Thirteen-year-old Manuelito is a gentle boy who lives with his family in a tiny village in the Guatemalan countryside. But life is far from idyllic: PACs―armed civil patrol―are a constant presence in the streets, and terrifying memories of the country’s war linger in the villagers’ collective conscience. Things deteriorate further when government-backed drug gangs arrive and take control of the village. Fearing their son will be forced to join a gang, Manuelito’s parents make the desperate decision to send him to live with his aunt in America.---from the publisher
104 pages 978-1773212661 Ages 12 - 17 (violence)
Keywords: immigration, Latinx, Latino, Latina, Latina Author, diversity, diverse books, courage, risk, grit, family, choices, betrayal, politics, government, graphic novel, Social Studies Curriculum, gangs, war, Guatemala, refugee
Other reviews:
For another excellent review of this book: https://decoloresreviews.blogspot.com/2020/01/manuelito-una-novela-grafica-manuelito.html
Read alikes: Illegals by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin; Escape from Syria by Samya Kullab