All the Way to Mexico

John Walker is a professor of Spanish studies at Queen’s University.

Norma Charles’s 13th book for juvenile readers is loosely based on a
family trip that the Vancouver-based writer made to Mexico a few years
ago. It tells the story of two families, now “blended” through the
marriage of Rosalina Armstrong, a Jamaican-born Canadian widow, to
English-born Fred Finkle. Jacob, Rosalina’s soccer-loving 12-year-old
son, and Minerva, her 15-year-old pop music–fanatic daughter, find
themselves in the strange situation of joining their mother on her
honeymoon, along with Fred’s two young sons, Barney, 10, and Sam, 8.
The trip to Mexico in an old station wagon turns into a family adventure
in which the children learn to tolerate one another’s idiosyncrasies.
Soccer-mad Jacob spends his time looking for opportunities to kick the
ball around with Mexican kids, while his sister listens to music on her
Walkman. The Finkle kids, whom the Armstrong kids regard as weird, have
their own ways of coping with the new family situation: Barney makes up
jokes about cows, and Sam plays with his action figures. Under the
guiding influence of their parents, the children learn not only to deal
with personal and family problems, but also to understand and appreciate
the customs of other races.

Charles paints a vivid picture both of the family members and of their
travels through the southwest U.S. and Mexico, while at the same time
keeping the narrative flowing to its successful conclusion. Her story is
humorous, engaging, and readable, and will keep readers involved and
entertained. The social, racial, and life problems she presents are
dealt with in a convincing and non-preachy manner. Highly recommended.