The Book of Rosy

Adult nonfiction 

     When we first meet Rosayra (Rosy) Pablo Cruz, coauthor with Julie Schwietert Collazo of The Book of Rosy, she's languishing in an American prison.  It's isolated out in the middle of nowhere.  Its occupants are neglected and abused.  Her "crime" was entering the United States without documents.  Her sons have been taken from her and put in foster care over a thousand miles away.

     It's not that they wanted to flee Guatemala.  Rosy's husband had been murdered, leaving her alone to raise their family.  Then she too was shot but survived.  It was only a matter of time before the person who had a contract on her returned to finish the job.  So given the chance she fled.

     After a grueling, terrifying journey Rosy is imprisoned, her beloved sons torn from her arms.  💔 At first she can just pray for their safety.  But when people outraged 😠 😡 enough by this American policy pay for her to get out of prison the little family is 🫂 reunited.  

     But their reality is more complex and confusing than any of them had anticipated.  They've all been through terror and trauma.  Rosy still has very young daughters in Guatemala.  It will be a long time before mother and sons will learn if all are green card eligible or if any or all will be sent back to privation and peril. 

     The Book of Rosy is a powerful refutation of the stereotypes of immigrants that the build a wall 🧱 crowd propagates.  It humanizes women like Rosy, showing how they are more like us than different and why we need to fight for their right to live in safety with their beloved children.

On a purrrsonal note, this morning 🌄 I made a really exciting decision.  I'm going to start a hope chest.  Not the traditional kind where in a time before cheap mass production and bridal registries people stashed linens and pans and other stuff they'd need in married life.  I'll be celebrating 34 years of marriage later this month.  I had no desire for that kind of hope chest before I was married no matter how hard Mom tried to convince me to covet one.  Wedlock is not the only thing a person can hope for.  What I'm hoping for is an after graduation job that will include an office or at least a desk in an office.  That's what I'll be setting aside special objects for.  (Jules)

People are complicated.  (Tobago)

A great big shout out goes out to all who will help me make my dream come true.

Tobago and Jules Hathaway 

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