Hear My Voice: The Testimonies of Children Detained at the Southern Border of the United States

Binford, founder of Project Amplify, assembles the testimonies of 61 migrant children from Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, ages five to 17, in this hard-hitting, movingly illustrated book that utilizes the talents of 17 Mexican and Mexican American artists to share truths of life in U.S. Border Patrol and detention facilities. In the foreword, Michael Garcia Bochenek of Human Rights Watch states, “This book, a story for children by children, wasn’t easy to tell and isn’t easy to hear. But it’s not only a story of adults’ cruelty and neglect... it’s also a story of children’s strength, courage, and hope.” In English and Spanish, the text unfolds simply but meaningfully—with the children’s own words, intertwined not as a single, broad narrative but in a harmonious array of voices, each with a unique story to tell. Similarly, no single art style dominates. Contributed by illustrators including Caldecott Honoree Yuyi Morales and Pura Belpré winner Raúl the Third, each illustration—whether fantastical or realistic, bold or delicate, vibrant or muted—powerfully complements the accompanying testimony, underscoring the children’s humanity and the individuality of each perspective. This is a heartrending but vital work. Includes a reader’s guide. Ages 8–up. (Apr.)■