Friends from the Other Side/Amigos del Otro Lado

Friends from the Other Side/Amigos del Otro Lado tells the story of Prietita, a young Mexican-American girl who meets Joaquín, a boy who recently crossed the border with his mother from Mexico. The bilingual narrative follows Prietita as she stands up for Joaquín against local children who bully him for being undocumented. She introduces him to a curandera (folk healer) in their border town community. Through this story, Anzaldúa addresses themes of friendship, compassion, and the complexities of life along the U.S.-Mexico border. The narrative explores how children navigate cultural differences and learn to show kindness across social boundaries. The book presents complex social issues through an accessible lens, encouraging young readers to consider immigration, identity, and inclusion from new perspectives.

Readers appreciate this book's handling of complex immigration issues in a way children can understand. Parents and teachers note it opens discussions about acceptance, bullying, and helping others in need. Likes: - Clear, straightforward message about compassion - Authentic bilingual Spanish/English text - Illustrations that capture emotions and cultural details - Teaching opportunities about border communities Dislikes: - Some find the story pacing slow - A few readers mention the ending feels abrupt - Text density challenging for younger readers - Some parents wanted more context about immigration laws Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (328 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (46 ratings) Notable reader comments: "Perfect for teaching empathy to elementary students" - Teacher on Goodreads "The bilingual format helped my kids practice Spanish" - Parent reviewer on Amazon "Would benefit from additional background information" - School librarian review

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🌵 Author Gloria Anzaldúa grew up in a Texas ranching family near the Mexican border, giving her firsthand experience with the cultural dynamics she explores in the book 📚 The story's protagonist, Prietita, appears in several of Anzaldúa's children's books as a recurring character who learns about healing, acceptance, and border culture 🗣️ The book was originally published in both English and Spanish on facing pages, reflecting the author's commitment to linguistic diversity and cultural preservation 🌿 Traditional Mexican folk medicine (curanderismo) plays a key role in the narrative, highlighting the importance of indigenous healing practices in border communities 🤝 The book was one of the first children's stories to compassionately address the complex issue of undocumented immigration from a child's perspective