Return to Sender

Return to Sender

By Julia Alvarez

10 ratings 34 reviews 13 followers
Interest LevelReading LevelReading A-ZATOSWord Count
Grades 5 - 12Grades 4 - 7n/a5.5n/a
After Tyler's father is injured in a tractor accident, his family is forced to hire migrant Mexican workers to help save their Vermont farm from foreclosure. Tyler isn’t sure what to make of these workers. Are they undocumented? And what about the three daughters, particularly Mari, the oldest, who is proud of her Mexican heritage but also increasingly connected her American life. Her family lives in constant fear of being discovered by the authorities and sent back to the poverty they left behind in Mexico. Can Tyler and Mari find a way to be friends despite their differences?

In a novel full of hope, but no easy answers, Julia Alvarez weaves a beautiful and timely story that will stay with readers long after they finish it.
Publisher: Yearling
ISBN-13: 9780375851230
ISBN-10: 0375851232
Published on 9/14/2010
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 352

Book Reviews (36)

Add a Rating

I just finished this book and really liked it. It is basicly about how Tyler helps a mexican family escape from homeland security, I decided to read it because it fit in really well with our unit

This book is awesome its about 2 family and one of the family is not supposed be there in that Contrey or in the farm because there Mexican and have no papers and if they have no paper, they will be sent to the migra and go back to there Contrey.They live next door to someone but they live in there farm. There's 3 girls who lives there with there mama there and the girls are all name Mari and soon the Mari's makes friends with tyler. The other family dose have papers and they have a kid named tyler and 2 girls name ofi and luby and Tyler's uncle, Tio f. gets them in trouble and along the way there is lots of problem but soon enough mari and tyler became friends and they get into fights to but still are friends.

After Tyler's father is injured in a tractor accident, his family is forced to hire migrant Mexican workers to help save their Vermont farm from foreclosure. It's a awesome book!!

JessokJP JessokJP

This book is about this girl named Mari and her 2 sisters, they live in a camper on a dairy farm in Vermont. some of the main issues they face are being undocumented and their uncle called Tio Felipe who gets caught by the Migra, and their mother is missing. My favorite character in this book is Mari because she is so strong and brave! This book reminds me of a lot of other books I have read, but a little different. It was an okay book to me because it wasn't a type of book I would love but it was an okay option of the book if you into drama and stuff like that. my full opinion on this book is that it's not the type of book I loved so much but it's an okay book. in all only a 3/5 for me

This book is about how after Tyler`s father is injured from a tractor accident ,they have to hire migrant Mexican Worker to help with the farm. the Mexican girls are 3 sisters that have lost contact of there mother.Since they are undocumented they have to watch out for homeland security or La Migra. There Tio Felipe is in jail for running away from the La migra. My favorite character is Mari because she has to be like the mom for her sisters when she does`t even know where her mom is. something i enjoyed about this book was when mama was leaving and the next day Mari had to be brave so her sisters wont be sad. if you like book`s about immigration this book is for you.

This book is about a girl named Mari who moves to the United States with her family. Mari and her family are immigrants who are feared from La migra and if they get captured and get deported. Maris sisters, Ofie and Luby are scared that the home security does not come and take them away. Mari has no contact with her mom whatsoever. She takes care of her little sisters and fills in for their Mom. Mari's dad works for the Paquette family. Mari has built up a really big relationship with Mrs. and Mr.Paquette's son, Tyler. The Paqettes were mourning the loss of Grandpa and Tyler thinks the Farm has bad lunch because first was Grandpa died, then Dad's accident. I think this is an amazing book, especially for my classmates. I really recommend this book.

Quiet One mf... Quiet One mf...

I like this book because one of the main characters Mari wrights about her life in the U.S but her life is really hard with her not being documented her family lives in some type of R.V next to a family of farmers shes friends with the farmers youngest Tyler also is having difficult times,the farm they live in is kinda like a bad luck farm because of what to his grandpa.this book reminds me of the book ''Esperanza Rising'' i would recommend this book for you and i would share it with my friends.

ALIEN QWEEN(AS) ALIEN QWEEN(AS)

This is an incredible book. I love it!! If you like historical fiction, this book is FOR YOU! So this book is about 2 kids (Who both have family issues) who are completely different from each other. Mari, the Mexican little girl, Is from an undocumented family, which means if they get caught in America they will be deported BACK to Mexico, and they don't want that; So they're hiding. . Now there is another boy named Tyler, who lives in the USA with his family. His dad got into a terrible accident, and he's even lucky to be alive. There's a summary!! Anyway, this book is amazing like I said. It might look boring, but trust me. If you read one chapter, you just have to read the next, then the next, and on and on!! It's so addicting. I recommend it for advanced readers! I made this review, and I've only finished one-third of the book. This book is very original and unique because It is a book about history. Now usually history can be kind of boring, (Sorry history teachers) but this book made history fun!! It is filled with drama and adventure, and again, it's a HISTORY BOOK!!! (My mind is blown while writing this if you can't tell) there's just more and more drama throughout the book, making it even MORE addicting!! If you haven't read it already, realtime or virtually, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!? GO NOW!!

Raiyah❤¬_¬👌 Raiyah❤¬_¬👌

I think that return to sender is really interesting because it talks about how Maria is trying to use her voice so her and family can come into the country legally. And it connects to Esperanza rising because both of the stories talk about immigration and how Maria had to take care of her sisters and Esperanza also taking care of her self and her family. Its also connected to the bread winner because Parvana was also taking a stand because people were terrorist and they were hurting and killing people so these three girls decide to take a stand. Thats why these three book are AMAZING. Thats why I recommend you all to read these books.

This book is about a girl named Mari Who has gone to the United States after being born in Mexico. After entering America without documents, She and her Family are on the run while they haven't found Mari's Mother who is lost.They end up on a Dairy Farm in Vermont Where another Kid name Tyler and his family has their own problems. Tyler is open to Mari and her sisters But they, specifically Mari, are very shy and reluctant towards Tyler's Kindness. At this moment in the story, Tyler's family wants Mari's Grandma in a Nursing Home and Mari's mom is lost. They Gave Mari's Mom the new number for the new place they are at now. If you want to know more, Read the book! My Favorite Character is Tyler because he is very relatable. My Least Favorite Character is Mari's Dad. He is way too overprotective of Mari. This Book Reminds me of Esperanza Rising Because they both have something to do with immigration and having to move from your old home because it was taken away. If you like drama, heartbreak or both I think you should check out Breadwinner and/or Esperanza Rising. they are both really interesting and will make you feel sad but happy and impressed but overwhelmed but their amazingness. (Made By ThatOneKidJG)

Show More