Areli Is a Dreamer, Areli Morales
Areli Is a Dreamer, Areli Morales
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Areli Is a Dreamer
A True Story by Areli Morales, a DACA Recipient

Author: Areli Morales

Narrator: Areli Morales

Unabridged: 15 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 06/08/2021


Synopsis

In the first picture book written by a DACA Dreamer, Areli Morales tells her own powerful and vibrant immigration story.

When Areli was just a baby, her mama and papa moved from Mexico to New York with her brother, Alex, to make a better life for the family--and when she was in kindergarten, they sent for her, too.
 
Everything in New York was different. Gone were the Saturdays at Abuela’s house, filled with cousins and sunshine. Instead, things were busy and fast and noisy. Areli’s limited English came out wrong, and schoolmates accused her of being illegal. But with time, America became her home. And she saw it as a land of opportunity, where millions of immigrants who came before her paved their own paths. She knew she would, too.
 
This is a moving story--one that resonates with millions of immigrants who make up the fabric of our country--about one girl living in two worlds, a girl whose DACA application was eventually approved and who is now living her American dream.
 
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is an immigration policy that has provided relief to thousands of undocumented children, referred to as “Dreamers,” who came to the United States as children and call this country home.
 

About The Author

Areli Morales Romero was born in Puebla, Mexico, but was raised in New York City. She is a DACA recipient, and Areli Is a Dreamer is her debut children's book. A graduate of CUNY-Brooklyn College with a bachelor's degree in childhood bilingual education, she currently works as a substitute teacher. One day, Areli hopes to have her own classroom, where she can teach children to value the power of storytelling and empower them to share their own stories. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her family.Luisa Uribe was awarded the Society of Illustrators Dilys Evans Founder's Award for The Vast Wonder of the World by Melina Mangal. She also illustrated Your Name Is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, which received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews, describing her work as "dynamic." She lives in Bogotá, Colombia, with her partner and two cats.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Osmar on June 06, 2021

Growing up a Latin X reader it was always amazing to find books that depicted people that looked and sounded/spoke the same language as me. But this book goes above and beyond and giving you the real-life story of Arieli. There's very few punches that are pulled, but something that I could relate to......more

Goodreads review by Ben on July 29, 2021

Areli Is a Dreamer: A True Story by Areli Morales, a DACA Recipient is a children's picture book written by Areli Morales and illustrated by Luisa Uribe. A Dreamer recalls her journey from Mexico to New York and the subsequent reality of living as an undocumented immigrant. Areli Morales Romero was b......more

Goodreads review by Neha on October 18, 2021

Pair with I Wish You Knew, immigration discussions, sharing circles and morning meetings. Focus: empathy, compassion, communication, and understanding......more

Goodreads review by nitya on March 25, 2023

Lovely and important story!! The illustrations were my favorite Content warning: racism......more

Goodreads review by Renn on November 07, 2021

I need to know more of Areli’s story! I don’t know much about DACA and I wish this told the story of how she became a DACA recipient and what that means to her, but hopefully that’s a story for another book! If you enjoy the art, I was excited to learn that this has the same illustrator as Your Name......more


Quotes

A confident, heartfelt story…. Powerful in its cleareyed optimism.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"This beautifully illustrated picture book presents hardships that many undocumented children face when making the journey to America.... Highly recommended." —Booklist, starred review

This book could be used in a social science class highlighting Areli’s capacity to adapt and thrive as she navigates her new environment. It contains an author’s note addressing the fragility of the DACA program and back matter with a glossary defining the Spanish language terms in the story…A moving biographical picture book.” —School Library Journal