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Gringolandia | LitPick Book Reviews
Gringolandia
Gringolandia
Gringolandia
Lyn Miller-Lachmann
Daniel’s papá, Marcelo, used to play soccer, dance the cueca, and drive his kids to school in a beat-up green taxi—all while publishing an underground newspaper that exposed Chile’s military regime.After papá’s arrest in 1980, Daniel’s family fled to the United States. Now Daniel has a new life, playing guitar in a rock band and dating Courtney, a minister’s daughter. He hopes to become a US citizen as soon as he turns eighteen.When Daniel’s father is released and rejoins his family, they see what five years of prison and torture have done to him. Marcelo is partially paralyzed, haunted by nightmares, and bitter about being exiled to “Gringolandia.” Daniel worries that Courtney’s scheme to start a bilingual human rights newspaper will rake up papá’s past and drive him further into alcohol abuse and self-destruction. Daniel dreams of a real father-son relationship, but he may have to give up everything simply to save his papá’s life.This powerful coming-of-age story portrays an immigrant teen’s struggle to reach his tortured father and find his place in the world.

Book Details

Genre: 

  • Fiction
  • Juvenile Fiction

Age Level: 

  • 12 and up
Profile Picture

Daniel Aguilar has moved to the United States as an outcast. His father, Marcelo, was arrested in Chile for political reasons, and like so many other political prisoners, tortured. Released after five years in prison, Marcelo is allowed to return to his family in the United States. Marcelo is not the Papa who Daniel remembers though; while being tortured, Marcelo became partially paralyzed. Daniel wants to reconnect with his father, but can not. His father yearns for Chile, and Daniel soon gets caught up in this longing.

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