Erika L. Sánchez

About the Author

Born and raised in Cicero, Illinois, a working-class suburb of Chicago, after her parents immigrated from Mexico to America, Erika L. Sánchez was feisty and bookish as a child. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Sánchez received a Fulbright Scholarship to study and write poetry in Madrid, Spain. Following her time there, Sánchez earned an MFA in creative writing from the University of New Mexico, and went on to publish her first book of poetry, Lessons on Expulsion, in 2017. Later that same year her young adult debut, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, premiered to great critical acclaim, and became a finalist for the National Book Award for young people’s literature.

LitCharts guides for works by Erika L. Sánchez

Explore LitCharts literature guides for works by Erika L. Sánchez. Each guide includes a full summary, detailed analysis, and helpful resources for studying Erika L. Sánchez's writing.

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

The novel opens as fifteen-year-old Julia Reyes and her parents, whom she calls Amá and Apá, are looking into the casket of Julia’s recently-deceased older sister, Olga. Olga, who was always the p... view guide