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Detained: A boy's journal of survival and resilience
D. Esperanza
Gerardo Iván Morales
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The first-ever memoir of a child’s experience in detention on the US/Mexico border under President Trump’s infamous family separation policy.
D Esperanza was just thirteen years old when he lost his caregivers, his beloved grandmother and uncle. Since both of his parents were working and living in the United States, D was left on his own in a small town in Honduras. He quickly realized he simply could not make enough money to survive so he made the difficult decision to head north with his cousins and hopefully reunite with his parents in el norte.
Together, the boys struggled to survive a long and treacherous journey through Central America and Mexico. Along the way, D and his cousins formed a deep bond, only for the four to be brutally separated at the border of the United States. When he is captured and processed at a facility, neither D nor his family are given an update on when he will be released or where he’ll go next.
Over the next five months, he kept a journal of his experience. The pages tell a story of pain, cruelty, friendship, and resilience, a living testament to the reality of the border. Amidst the senseless inhumanity and violence of US immigration policy, D found hope in the friendship he and his fellow companions forged, and mentorship from one intrepid advocate who fought on his behalf named Gerardo Iván Morales.
Timely, powerful, and unforgettable, Detained brings the border crisis to vivid life.
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Posts about this title from Celestial
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Dec 8 2025
💭 what’s your favorite 2025 book?
💭 what’s your favorite 2025 book?
drum roll please … welcome to the THIRD annual StarrySteph Book Awards! no questions at this time!
📚 books mentioned: - The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar - The Phoenix Pencil Company by Allison King - Saltcrop by Yume Kitasei - Perfect Victims and the Politics of Appeal by Mohammed El-Kurd - Detained: A Boy’s Journal of Survival and Resilience by D. Esperanza and Gerardo Iván Morales - Fate’s Bane by C.L. Clark - Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto - Magic in the Melanin by C.M. Lockhart - Somadina by Akwaeke Emezi - Love Be Damned by Briana Garrett - The Coven Tendency by Zoe Hana Mikuta
👗💄: - dress is from Free People, rented from Nuuly - eyeshadow is In Trance palette from Colourpop - lip combo is Lingerie Lip Liner Stain (Send Nudes) and Jelly Job Gloss (Honey, It’s Jelly) from NYX Cosmetics - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thank you to Saga Press, Tordotcom, William Morrow, Flatiron, Atria/Primero Sueño Press, Harper Voyager, Ingram, Get Underlined, and Disney Hyperion for the gifted copies!
#goodreadschoiceawards #starrystephbookawards #bestbooksof2025 #bestbooksoftheyear #2025books #fantasybooks #scifibooks #horrorbooks #bookrecs #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #diversebookstagram #nycbookstagram #bookstagram #SagaSaysCrew #sagapressbooks #SagaSays #TorPartner #WilliamMorrowPartner #atriapartner #FlatironPartner #HarperVoyagerPartner #GetUnderlinedPartner #ingram @sagapressbooks @tordotcompub @williammorrowbooks @flatiron_books @haymarketbooks @atriabooks @primerosuenopress @harpervoyagerus @writtennmelanin @ingramsparkbooks @getunderlined @disneybooks @freepeople @nuuly @colourpopcosmetics @nyxcosmetics
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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Nov 26 2025
welcome to your bookish holiday gift guide!
welcome to your bookish holiday gift guide! featuring some books that don’t get nearly as much love and appreciation as they should.
📚 books mentioned: - The Coven Tendency by Zoe Hana Mikuta - Arc of the Universe by Nikki Alexander - Detained: A Boy’s Journal of Survival and Resilience by D. Esperanza and Gerardo Iván Morales - Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah - Love Be Damned by Briana Garrett - The Necessity of Rain by Sarah Chorn - Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden from Us by Anna Malaika Tubbs - Blood Orange by Yaffa As - Death’s Country by R.M. Romero
👗💄: - dress is from CeliaB, rented from Nuuly - eyeshadow is The Grinch Shadow Stix duo from Colourpop - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thank you to Disney Hyperion, The Nerd Fam, Atria/Primero Sueño Press, Ingram, Flatiron, and Peachtree Teen for the gifted copies!
