by Laurie Elmquist

Aida Salazar’s novel in verse, Land of the Cranes, is a serious story that does not shy from talking about the terrible living conditions in US detention facilities. It features an unforgettable protagonist, the young Betita who has a gift for creating beautiful poems. Her transformation from being a protected little girl to experiencing the trauma of being separated from her parents, because of stricter laws around migration, is heart-breaking, but also very informative. Salazar’s writing, with its dance between Spanish and English words, is illuminating and beautiful. Not only does Betita enlarge her knowledge of Spanish while detained, she learns many new words such as the word, Dreamer. As it applies to her, it means someone who was born in Mexico but has lived most of their life in the US. Betita learns some slang from the young activist, Marisel, who describes their situation as “jacked up.” Betita also learns the formal sort of speech a lawyer uses when they must tell their client to wait because there aren’t enough judges to hear all the cases from people seeking asylum. The reader sees Betita changing over the course of the novel, until she no longer needs other people’s words. She has her own. When her mother is taken to hospital, she is solita, alone. She describes herself as “Unwanted. Unwelcomed. Human. Caged.”

This book is the kind of novel that opens up the reader’s eyes and heart. The relationship between the main character and her mama-bear, mother, is exciting to read. It seems as if there is nothing they can’t survive, as long as they have each other. I’m very happy I read this story, and I hope it will find its way to readers who want to have these tough conversations about migration and human rights.