Jessica Lee Anderson
BORDER CROSSING
Available NOW
Manz is sure of one thing—he lives on the wrong side of the tracks in dusty Rockhill, Texas. Life is tough for everyone—his hard-drinking mother, her truck-driving boyfriend, even his privileged friend Jed—but especially for Manz, the mixed-race son of migrant apple pickers. If he could only get out of town, his life would be better.
When the summer heat sets in, Manz and Jed take a job rebuilding fence for a cattle ranch outside town. There he meets Vanessa, who works in the ranch's kitchen. The two hit it off, but Manz isn't sure he can trust her. As the dog days drag on, Manz must negotiate an unwieldy terrain involving an unpredictable, alcoholic mother, a best friend whose father uses him as a punching bag, and a simmering, creeping delusion that "Operation Wetback"—which brutally relocated illegal aliens deep in Mexican territory following World War II—has been put back into effect. Manz's bright and questioning mind begins to give in to its own claustrophobic temptations as he finds guidance in the voices that have been growing louder and more insistent each day.
Cynsational Book of 2009
2010 Quick Picks Nomination
2009 Cybils Nomination: Young Adult Fiction
2010 NerdsHeartYA shortlist
"[Border Crossing] is a page-turner. Anderson manages to be both realistic and compassionate in her depiction of mental illness." —New Pages
"A fast read, this book will provoke discussion and, perhaps, further research." --Booklist
"The poignant story of Manz, a 15-year-old boy trying to cope with a dysfunctional relationship with his alcoholic mother and the humming noises, whispering voices and scary visions that only he perceives." --Kirkus
"This taut coming of age novel explores mental illness and border issues in an honest and clear voice." —Boys Read
