting on Miguel. These three opponents are going to escape Juvi together and head toward Mexico for a better life. Their plan is to head to Mexico, but when Mong's cousin picks them up in her car, her plan is for them to head to San Francisco for Mong to honor his family. Over and over these three guys have choices to make about how they are going to treat each other, treat other people and most of all, how they are going see themselves. Is everything meaningless from now on because of the crimes they have committed or is there a window of hope? As always with something Matt De La Pena writes, the journey is gritty, insightful and powerful.