Return to Sender (27 page)

I know it must seem strange that Mari is often writing her letters in Spanish but you are reading them in English.

Just the same, when she reports on a conversation with her father or mother or uncles, these relatives are speaking in Spanish, but wait a minute! You are hearing them in English.

This is the wonderful thing about stories. The impossible is possible. You can read a story about a samurai warrior or two Italian teenagers with warring families or a Danish prince whose father has died mysteriously and be totally at home in their world even though you don't speak a word of their language. It's why I love stories. There are no borders. Like swallows, like stars, you don't have to stop where one country or language or race or religion or gender or time period ends and another begins.

But just in case you wondered, one of the ways we recognize that a word belongs in another language,
otra lengua,
is that we put it in italics. So, whenever one of Mari's letters begins in italics with a Spanish date
(15 agosto 2005)
and salutation
(Queridísima Mamá
) or she writes
México
with an accent, you will know that it is actually being written in Spanish. But don't worry. Because this is a story, you can understand her Spanish as if you were a native speaker.

Also, whenever I use a Spanish word, I always give you its
English translation or make sure you understand what the word means in that scene. I wouldn't want you to feel left out just because you are not yet bilingual! But my hope is that what you can do magically in a story, understand Spanish, will make you want to learn that magic in real life. Being bilingual is a wonderful way to connect ourselves with other countries and people and understand what it means to live inside their words as well as their world.

So, for now, welcome to Spanish in English, and may it inspire you to learn the language of Spanish in
español.

I hereby name the stars on the following pages
after all of you who helped me
write this book.
You know who you are,
my stars.
Thank you!
¡Gracias!

Copyright © 2009 by Julia Alvarez

All rights reserved.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Alvarez, Julia.

Return to sender / Julia
Alvarez. — 1st ed.
p. cm.
Summary: After his family hires migrant Mexican workers to help save their Vermont farm from foreclosure, eleven-year-old Tyler befriends the oldest daughter, but when he discovers they may not be in the country legally, he realizes that real friendship knows no borders.
eISBN: 978-0-375-89161-8
[1. Farm life—Vermont—Fiction. 2. Friendship—Fiction. 3. Migrant workers—Fiction.
4. Illegal aliens—Fiction. 5. Vermont—Fiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.A48Re 2009
[Fic]—dc22
2008023520

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