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    Don't Ask Me Where I'm From
    Don't Ask Me Where I'm From
    Don't Ask Me Where I'm From
    Audiobook8 hours

    Don't Ask Me Where I'm From

    Written by Jennifer De Leon

    Narrated by Inés del Castillo

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    “A funny, perceptive, and much-needed book telling a much-needed story.” —Celeste Ng, author of the New York Times bestseller Little Fires Everywhere

    First-generation American LatinX Liliana Cruz does what it takes to fit in at her new nearly all-white school. But when family secrets spill out and racism at school ramps up, she must decide what she believes in and take a stand.

    Liliana Cruz is a hitting a wall—or rather, walls.

    There’s the wall her mom has put up ever since Liliana’s dad left—again.

    There’s the wall that delineates Liliana’s diverse inner-city Boston neighborhood from Westburg, the wealthy—and white—suburban high school she’s just been accepted into.

    And there’s the wall Liliana creates within herself, because to survive at Westburg, she can’t just lighten up, she has to whiten up.

    So what if she changes her name? So what if she changes the way she talks? So what if she’s seeing her neighborhood in a different way? But then light is shed on some hard truths: It isn’t that her father doesn’t want to come home—he can’t…and her whole family is in jeopardy. And when racial tensions at school reach a fever pitch, the walls that divide feel insurmountable.

    But a wall isn’t always a barrier. It can be a foundation for something better. And Liliana must choose: Use this foundation as a platform to speak her truth, or risk crumbling under its weight.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio
    Release dateAug 18, 2020
    ISBN9781797100647
    Author

    Jennifer De Leon

    Jennifer De Leon is an author, editor, speaker, and creative writing professor who lives outside of Boston. She is the editor of Wise Latinas: Writers on Higher Education, the 2015–2016 Writer-in-Residence at the Boston Public Library, and a 2016–2017 City of Boston Artist-in-Residence. She is also the second recipient of the We Need Diverse Books grant. She is the author of Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From and Borderless.

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    Reviews for Don't Ask Me Where I'm From

    4.5/5

    106 ratings11 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Sharing the reality of immigration, classicism, racism and diversity or the lack there of from a teenage perspective is enlightening

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This was such a cute read but y’all most of the things Liliana experiences was so relatable.

      Just a few notes about themes in the book:

      - whew the microagressions in this book. LAWD.
      - The constant having to speak for your whole race and/or ethnicity is so relatable.
      - Loved seeing discussion about how Black and Brown people have to code switch in non-Black and Brown spaces.
      - the separation of Black and Brown folks into alternate activities to pacify white tears is just...ugh.
      - having Black and Brown folks training white folks on ways to be less racist

      Sheesh. I felt every single experience. A MUST READ!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This book is a commentary about systemic and individual racism in schools and communities wrapped up in a teen’s experience of starting a new school. It is a love story - love for family, friends, community, writing, and yes, a boy. I highly recommend this book for any teacher or teacher candidate to gain insight into what they can do to support diverse students.
    • 5/5
      It is perfect to understand how deeply racism can be, and yet so common. It also talks about immigration and xenophobia. Loves the story it is a 10
    • 5/5
      Well written story that touches on important subjects. Great narration.
    • 5/5
      What an awesome book told in an authentic voice. Honestly thought I was back in high school for awhile.
    • 5/5
      This is a book that I want to share and have conversations about. With my kids and my friends. While it takes on serious topics, it's well written and digestible for the YA pallet.

      Liliana finds out that she's been accepted into a program that will allow for her (an inner city Boston high schooler) to go to a suburban school. She finds out that her father has been deported to Guatamala and is trying to make his way home. She accepts the offer because she knows he would have wanted it.

      The first half was a little slow going. My heart went out to Liliana as she struggled to balance the long ride, the microaggressions, caring for family, and wanting to just learn like everyone else. I was sad about how she pushed part of herself aside to fit in. I liked that her Auntie and Uncle came and helped her connect with and recognize the sacrifices that had been made and continued to be made.

      "I'm just saying that yeah, you may feel annoyed having to press one for English or whatever. But imagine how annoyed you'd be if someone came and kicked you off your own land and told you that your language, food, culture, everything, was wrong. And you had to change it. Or die. That's messed up, right? That's annoying right?"

      There are several amazing points made during this book. I really feel like, while the plot simplified some things to wrap things into a nice bow at the end, the author did an awesome job illustrating experiences of POC.


      The author points out that:
      -disparities in education exist
      -schools are still segregated
      -students of color face stereotypes and racism daily
      - teachers have biases & prejudices
      - the immigration process in the U.S. is far more complicated and biased than people think
      -undocumented communities are resilient, resourceful and beacons of hope.
      Okay, quit reading my review and go check it out!

    • 5/5
      Amazing-such an honest depiction of immigrant and METCO experience. Loved this book!
    • 5/5
      The inner struggles of the teen lady are beautifully described.
    • 4/5
      15-year-old Liliana Cruz, has a lot on her plate. Here’s her laundry list: best friend troubles, keeping her little brothers in line, dealing with her dad who always seems to be traveling, and trying to fit in at Westburg. Westburg is the wealthy, suburban, majority-white high school where Liliana has just been accepted. It is quite different from her inner city Boston neighborhood.Liliana, is half-Guatemalan and half-El Salvadorian. So, she wonders, if maybe it would benefit her to change her name and way she talks? Then some hard truths come to light. Is her father traveling more or does he just not want to come home. This fact has put her whole family in jeopardy. On top of all this the racial tensions at school are reaching what seems to be insurmountable proportions.This is a well written novel for the teen audience as the characters make their way through friendships and romantic relationships.
    • 4/5
      When Liliana Cruz finds out she’s been accepted into the METCO program and will have to switch from her inner-city high school to a wealthy suburban one she doesn’t want to go. Who would? But Liliana decides to make her recently missing dad proud and she rises to the challenge. Jennifer De Leon’s debut YA novel, Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From, takes on a lot of difficult but timely themes--race, class, bussing and undocumented immigrants. De Leon handles it all with realistic characters, a sense of humor and a clear style that keeps the reader eager to see what happens next. If certain plot points seem a bit contrived and others strangely skimmed over, the entire story is still compelling and well done. Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From tells a strong story about life as an outsider trying to fit in, and manages to show many views in a very real way. De Leon’s story will resonate with a lot of students and give others something to think about. A definite must-read in the vein of Angie Thomas, Ibi Zoboi and Elizabeth Acevedo.