#readergiftguide #holidaygiftguide #bookrecs #bookrecommendations #fantasybooks #horrorbooks #nonfictionbooks #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #diversebookstagram #nycbookstagram #bookstagram #TheNerdFam #atriapartner #FlatironPartner #PeachtreeTeenPartner @disneybooks @thenerdfam @atriabooks @primerosuenopress @marinerbooks @ingramsparkbooks @flatiron_books @merajpublishing @peachtreeteen @nuuly @celiabdesigner @colourpopcosmetics
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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jul 12 2025
here’s a mid-year reading tag for you
here’s a mid-year reading tag for you: personal growth edition!
you can use the sound or share your own answers to these prompts in the comments. :)
📚 books mentioned: - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar - Vanishing World by Sayaka Murata - Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden from Us by Anna Malaika Tubbs - Tale of the Flying Forest by R.M. Romero - Detained: A Boy’s Journal of Survival and Resilience by D. Esperanza and Gerardo Iván Morales - Model Home by Rivers Solomon - The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones - Somadina by Akwaeke Emezi
thank you to Tordotcom, Grove Press, Flatiron Books, Little, Brown Books, Atria/Primero Sueño Press, Saga Press, and Get Underlined for the gifted copies!!
#readingtag #readingcheckin #readingchallenge #midyearreadingtag #midyearreadingcheckin #fantasybooks #scifibooks #horrorbooks #nonfictionbooks #SagaSaysCrew #sagapressbooks #SagaSays #atriapartner #grovereader #FlatironPartner #GetUnderlinedPartner #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram #nycbookstagram @tordotcompub @groveatlantic @flatiron_books @littlebrownyoungreaders @atriabooks @primerosuenopress @mcdbooks @sagapressbooks @getunderlined
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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 20 2025
there’s so much value in fiction & storytelling in all forms, but it’s important to pick up some nonfiction books, too! here are some recommendations.
📚 books mentioned: - Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden From Us by Anna Malaika Tubbs - Detained: A Boy’s Journal of Survival and Resilience by D. Esperanza and Gerardo Iván Morales - White Tears Brown Scars: How White Feminism Betrays Women of Color by Ruby Hamad - Ten Myths About Israel by Ilan Pappe - Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America by Ijeoma Oluo
thank you to Flatiron Books and Atria/Primero Sueño Press for the free copies!
#nonfictionbooks #nonfictionbookreviews #nonfictionbookrecs #socialjusticebookrecs #socialissuesbookrecs #diversebooks #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @flatiron_books @primerosuenopress @catapult @versobooks @sealpress
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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Apr 26 2025
i had a joyous night celebrating a year of Primero Sueño Press!
i had a joyous night celebrating a year of Primero Sueño Press @primerosuenopress – and seeing bookish friends, too! this celebration was hosted at @recirculation.nyc which is a community space I’m already excited to visit again.
there was an incredibly thoughtful panel discussing the future of Latinx publishing, author signings, and lots of good eats and drinks.
obviously Kyle had to say hi to The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina, the final book on the #readingroadtorings!
and Michelle @berrybookpages took the best photos of me & Kyle 😭🫶
#primerosueno #primerosuenopress #latinxbooks #latinxauthors #latinxstories #latinxpublishing #atriapartner #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram
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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Apr 26 2025
this was a deeply emotional read that i want to place in everyone’s hands right now.
this was a deeply emotional read that i want to place in everyone’s hands right now.
📚 books mentioned: - Detained: A Boy’s Story of Survival and Resilience by D. Esperanza and Gerardo Iván Morales
thank you to Atria/Primero Sueño Press for gifting me this copy. @atriabooks @primerosuenopress
#memoirs #memoirbookrecs #detained #atriapartner #primerosueno #primerosuenopress #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram
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Posts about this book from across Bindery
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Dec 8 2025
💭 what’s your favorite 2025 book?
💭 what’s your favorite 2025 book?
drum roll please … welcome to the THIRD annual StarrySteph Book Awards! no questions at this time!
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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Nov 26 2025
welcome to your bookish holiday gift guide!
welcome to your bookish holiday gift guide! featuring some books that don’t get nearly as much love and appreciation as they should.
thank you to Disney Hyperion, The Nerd Fam, Atria/Primero Sueño Press, Ingram, Flatiron, and Peachtree Teen for the gifted copies!
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2-Spirit Bookshelf\ \ (@Indigenousbookshelf)\ \ • Sep 16 2025
Join for free
\ \
- Procession- Katherena Vermette\ \
- Detained- D. Esperanza; Gerardo Iván Morales\ \
- The Adult- Bronwyn Fischer\ \
- No Spiritual Surrender- Klee Benally\ \
- The Autistic Survival Guide to Therapy- Steph Jones\ \
- The Rose That Grew From Concrete- Tupac Shakur\ \
- Against the Loveless World- Susan Abulhowa\ \
- You Were Made for This World- Edited by Stephanie Sinclair\ \
- Talking to the Diaspora- Lee Maracle\ \
- To Ride a Rising Storm- Moniquill Blackgoose\ \
- The People's Project- Saeed Jones; Maggie Smith\ \
- Save Me An Orange- Hayley Grace\ \
- Gaza: The Story of a Genocide- Edited by Fatima Bhutto and Sonia Faleiro\ \
- The Idea of An Entire Life- Billy-Ray Belcourt](https://2spiritbookshelf.binderybooks.com/item/Jze4hkIK7G0JG3ShcJuP/)
Books I'm Currently Reading (Chaotic Mood Reader Here)
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Children of Diaspora\ \ Rae the Reviewer\ \ • Jul 19 2025
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yapping about my 2025 reads | Midyear Freakout Tag
Since recording this, I've finished 3 more books (if that's any indication of how long this took to edit).
