I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez
Sánchez, E. L. (2017). I am not your perfect Mexican daughter. Random House Children’s Books. ISBN 9781524700485
Julia has never been perfect, and that has been fine with her. She has always been overlooked but never questioned, and it worked out fine until her golden child older sister, Olga, dies after being involved in an accident. Now, Julia is put in the spotlight and constantly compared to her perfect, dead older sister. Grappling with the death of Olga, Julia struggles to come to terms with her sister's death and the constant criticisms from her mom, all while trying to figure out who Olga was.
Fifteen-year-old Julia Reyes is a strong, determined, fiery, and feisty narrator. Often angry (for mostly right reasons), Julia is tired of trying to live up to expectations she knows she will never meet. Olga had always been the perfect daughter, and now that she is gone, more attention than ever is focused on Julia. Julia knows what she wants. She wants to be free to live her own life, she wants to graduate and go to an out of state college, and most importantly, she wants to really learn and find out who her sister was. Early in the book, Julia quickly realizes that Olga isn't who she thought she was; she wasn't the perfect daughter her parents thought she was, and that was a groundbreaking moment for Julia because she realized that no one, not even her own sister, is perfect, so why is it that her parents are expecting her to be?
I read I Am Not Your Perfect American Daughter in one day. It was one of those books that, once you start, you cannot put down, and one of the biggest reasons it was one of those books for me was because of all the parallels I saw in Julia's life and my own. Like Julia, I am Hispanic, but thankfully, my parents are the opposite of Julias. I do know that the way that Erika Sanchez represented Julia's family is one of the more stereotypical ways that Hispanic families may be portrayed in shows such as novelas or more Hispanic movies, but that is also not the way that all Hispanic families are. Apart from our very different home lives, similarities I did see include scenes where Julia is describing Angie's home smelling of roasted childes that makes her eyes water, or the plastic overs on top of furniture to protect it, or eating spicy chips with lime until your fingers are stained red, and the stories of her family and others crossing over the American for the promise of a better life. So many little details like that made me relate to Julia's life and story and had me rooting for her to stand up for herself. While Julia's parents were hard on her, one of Julia's worst critics was herself, which many people may be able to relate to. At one point, Julia reaches her breaking point and attempts to commit suicide, but (thankfully) lives. At this point, Julia realizes that despite all the hardships life has thrown her way, she wants to live and is willing to do what it takes to get better. After therapy, medication, and a trip to Mexico to visit family, Julia returns with a new sense of application and determination for life. Eventually, she does meet her goal of going to an out-of-state college.
Something to note is that this book should be read by an older audience (at least a freshman in high school) as many sensitive/triggering topics are mentioned. Some of the issues mentioned include suicide, rape, profound language, drug use, underage drinking and more.
What do readers think of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter? Katie Llera from School Library Journal states, "This coming-of-age story about acceptance of yourself, as well as your family and culture, is a definite purchase." If you plan on reading this in class, the book's end includes a Reading Group Guide, which suggests looking into it before reading. It gives you great discussion questions (and page numbers) where you can pause the reading and have your class discuss in a socratic seminar session. 35 questions can be addressed, and while all do not have to be, talking about some of them will be a good idea. If you are reading it by yourself, I still recommend reviewing the discussion questions and reflecting on the questions, Julia's story, and how you would respond. If you enjoyed reading this book, you may also enjoy Gabi, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero.
Awards and Honors for I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter:
- National Book Award Finalist
- Instant New York Times Bestseller
References
I am not your perfect Mexican daughter. Erika L. Sánchez. (n.d.). https://erikalsanchez.com/i-am-not-your-perfect-mexican-daughter
Llera, K. (2019, April 1). I am not your perfect Mexican daughter. School Library Journal. https://www.slj.com/review/i-am-not-your-perfect-mexican-daughter
Sánchez, E. L. (2017). I am not your perfect Mexican daughter. Random House Children’s Books. ISBN 9781524700485
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