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Lately, twelve-year-old Hayley’s life has been falling apart. Ever since her dad moved out, Hayley has had to take care of her mom, who’s been slipping deeper and deeper into depression. Then, one summer afternoon, when Hayley is about to get some ice cream with her best friend, Sam, she gets a phone call from her grandmother, who invites Hayley to come live with her for a while—in Mexico—while her mom takes the time to get some help. The last thing Hayley wants to do is leave her home and her friends behind and move to Mexico, but she doesn’t really have a choice, either. So she starts packing her bags and gets ready to leave.
Hayley has no idea what to expect when she arrives in San Miguel, the small town where Gran lives—but she finds that Mexico has more to offer than she expected. She immediately makes friends with Lili, the girl next door—and she and Lili find themselves trying to solve the mystery of the ghost that’s rumored to haunt Gran’s house.
While in San Miguel, Hayley learns all about the Mexican culture—but she also learns about the migrant workers, like Lili’s dad and uncles, who travel north to the U.S. to find work, so they can send money back to their families. Though they often make more money harvesting crops in Michigan than they could make in Mexico, they sometimes run into problems—like Lili’s dad, who ends up on a farm where their boss refuses to pay him. Not only is he unable to send money to his family, but he doesn’t even have enough money to get home. Hayley really wants to help her new friend’s family, but she just doesn’t know how.
Truth and Salsa is more than just a pre-teen novel. It’s also a lesson in Mexican culture. As kids read Hayley’s story, they’ll also learn about Mexican festivals and traditions. They’ll learn about a culture that’s different from their own—and they’ll learn to care about people who aren’t like them. They may even pick up a word or two of Spanish along the way.
The story itself is interesting—full of plenty of sub-plots to keep the attention of younger readers. Often, however, it reads more like the first book in a series than a stand-alone book. Some of the smaller sub-plots don’t really go anywhere—and some of the larger ones don’t have solid closure. At times, the story just feels like it’s spread a little too thin—but I have a feeling that younger readers won’t notice as much as I do. And for the cultural lessons alone, Truth and Salsa is well worth reading. Especially if you live in an area where migrant workers are employed, pick up a copy for your kids and help then learn more about the Mexican way of life.
