A Journey Toward Hope

Book excerpt: p>Four unaccompanied migrant children come together along the arduous journey north through Mexico to the United States border in this ode to the power of hope and connection even in the face of uncertainty and fear. Every year, roughly 50,000 unaccompanied minors arrive at the US/Mexico border to present themselves for asylum or related visas. The majority of these children are non-Mexicans fleeing the systemic violence of Central America’s "Northern Triangle": Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. A Journey Toward Hope tells the story of Rodrigo, a 14-year-old escaping Honduran violence; Alessandra, a 10-year-old Guatemalan whose first language is Q'eqchi'; and the Salvadoran siblings Laura and Nando. Though their reasons for making the trip are different and the journey northward is perilous, the four children band together, finding strength in one another as they share the dreams of their past and the hopes for their future. A Journey Toward Hope is written in collaboration with Baylor University’s Social Innovation Collaborative, with illustrations by the award-winning Susan Guevara (Chato's Kitchen, American Library Association Notable Book, New York Public Library's 100 Great Children’s Books / 100 Years). It includes four pages of nonfiction back matter with additional information and resources created by the Baylor Social Innovation Collaborative.