Check me out on:
Bindery: https://children-of-diaspora.binderybooks.com/ Bookshop Affiliate: https://bookshop.org/shop/raethereviewer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raethereviewer/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@raethereviewer Storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/raethereviewer Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/20898931-rae-the-reviewer My Website: https://raethereviewer.com/ and services (sensitivity reading, freelance writing, copywriting, case studies) https://raethereviewer.com/services/
Tags: books, 2025 reads, physical tbr, reader, bookstagram, booktube, booktok, influencer, diverse books, young adult, adult books, middle grade, fiction, literary fiction, science fiction, poetry, black reader, book recommendations, reading recommendations, book nerd
00:00 Intro 00:16 Best read of 2025 (so far) 01:36 Favorite sequel 02:11 2025 release that you're excited to read 03:05 Most anticipated release for the second half of 2025 04:37 Biggest disappointment 05:34 Biggest surprise 06:49 New favorite author 08:31 Fave new (book) crush 09:21 Fave new character 09:51 Book that made you cry 11:54 Prettiest books you've bought this year 12:32 Book that made you happy 14:15 TBR for the rest of the year 17:38 Outro
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Children of Diaspora\ \ Rae the Reviewer\ \ • Jul 16 2025
Join for free
\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://children-of-diaspora.binderybooks.com/item/4B1iymDxPyw7P40cWA5T/)
*Early Access* yapping about my 2025 reads | Midyear Freakout Tag
Since recording this, I've finished 3 more books (if that's any indication of how long this took to edit).
Check me out on:
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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jul 12 2025
here’s a mid-year reading tag for you
here’s a mid-year reading tag for you: personal growth edition!
you can use the sound or share your own answers to these prompts in the comments. :)
thank you to Tordotcom, Grove Press, Flatiron Books, Little, Brown Books, Atria/Primero Sueño Press, Saga Press, and Get Underlined for the gifted copies!!
8 books
2
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 20 2025
there’s so much value in fiction & storytelling in all forms, but it’s important to pick up some nonfiction books, too! here are some recommendations.
thank you to Flatiron Books and Atria/Primero Sueño Press for the free copies!
5 books
Children of Diaspora\ \ Rae the Reviewer\ \ • Jun 20 2025
Join for free
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Children of Diaspora\ \ Rae the Reviewer\ \ • Jun 13 2025
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I've bought a few new books and I've been sent even more so here's my latest book haul (as far as I can remember)
KATABASIS: spoiler-free review & reading guide (new favorite r.f. kuang book!!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vsQUGwBpYI&t=5s
Check me out on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raethereviewer/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@raethereviewer Storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/raethereviewer Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/20898931-rae-the-reviewer My Website: https://raethereviewer.com/ and services (sensitivity reading, freelance writing, copywriting, case studies) https://raethereviewer.com/services/ Bookshop Affiliate: https://bookshop.org/shop/raethereviewer
Tags: book haul, to be read, physical tbr, books, reader, bookstagram, booktube, booktok, influencer, diverse books, poetry, fiction, graphic novel, young adult, middle grade, adult books, black reader, book recommendations, reading recommendations, book nerd
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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Apr 26 2025
i had a joyous night celebrating a year of Primero Sueño Press!
there was an incredibly thoughtful panel discussing the future of Latinx publishing, author signings, and lots of good eats and drinks.
obviously Kyle had to say hi to The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina, the final book on the #readingroadtorings!
and Michelle @berrybookpages took the best photos of me & Kyle 😭🫶
#primerosueno #primerosuenopress #latinxbooks #latinxauthors #latinxstories #latinxpublishing #atriapartner #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram
2 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Apr 26 2025
this was a deeply emotional read that i want to place in everyone’s hands right now.
this was a deeply emotional read that i want to place in everyone’s hands right now.
📚 books mentioned: - Detained: A Boy’s Story of Survival and Resilience by D. Esperanza and Gerardo Iván Morales
thank you to Atria/Primero Sueño Press for gifting me this copy. @atriabooks @primerosuenopress
#memoirs #memoirbookrecs #detained #atriapartner #primerosueno #primerosuenopress #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram
1 book