10-12 11-12 12 9-12 Memoir Nonfiction Young Adult

Solito by Javier Zamora

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Published: 2022
Series: N/A
Author: Javier Zamora
Illustrator: N/A
Genres: Biography, Memoir, Social Justice, Race
Audience (Grade Levels):Grades 9-12
Number of Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 Stars)
Goodreads Link: Solito
Triggers: Border Crossing, Family Issues
Review By: Heather Kent

Publisher’s Summary:

Goodreads Choice Award: Nominee for Readers’ Favorite Memoir & Autobiography (2022)

New York Times Bestseller • Read With Jenna Book Club Pick as seen on Today • Winner of the Los Angeles Times Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiography • Winner of the American Library Association Alex Award • A Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of the Century

A young poet tells the inspiring story of his migration from El Salvador to the United States at the age of nine in this “gripping memoir” (NPR) of bravery, hope, and finding family. Trip. My parents started using that word about a year ago—“one day, you’ll take a trip to be with us. Like an adventure.” Javier Zamora’s adventure is a three-thousand-mile journey from his small town in El Salvador, through Guatemala and Mexico, and across the U.S. border. He will leave behind his beloved aunt and grandparents to reunite with a mother who left four years ago and a father he barely remembers. Traveling alone amid a group of strangers and a “coyote” hired to lead them to safety, Javier expects his trip to last two short weeks.

At nine years old, all Javier can imagine is rushing into his parents’ arms, snuggling in bed between them, and living under the same roof again. He cannot foresee the perilous boat trips, relentless desert treks, pointed guns, arrests and deceptions that await him; nor can he know that those two weeks will expand into two life-altering months alongside fellow migrants who will come to encircle him like an unexpected family. A memoir as gripping as it is moving, Solito provides an immediate and intimate account not only of a treacherous and near-impossible journey, but also of the miraculous kindness and love delivered at the most unexpected moments. Solito is Javier Zamora’s story, but it’s also the story of millions of others who had no choice but to leave home.

Review

“Solito” by Javier Zamora is an emotional and compelling novel that offers a powerful portrayal of the immigrant experience through the eyes of a nine year old boy named Javier. As I traveled with Javier in his journey to reunite with his parents it made me grateful for my life and see how it could help to build empathy and understanding among students, particularly those who may not be familiar with the challenges faced by immigrants. Throughout his journey Javier embarks on a dangerous path from El Salvador to the United States, while exploring themes of identity, belonging, and resilience in the face of adversity.

Classroom & Curricular Connections:

  • Social Studies & Human Geography: Use Javier’s 3,000-mile route across Central America and Mexico to map the geopolitical realities of migration. Students can analyze the socioeconomic push-and-pull factors influencing immigration from El Salvador to the United States.
  • English Language Arts (Memoir Analysis): Explore the power of first-person perspective in nonfiction. Have students study how Zamora maintains the authentic voice and limited knowledge of a nine-year-old child to build tension and deep empathy without using adult hindsight.
  • Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) & Community Building: Focus on the theme of “found family.” Have students complete a reflective writing assignment or participate in a literature circle discussing how the strangers on the journey protected Javier, showcasing human resilience, empathy, and collective care in high-stress environments.
  • Extension Activity (Oral History Project): Pair this reading with an independent or group project where students explore family origin stories or interview community members about their personal journeys of relocation and belonging.

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