Areli is a Dreamer

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 story that resonates with millions of people who are immigrants—about one girl living in two worlds, a girl whose DACA application was eventually approved and who is now living her American dream. A Spanish-language edition, Areli Es Una Dreamer, is also available.