Don't Ask Me Where I'm From

Liliana Cruz is a first-generation American teen who attends a public high school in Boston. When she receives acceptance into a suburban school integration program called METCO, she must navigate between two contrasting worlds while concealing parts of her identity. At her new predominantly white school, Liliana confronts microaggressions and struggles to fit in among wealthy peers. Her home life becomes complicated when her father's prolonged absence forces her to question everything she thought she knew about her family. Liliana finds her voice through writing and begins to understand the complexities of code-switching between her different communities. The story tackles themes of immigration, identity, family secrets, and the challenge of authenticity in spaces where assimilation feels necessary.

Readers connect with the authentic portrayal of code-switching and the challenges of navigating between different cultural spaces. Many reviewers who attended similar METCO programs or experienced being minorities in predominantly white schools relate to protagonist Liliana's experiences. What readers liked: - Natural, believable teenage voice and dialogue - Strong character development over the course of the story - Accurate representation of Latinx family dynamics - Clear explanations of microaggressions and systemic racism What readers disliked: - Some found the pacing slow in the first third - Several noted predictable plot points - A few felt secondary characters needed more depth Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (3,900+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (280+ ratings) BookPage: 4/5 Common reader comment: "This book helped me understand my own students' experiences better" - noted by multiple teachers in reviews. Kirkus Reviews readers rate it 4.2/5, praising its handling of complex social issues while maintaining an engaging narrative.

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🎓 Author Jennifer De Leon worked as a Boston Public School teacher before becoming a professor at Framingham State University, bringing authentic insight to her portrayal of the education system. 🌎 The book's protagonist, Liliana Cruz, code-switches between Spanish and English, reflecting the real-life experiences of many first-generation American teens navigating multiple cultural identities. ✍️ While working on the novel, De Leon received the Walter Dean Myers Grant from We Need Diverse Books, an organization promoting diversity in children's literature. 🏫 The METCO program featured in the book is based on a real voluntary desegregation program in Massachusetts that has been operating since 1966. 🎨 The book's cover art, featuring a young woman's face split down the middle, was created by artist Agata Nowicka to symbolize the protagonist's divided cultural worlds.