Return to Sender

Julia Alvarez knows how to characterize the blur in the line between right and wrong. She knows how to make it clear that reality and morality are continuums and not dichotomies of this or that, up or down, or yes or no. There are no absolutes. (Now, there's an oxymoron.) We have a long way to go. Al......more

I read this book along with my tutoring student: it was her going-in-to-10th-grade summer reading assignment. I'll try to include both our perspectives, as she's certainly much closer to the intended audience than I am. I tell you what, though: I'm surprised by the school's choice. These students are......more

the best part of this book was learning that this punctuation mark: ?! is called an interrobang. who knew?!......more

Citation: Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez (Yearling 2009) 1.Genre: Junior Chapter Book/ Contemporary Realism 2. Summary: Return to Sender is a story about two families, one farming family and one migrant worker family, struggling to survive and stay together through the many challenges each family f......more

I have always enjoyed reading the books of Julia Alvarez but had never read any of the books she had written for children and teenagers. When my son gave me this book, I was anxious to read it. "Return to Sender" is written for middle school readers. It sends a powerful message to children in this a......more