Return to Sender (published in 2009) by Julia Alvarez unfolds on the Tyler family's dairy farm in Vermont, where the family, struggling after a series of unfortunate events, hires a group of undocumented Mexican workers to help keep their business afloat. The novel provides two distinct perspectives: Tyler, the American farm owner's son, and Mari, the Mexican foreman's daughter.
The narrative revolves around the evolving friendship between Tyler and Mari, whose lives intertwine despite their contrasting backgrounds and circumstances. Tyler, who is grappling with his father's accident and the struggle to maintain the family farm, is conflicted about the presence of undocumented workers. He grapples with the moral complexity of their situation, especially as he develops a bond with Mari and her family. On the other hand, Mari navigates the fears and challenges of living as an undocumented immigrant while wrestling with her longing to reunite with her mother, who has been deported.
Upon its release, Return to Sender was met with positive reception for its compassionate and humanizing portrayal of the migrant experience and its exploration of the dilemmas facing young individuals in a divided society. The novel won the Pura Belpré Award for its representation of the Latino cultural experience in a work of youth literature.
