I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter is the debut young-adult novel by author Erika L. Sánchez. Prior to the novel's publication, Sánchez was widely celebrated for her poetry collection, entitled Lessons on Expulsion. I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter is a coming-of-age story set in contemporary Chicago. The novel was published by Knopf Books for Young Readers in 2017. The story explores themes of grief, the first-generation immigrant experience, and intergenerational trauma.
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter follows narrator and protagonist Julia Reyes, a 15-year-old daughter of undocumented Mexican immigrants. Julia's parents work grueling jobs, and the family lives in an impoverished neighborhood in Chicago. Julia's life changes when her older sister, Olga, dies suddenly after being struck by a bus. Olga was known for her demure and obedient nature, and she was favored by Julia's religious, traditional family. Julia, on the other hand, is loud, opinionated, and fiercely independent. After Olga's death, Julia navigates her own grief while dealing with complicated family dynamics and feelings of inferiority.
Following its publication, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter received numerous accolades. In October 2017, Bustle listed the book as one of the fifteen best forthcoming Young Adult novels. In addition, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter was a finalist for the National Book Award for young people's literature. The novel received the 2018 Thomas Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award. In 2021, it was announced that the novel would be adapted for film and released by Netflix.
