Sofi Mendoza's Guide to Getting Lost in Mexico

This book starts off pretty mindless, with a spoiled girl who wants to go to a party in Mexico because the guy she likes is going. Once she tries to get back in the U.S., however, she finds out that her parents did not enter legally & she can't get back to the life she knew. Inspired by a true story, the book examines border issues and immigration from a highly personal viewpoint. Sofi is forced to become a tougher person in Mexico and you will like her all the better for it. Very realistic--great romance as well as eye-opening in terms of culture. Highly recommend!

Sofi Mendoza's life was made when she and her best friends were invited to the hottest party of the year. Just when Sofi thought everything was perfect, her overprotective parents say she can't go. But that doesn't stop her -- after she tells her parents a lie, she heads straight to the party. After the party, Sofi and a group of her friends decide to make a quick trip to Tijuana and make it back before morning, but little do they know that everyone will return, except for Sofi! The only thing stopping her is the green card she has. Well, the counterfeit one. While her parents do the necessary paperwork, Sofi ends up staying with her aunt and cousins. Spending her time working on their ranch, living in their house with no electricity, Sofi finds a new love. By the time she falls head over heels, her paperwork gets completed and Sofi is on her way home. But will the romance continue? Will she learn what life is really all about, and will she finally understand why her parents care so much? You'll have to find out the answers yourself when you read SOFI MENDOZA'S GUIDE TO GETTING LOST IN MEXICO! Reviewed by: Cho

Being a publishing and education professional, I can't say enough about SOFI MENDOZA'S GUIDE TO GETTING LOST IN MEXICO. Alegria's voice is very real as well as engaging. Her description of Mexico truly brought me back to the moment I first stepped into the country--the sights, smells, attitudes...Also, the problems and hurdles that Sofi must overcome are not exaggerated nor simple. Again, Alegria's voice is real, and Sofi deals with real emotions and real problems. I couldn't be more impressed. Alegria captures the struggle for identity and independence of every emerging adult--with a Latino spin. Can't wait to buy Estrella's Quinceañera!