THE RADIUS OF US by Marie Marquardt
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It took less than two minutes for Gretchen’s life to change. She was hit from behind, crushed into the asphalt, and robbed. And then she witnessed something even worse. Six months later she’s still having panic attacks. Phoenix has them, too. After what he experienced of gang violence in El Salvador, and his harrowing journey through Mexico, he is now being treated as a criminal for seeking asylum in the United States. His brother Ari, in his group home in Texas, is worse:not speaking a word to anyone. A legal adult at 18, Phoenix is grateful to have a place to live in Atlanta, even though he knows he will soon be sent back and killed. Almost no one from El Salvador is allowed to stay, even when deportation is a death sentence. But when he meets Gretchen, things begin to change. He begins to enjoy his life in the U.S. And Gretchen begins to venture out of her shell. Together, they begin to heal from the traumas gang violence brought to their lives.
A horrifying glimpse into the realities of gang warfare and the Central American refugee journey, The Radius of Us does not shy away from graphic violence. As disturbing as some scenes are, the novel helps teen (and adult) readers understand how gangs can take hold of the lives of children and teens and what the experience of fleeing to the U.S can mean for these children, including being abducted up by drug cartels and trafficked as slaves. And memories and flashbacks aside, the story is busting with kindness and hope.
Susan the Librarian 