Ai Yi Yi, La Linea

I will admit that I really didn't want to read this book, La Linea by Ann Jaramillo. I did it because it is a Lonestar Book (Texas Librarian Association's Middle School Librarian's list). The cover is intriguing and it's super short (like 126 pages). I thought, maybe it would be okay, like one of those movies you didn't want to go see, but someone else wants to and you go and end up loving it. This really isn't the case with this book unfortunately. I did read it. It took me several weeks because it didn't keep me involved. The characters, Miguel and Elena are trying to cross la linea, the border, from Mexico into the US to be reunited with their parents. The characters are stereotypical. The action is slow paced. I wished that it had more action and suspense. When it finally did build up, it ended flat. In fact, you don't feel like you have enough closure. As an adult, I can "get" this book and might be intrigued (my family did come from Mexico a long time ago, yadda, yadda, yadda) but if I'm a middle schooler, the cover and the length will appeal but the story will make me drop this book. I'm really surprised it made the Lone Star list, but at the same time not. We, as librarians, need to stop thinking that middle school kiddos will always agree with us on what we think are good and interesting books. I'm sorry to say that I can't really recommend this one.