Beast Rider
2019
First Published
3.81
Average Rating
194
Number of Pages
Twelve-year-old Manuel leaves his small town in Mexico to join his older brother in Los Angeles. To cross the US border, he must become a “beast rider”—someone who hops on a train. The first time he tries, he is stopped by the Mexican police, who arrest and beat him. When he tries again, he is attacked by a Mexican gang and left for dead. Just when Manuel is ready to turn back, he finds new hope. Villagers clothe and feed him, help him find work, and eventually boost him back onto the train. When he finally arrives in LA and is reunited with his brother, he is elated. But the longer he’s there, the more he realizes that something isn’t right. Thrilling and heartfelt, Beast Rider is a coming-of-age story that reveals how a place and its people help to define you.
Avg Rating
3.81
Number of Ratings
258
5 STARS
28%
4 STARS
36%
3 STARS
28%
2 STARS
7%
1 STARS
1%
goodreads
Author
Tony Johnston
Author · 84 books
Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database. Tony Johnston has written many acclaimed books for young people. She and her husband lived in Mexico for fifteen years, where they raised their children. She now lives in San Marino, California.
