"Manuelito's world in the Maya highlands of Guatemala is falling apart. His school has closed indefinitely; gangs and soldiers are roaming the town; and gunshots echo through the streets at night. Remembering the terrible conflict of the 1980s and desperate to save their son from the same violence, Manuelito's parents decide they must send Manuelito to live with his aunt in the United States. Accompanied by a human trafficker known as a coyote, Manuelito begins his hazardous journey to Mexico, then the U.S., in search of asylum. But nothing turns out as anyone hopes and dangers lurk everywhere, even once Manuelito finally reaches the United States"--Back cover.
