| It's 1999 in Bolivia and Francisco's life consists of school, soccer, and trying to find space for himself in his family's cramped yet boisterous home. But when his father is arrested on false charges and sent to prison by a corrupt system that targets the uneducated, the poor, and the indigenous majority, all hope is lost. Francisco and his sister are left with no choice: They must move into the prison with their father. There, they find a world unlike anything they've ever known, where everything-a door, a mattress, protection from other inmates-has its price. Prison life is dirty, dire, and dehumanizing. With their lives upended, Francisco faces an impossible decision: Break up the family and take his sister to their grandparents in the Andean highlands, fleeing the city and the future that was just within his grasp, or remain together in the increasingly dangerous prison. Pulled between two equally undesirable options, Francisco must confront everything he once believed about the world around him and his place within it. In this heart-wrenching novel inspired by real events, Melanie Crowder sheds light on a little-known era of modern South American history-where injustice still darkens the minds and hearts of people alike-and proves that hope can be found, even in the most desperate places. Perfect for fans of Ruta Sepetys, Matt de la Pena, and Jacqueline Woodson. |
