Super Short Summary

Told through a host of different voices and perspectives, The Book of Unknown Americans examines the experiences of Hispanic immigrants to the U.S. and presents their stories in a full and varied light. The central focus is the Rivera family, who has travelled from Mexico in order to get better schooling for their teenaged daughter, Maribel. Maribel suffers from a brain injury as the result of a fall from a ladder. Her parents, Arturo and Alma, hope that American special education will help Maribel return to her own self. As it turns out, the real assistance comes from a neighbor boy, Mayor Toro, who falls in love with Maribel. Mayor’s family becomes deeply entwined in the lives of their new neighbors and helps them adjust to American culture, sharing faith, food, and camaraderie.