LOOK BOTH WAYS IN THE BARRIO BLANCO

Marisol Ramirez's narration reflects the many facets of middle schooler Jacinta Juarez's character, letting listeners hear her neediness and immaturity while also letting her intelligence and strength shine through. Ramirez moves beautifully between English and Spanish and various levels of accents to reflect characters' backgrounds. When a news anchor takes an interest in Jacinta, she finds herself straddling her community of undocumented immigrants and the world of privilege the journalist exposes her to. Ramirez keeps listeners on Jacinta's side, even when some of her selfish decisions lead to serious consequences for her family. Emotionally complicated and sensitive, Jacinta's story gives voice to the types of struggles undocumented immigrants and their families face in the United States. A.F. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2016]