Somos como las nubes / We Are Like the Clouds

An emotional depiction of the plight of the Central American immigrants. Beautiful literary images and realistic illustrations. I highly recommended. .

Full of very real and heartbreaking experiences

Such a powerful book. Wonderful tool to help kids learn about their family history. Such a beautiful way to detail our story

Great book for your bilingual library. Upper elementary age students will learn a lot through the poetry.

Love this book. Beautiful and meaningful.

short not worth $8!

This is a lovely book!

Somos Como Las Nubes/ We are Like the Clouds is a moving collection of bilingual free verse poems. This is one of the few books that I have encountered about the heartbreaking experiences of children who leave their homes to embark on their journey to the United States. This collection of poetry begins with poetry depicting the experiences and sights of the children’s home countries. The poetry then shifts to the journey that children take to get to the United States. The author includes poems that describe the fears of traveling on La Bestia (a fast moving moving train that many migrants use to travel), discuss being accompanied by “coyotes,” and describe children’s feelings as they cross the deserts. I’ll share one of the most powerful poems about the journey titled “Las Chinamas”. The word Chinamas refers to the border between El Salvador and Guatemala.When we crossedthe border at Las ChinamasI saw the river Paz.Its water runs smilingbetween the rocks.Here the cenzontles (mockingbirds)never stop singing.I rememberedour schoolyard,the gualcalchillas, (small songbirds)and my teacherMiss Celia.I remembered my mother,my brothers,my sisters.Who knowswhen I will see them again.I look at the skyand think,we are like the clouds.What I loved about this book is that there is message of hope in knowing that children are resilient, but the author does not hold back in depicting the heartbreak that goes along with leaving a home country. The book allows the reader to the experience the treacherous journey to the United States through the eyes and wonder of a child. The pictures in this book are also stunningly beautiful. The pictures depict the children’s home countries, families crossing borders, and children laying on the soft sand in the desert. The final poems in the book offer hope. In the poem “Fear,” a mother tells her child in his dream, “This is not a dream, you are in my arms.” The child has arrived to his destination in Los Angeles.I shed tears when I read this book. It is heartbreaking and it is a poignant reminder that children are children and that there are difficult decisions that children should not have to make. In my opinion, what makes this book even more powerful is that it is written by Jorge Argueta. The author’s note at the beginning of the book shares Jorge’s own experience of fleeing El Salvador and coming to the United States. He shares his inspiration for writing the book by stating, “Like the clouds, our children come and go. Nothing and no one can stop them”.

Beautiful, touches on some very heavy themes in a delicate, lyrical way. Good way to start conversations with children about difficult topics.

A beautiful, high quality picture book that brings life and understanding to a very timely issue.