To the Other Side - by Erika Meza (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Author-illustrator Erika Meza delivers a stunning and emotionally rich book from the viewpoint of those most impacted by border walls: young refugee children. This powerfully told tale highlights the spirit and strength of those embarking on a dangerous trek, and what awaits them on the other side.

Yoto Carnegie Medal Shortlist * New York Public Library Best Book of the Year * Kirkus Best Book of the Year * School Library Journal Best Book of the Year *

My sister tells me the rules of the game are simple.

Avoid the monsters. Don't get caught. And keep moving.

If the monsters catch you, you're out.

A young boy and his older sister have left home to play a game. To win, they must travel across endless lands together and make it to the finish line. Each child imagines what might be waiting for them across the border: A spotted dog? Ice cream! Or maybe a new school.

But the journey is difficult, and the monsters are realer than they imagined. And when it no longer feels like a game, the two children must still find a way to forge ahead.

★ "The story is ultimately hopeful, gently providing probing insight into the lives of the youngest migrants." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

★ "Beautiful, timely, and poignant. Recommended for all collections." --School Library Journal Online (starred review)

★ "Powerful. It's a realistic but hopeful look at two children's emigration."-- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Review Quotes

"This powerful solo work by Meza follows two unaccompanied, Latinx-cued children heading for the U.S.-Mexico border. It's a realistic but hopeful look at two children's emigration." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

" [A] poignant and haunting illustrated tale. What begins as a game for young migrants to 'cross the line' turns into a sometimes traumatic, sometimes wondrous adventure that readers will be compelled to mull over in their minds." - Booklist

"More relevant than ever, this perceptive and exquisitely illustrated picture book will leave its readers questioning the complex reality of child migration." - Flavia Z. Drago, author-illustrator

"With moving text and vibrant, kinetic images, Erika Meza celebrates in To the Other Side the tenacity, imagination, and resilience of children traveling northward in search of freedom and safety. Scenes of ludic solidarity with other kids and adults are balanced by darker, solitary hints of the dangers these young refugees face. Erika lovingly crafts colorful masks for everyone, reflections of the asylum-seekers' Indigenous heritage, a rooted identity that gives them strength even in the most difficult moments. A stunning, important book that will move hearts and minds." - David Bowles, author of My Two Border Towns and Ancient Night

"There are many books about identity and belonging, but none have impacted me as much as Erika Meza's To The Other Side. This is a powerful and moving story about a brother and sister, the love that binds them and protects them, and the power of children to see light and magic even in the most harrowing circumstances. The older sister creates a game for her little brother as they try to reach their new home across a border. As a reader, going along in their journey, I knew the reality of their situation beyond the game, and I was worried for them. The lyrical text and beautiful illustrations transported me. I was invested in the siblings, cheering for them to reach their destination. But even when the journey is over, their story continues. I'm honored that To The Other Side is now a part of me, too." - Yamile Saied Méndez, award winning author of Where Are You From?

There are many books about identity and belonging, but none have impacted me as much as To The Other Side. This is a powerful and moving story about a brother and sister, the love that binds them and protects them, and the power of children to see light and magic even in the most harrowing circumstances. The lyrical text and beautiful illustrations transported me. But even when the journey is over, their story continues. I'm honored that To The Other Side is now a part of me, too. - Yamile Saied Méndez, award winning author of Where Are You From?

"The story is ultimately hopeful, gently providing probing insight into the lives of the youngest migrants. A gorgeously rendered, heartbreaking look at one family's immigration experience." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"With care and invention, [Meza has] managed to tell a migrant story that is both literal and figurative, realistic and metaphorical, and does so with honesty and more than a bit of cleverness." - School Library Journal

"Meza's -memorable mixed-media illustrations include warm, vivid hues; menacing grays; and lots of white space, which can leave the -eye-catchingly drawn children vulnerable in otherwise spare scenes." - Horn Book Magazine

"Experiencing the migrant's journey through the eyes of the very young lends emotional resonance and a satisfying balance between fear, bravery, and most of all, hope. Beautiful, timely, and poignant. Recommended for all collections." - School Library Journal Online (starred review)