The Border

This story is timely and controversial because it looks at the U.S./Mexico border issue on a humane level, not a political one. Schafer's cast of characters provides young adult readers with a variety of relatable characters to root for as he aptly demonstrates the ruthless realities facing those who cross the border between the two countries. - VOYA Magazine A riveting story of survival and perseverance along the unforgiving frontier of the Sonoran desert. - Summit Daily Teenagers facing one of the most arduous, life-threatening journeys any person can endure is elegantly presented in this important book. Jolted from their home country by violence and thrown into an escape to save their lives, the four young people in this powerful story find hardship and humanity, ruthlessness and compassion without ever losing their own sense of optimism, hope, love, and goodness. - Luis H. Zayas, PhD, Dean and Robert Lee Sutherland Chair in Mental Health and Social Policy, The University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX) In his book The Border, Steve Schafer deftly brings to life the drama of unauthorized border crossing and gives a human face to those often dismissed simply as illegals. The story of how four young people compelled by circumstances beyond their control struggled and survived a perilous crossing of the Sonoran desert into the United Sates restores humanity and dignity to the 11 million undocumented migrants who now live among us. - Douglas Massey, Henry G. Bryant Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs at Princeton University (Princeton, NJ) Steve Schafer walks us through the ebbs and flows in the lives of ordinary immigrants, the dramatic moments at the border, the fear, the yearnings, and the hope for a better future. An engrossing narrative delivered in trepidant prose. - Mauro F. Guillen, Director of the Lauder Institute at the Wharton School (Philadelphia, PA) Steve Schafer has given voice to a tragically common, but far too-infrequently told narrative of reality in towns and villages in Mexico that are controlled by drug cartels and drug smugglers. Providing legal representation for three decades to immigrants in Dallas, I have heard this same account dozens of times... Lest anyone think Steve Schafer's account is exaggeration, I can attest to the realistic depiction he provides of innocent children, adults and families caught up in the dystopia of cartel-controlled areas in Mexico. - Vanna Slaughter, Director, Catholic Charities of Dallas (Dallas, TX) This is a thought-provoking adrenaline rush sure to satisfy fans of action and adventure. Pair with Marcus Sedgwick's Saint Death (2017) for another charged look at border tensions. - Booklist This book is both eye-opening and terrifying. Schafer creates a compelling story about survival and wanting to create a better life far away from the violent Mexican drug cartel... Filled with chase scenes, dangerous situations, and a strange love story, the plot moves along at a rapid-fire pace and keeps the reader engaged. - School Library Connection This opening sequence-one among a handful of equally suspenseful scenes, including a car chase in the border town of Sonoyta -makes the quieter, bleaker moments that follow seem all the more intense, stressing the desperate troubles these teens endure... brilliant. - Kirkus