The Wind Called My Name

Review
By Booklist

In the 1930s, a girl and her family leave their home in New Mexico to make a new life in Wyoming. Margarita Sandoval’s ancestors have lived in New Mexico for generations—when it flew under the Spanish, the Mexican, and finally the American flag. But the Depression and a drought force Margarita’s immediate family to find work elsewhere. In Wyoming, the family encounters kindness but also hostility, as some railroad workers, not believing or caring that the Sandovals are U.S. citizens, insist they are outsiders taking jobs that don’t belong to them. Margarita also navigates a complicated friendship with the lively but sometimes insensitive Caroline. Sanchez creates a winning protagonist in Margarita, who adapts to her new life with intelligence, grit, and curiosity. Seeing her recognize and eventually speak up against casual bigotry—as when Caroline gives her the nickname Maggie because it is easier for her to pronounce—is as satisfying as when she fights against more overtly aggressive acts of prejudice. A hopeful historical story with a strong heroine.