I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sanchez, 344 pages

Julia's older sister Olga died unexpectedly, throwing her family into isolating grief. Olga was always the good girl, the one who got along with her parents and did what was expected of a Mexican daughter. So now Julia finds herself bearing the weight of two daughters' worth of expectations from her traditional mother, who doesn't understand her younger daughter's dreams and ambitions. This is a wonderful book about imperfections, grief, and family, featuring a girl with undocumented parents. I love the way it addresses everything head-on — from teenage romance to immigration to depression to poverty — without ever becoming heavy-handed. The blurb on the back covers it: this is a perfect book about imperfection.