The Maldonado Miracle

This is an excellent story for studying Hispanic History. There is also a video of the story to compare and contrast the book to the movie in class.

"The Maldonado Miracle" by Theodore Taylor is a great book. This book is about a twelve-year-old kid, name Jose Maldonado. Like any twelve-year-old kid Jose has dreams, but all of his dreams ended when his mother died. After his mother died his only dream was to be reunited with his father who was in the United States. Jose decided to cross the border between Mexico and the United States with his dog Sanchez. Jose didn't tell his father that he took the dog with him, but when he crossed the border and went to the migrant worker camp Jose didn't find his dad. His dad was taken to work far away from the migrant camp where they were supposed to meet. His father left a letter telling Jose that he should work in there while he was away. Jose started to work but they pay him seventy-five cents an hour. It was terrible what they pay, but Jose didn't have another option. One night Jose was taking a shower but an American came and started to bother Jose. This man started to push Jose, and Sanchez trying to protect Jose sinks his teeth into the man's body. Jose and Sanchez escaped from the camp because the man was angry at them. After they escaped Jose decided to go to the church. In the church he prayed but he touches and statue and left blood on it. After they left the church a women and the priest think that the statue cried blood. Jose and Sanchez become "the center of a miracle" that helped Jose to find his dad and to believe that dreams come true.In my opinion this book is fantastic because it is about a problem that we are having right now. Many people are crossing the border because they are trying to find a better job. I think this book is very realistic because in some parts of the book the information that the author is telling us is true. I recommend this book for ages 12 and up. I think it would be wonderful if the teenagers read this book because they will learn that the life of an immigrant is very difficult. Reading this book they would learn how people suffer and how the people that hire the immigrants exploit them.

THE MALDONADO MIRACLE is a story about a fourteen year-old boy named Jose who becomes an illegal immigrant to the United States to meet up with his father. Jose's mother died four months before the story began and Jose's father, Maldonado, has gone to the U.S. to find work and a place to stay. After getting settled in, he sends for Jose.Jose is forced to sell everything he has, except for his dog Sanchez, to make the illegal trip across the border. When he arrives at the place he is supposed to meet Maldonado, he learns that his father has been sent elsewhere and will not be back for sometime. Jose is then sent to a migrant worker camp to await until his father returns. While there a man attempts to rape Jose, but is severely wounded by Sanchez. Afraid that they will shoot his dog, Jose flees. He recieves a puncture wound along the way and spends the night in an old church, not realizing that his blood had dripped upon a statue of Jesus. Jose leaves the next morning, but soon all of Southe-western California is flocking to the mission at San Ramon to see the miracle. When Jose learns of this, is forced with a decsion to tell the truth and possibly be deported or let many people live in a lie.THE MALDONADO MIRACLE is not a spectacular piece of work. However, the plot is good and the characters of Jose, Giron, and Father Lebeon are fairly well developed. The story seems to move slowly, but in fact it does not. It is written in a style that Hispanics actually live life, slow and steady with no rush. The book raises some issues about illegal aliens and their treatment in and outside of this country and it also has something to say about faith.Overall, not too bad of a book that has some important messages to say. Reading THE MALDONADO MIRACLE is a nice way to spend a lazy afternoon.

This is real life for some children. I thought this was a fantastic book, very realistic.I would recommend this book to all of my students.