Return To Sender

By: Julia Alvarez

Published by Knopf Books for Children, 2009

Reading Level: Lexile 890L

Independent Read, 6.1

 

Friendship, Equality, Hopeful, Courage, Acceptance

“This is the wonderful thing about stories. . . .

There are no borders. Like swallows, like stars, you don’t have to stop where one country or language or race or religion or gender or time period ends and another begins.”

—Julia Alvarez

 Return to Sender, was awarded the American Library Association’s Pura Belpré Award in 2010. The award is presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.

Tyler Paquette, an 11 year old boy is devastated when he finds out that his family may lose their farm in Vermont due to a terrible accident that happened to his father and the death of his grandfather. He is sent away to his Uncle Tony’s and Aunt Roxies house for a month while the Paquettes try to find a solution to save their farm. Upon his return, he notices ‘strange people’ coming out of a trailer in their yard. “They have brown skin and black hair.(page 3)” Tyler, thinking Indians are trespassing onto his property is shouting to his mom and dad who then begin to explain exactly how they were able to save the farm. “They’re from Mexico(13.” Mrs. Paquette begins. A family consisting of Papa, his three daughters Ofie, Luby, and Mari (whom Tyler develops a friendship with), Tio Armando and Tio Felipe all now live in the trailer behind the Paquettes house. In order to keep the farm up and running, the Paquettes had no choice but to hire migrant Mexican workers, to save their farm from foreclosure. Tyler is unsure of what to think of his parent’s actions, who are always being so patriotic and following the laws. Mari whom is the eldest is so proud of her Mexican culture, but is also becoming accustomed to the American lifestyle the Paquettes have provided to them. As Tyler slowly opens up to the Cruz family, Tyler and Mari become good friends and are able to become comfortable enough to express their feelings to one another. But for Mari as the story continues is worried about her mother’s return, their Tio Felipe getting arrested, and Immigration Customs Enforcement sending them back to Mexico. Tyler is also dealing with the loss of his grandfather, his father’s pride being washed away due to the fact they had to hire help to keep the farm, and the constant panic of what people may think if someone finds out they have illegal immigrants on their farm. Tyler and Mari friendship strengthens due to the fact they are constantly concerned about what the future holds for them as well as their families.

Note: This book is written from a point of view that is often shifting throughout the novel. Return to Sender, may be the first book your students read like this. Highlight that Mari is talking through first person in a series of letters or a diary entry. Tyler’s story is told through the voice of narrator. Help your students of making the distinction of who is talking at certain points, you may not want to assign chapters right away. Start off with reading the narrator’s view and stop when it’s Mari writing her letters so that the students are fully able to comprehend the story. The two different viewpoints are essential to understanding the story.

It’s a controversial topic with the population rapidly changing in America and you should be able to educate your students about the topic and let them have their own opinions about immigration. Just because it is a controversial topic, does not mean your students shouldn’t know what is going on in today’s world.

Key Vocabulary:

Throughout the book Julia Alvarez is often adding Spanish words or sentences. Anything that is in Spanish is italicized allowing the reader to know it is Spanish word. However, Julia Alvarez is sure to always give the English translation or makes sure you understand what the word means and she does an excellent job in doing so. As you are assigning pages to read you can send a worksheet with the Spanish words so that you know your students are able to connect the two languages.

The English words I found that you can teach your students before they read selected pages are: adamantly (28), stave (47), piques (48), prominent (52), constellations (52), vehement (119), assertion (119), culpable (121), fervently (130), rebuke (198), wistful (254), quarreling (255) contradictory (257), welter (257), battalion (263).

Teaching Suggestions –

Before Reading: Discuss the topic Immigration before reading the book. Have students have some sort of background knowledge about the terminology used with Immigration such as Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE). History books or lessons can correlate. Afterward, students will be assigned to research an article about immigration within the last 5 years in class. Once they have found an article, they are to verify with you, the teacher, in class the article they have chosen. Next, allocate time to allow the students to read the article.  Have dictionaries available for the students to look up words they may not understand. If the students are still having difficulty with a particular word they may question you, the teacher.

During Reading: Check with students to make sure they comprehend the text. Discuss the Spanish Holidays celebrated in the book. How are they similar to the American Holidays?

Day of the Dead – Dia de los Muertos, November 1^st

Dia de Accion de Gracias – Thanksgiving, November

Three Kinds Day – El Dia de Reyes, Los Reyes Magos, January 6^th

Dia de le Candelaria – Candlemas, February 2^nd

Connect the book to Science by learning about constellations.

After Reading: Discuss the friendship of Tyler and Mari and how have they both changed towards one another. What have they done for each other? What was Tyler’s view of Illegal Immigrants and how have they changed throughout the book. What are your student’s views? When the two youngest Cruz’s girls turn 18 do you think they would travel back for a better life to the United States and bring their family with them the legal way? Why? Is it possible?

Electronic Resources –

Author’s Site:  Julia Alvarez has made it extremely easy for her readers to gain all the information they need through her site. Here she has listed all her books along with a summary and what was her inspiration to write the book. A Teacher’s Guide is available for additional classroom instruction.

Book Notes:  An educator’s guide to connections made within the book. As well as a pre-reading activity and Thematic Connections questions for group discussion. As well as, lesson ideas for history, music, science, and social studies. Links are also provided about the “Coyotes” and the effects of Illegal Immigration both pros and cons.