Crossing the Border with Laura Resau's Red Glass

by Melissa Mercer

Step into a dynamic novel that uniquely blends self-discovery with society's underlying immigration tensions

Laura Resau, author of the award-winning novel, What the Moon Saw (2006), has written a new young adult novel, Red Glass (2007). The story depicts a powerful, real-to-life portrait of a 16-year-old girl, Sophie. Resau has opened the doors for self-discovery, cultural awareness and compassion towards immigrants - a timely issue in today's society.

Red Glass: An Overview

Sophie's life is turned upside-down and inside-out when her parents harbor a 5-year-old immigrant orphan, Pablo, whose family did not survive a horrifying journey across the Mexican border. Until then, Sophie had been an only child leading a secluded life, constantly uneasy over the uncontrollable: car accidents, cancer and loss in general.

When Pablo unexpectedly landed in her life, they formed a bond stronger than she could ever have imagined; it wasn't before long that Sophie came to consider "her little prince" a part of her family.

As Pablo opened up to his foster family over time, he told stories of his village in Mexico, prompting a necessary journey to return the boy to his extended family. A hodgepodge of characters, Dika, Mr. Lorenzo, Angel, Sophie and Pablo, all set out to bravely cross the borders.

One day, Mr. Lorenzo and Angel did not return from a small side trip to Guatemala, prompting Sophie to go look for them. On the search for Mr. Lorenzo and Angel, she was forced to search within herself. Sophie had to learn to face her fear of loss and discover her inner strength if she wanted to conquer life's obstacles.

Getting to the Heart of Immigration: A Fresh Perspective

Resau recognizes that immigration is a big concern for children and teens today. She says, "There are lots of immigrants in schools, and having more empathy for the possible kinds of situations that [the immigrants] have come from is a good thing."

It is interesting how our perspectives change once we hear the other side of the story. "You get a story from the other side of the border and how [the immigrants'] lives are. I hope that it shows some perspectives on immigration that people might not be aware of," Resau says.

"I think the human side of the immigration debate can't help but come through in my writing because it's my day-to-day experience of it. It teaches you to put yourself in somebody else's shoes; I think that is the whole idea of crossing borders, whether they are geological, socioeconomical or cultural borders," Resau says.

Reaching Your Destination

Sophie's experiences with Pablo and Angel, combined with her lack of a comfort zone during the journey, allowed her to unlock her inner strength and push her fears to the side.

After What the Moon Saw, Resau received "a lot of wonderful e-mails from girls who can really identify with that situation and are looking for their identity and I'm hoping the same thing will happen with the Sophie character in Red Glass. It's interesting to see how teenage girls relate to her," Resau says.

"I have felt a lot of ways how Sophie feels when I was that age. I'm hoping that the perspective of going to a different culture always gives you an interesting perspective on your own psychology and your own issues that you're grappling with. I'm hoping teenagers are able to relate to her."

Take a chance and cross the border - you never know what may happen.

About Laura Resau

Laura Resau - teacher, author, and anthropologist - was born in 1973 in Baltimore City, Md.

Resau attended St. Mary's College in Southern Maryland, earning a B.A. in anthropology and French. Not too long after, she snatched up a job offer to teach English as a second language at a small university in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Soon after, Resau returned home, received her master's degree in cultural anthropology from the University of Arizona and began writing her first novel, relying on her journal entries from her time in Mexico.

She lives with her husband, Ian, and their dog, in Fort Collins, Colo., where she writes and teaches English as a second language.

Resau is dedicating a portion of her royalties to indigenous rights organizations in Latin America.

Melissa Mercer is a Washington Parent intern.