Undocumented: A Dominican Boy’s Odyssey from a Homeless Shelter to the Ivy League is a memoir that follows author Dan-El Padilla Peralta’s journey as an undocumented immigrant in the United States. Dan-El moved to New York at the young age of 4 years old with his mother and youngest brother, hoping for a better life. Dan-El spent his childhood hiding his biggest secret: he did not have legal immigrant status in the country. Because of his desire to forge a bright future for himself and his family, he worked hard in school. His amazing academic performance caught the eyes of a teacher and this contributed to his great academic success. He achieved admission to Princeton University and continued to overcome obstacles. Padilla is now a professor at Princeton and a public speaker, inspiring millions of people in similar situations.
Review: ★★★★★
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves memoirs and inspiring life stories. Dan-El’s life opened my eyes to the harsh reality of being an undocumented immigrant living in the states. His incredible drive and passion to learn made the memoir encouraging. I aspire to make a difference in the world similar to how Dan-El did.
Dan-El Padilla Peralta’s memoir cover pictures a young boy reading a book. His memoir provides an inside look about what his life was like growing up as an undocumented immigrant in the United States.
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