My Journey Home

Ruby OrtizBook Title: My Journey Home Mi Camino A Casa My Journey Home shines a light on a child's experience when immigrating to another country and adapting to a new reality. When relocating, it is very common for families to separate and go for extended periods without seeing each other. Many times, young children leave behind their home, loved ones, and everything familiar to them. Without fully processing what is happening, they are quickly expected to adapt and thrive in a new environment. They have to make new friends, learn a new language, get good grades in a new school, and overall be okay with this change in their life. More than often, children going through such a drastic change can't always articulate into words what they are experiencing. Not only are they coping with their own emotions, but they are also aware of the worrisome looks around them. Children feel every emotion that surrounds them throughout a life–changing event such as this one. My Journey Home attempts to give the children that identify with this story a voice, a message that things will be okay, and the knowledge that they are not alone in their experience. Nevertheless, this book also welcomes the idea of having different family structures that includes belonging to more than one home. Even if one's home is countries away or if you have to travel thousands of miles to see your loved ones and use letters or phone calls to stay in touch, it is still home.

-- Ruby Ortiz