Spare Parts

I think people should order this book. To me, it's honestly the best book to motivate people to never give up. These four boys had serious blockades in their pathways but they had found ways around it. People in America go through these trials every day and can connect to what these boys are feeling. Some people might be stressed out and give up, but these boys never did- they all thought positive and each had a role with the effort put into building the robot. I've been inspired by them to never give up and keep going for the dreams you have because dreams can happen if you put work into it. Genave Salas First off, we would like to thank you, Joshua Davis, for the generous donations of your outstanding books from both our fellow Humanitarians at Social Justice Humanitas Academy and us. We enjoyed having the opportunity to read this amazing story as it was relatable since most of the students at our school come from similar backgrounds. It was really inspiring to have read a story where kids like us had the chance to accomplish such a feat. Reading that minority students who have endure several hardships were able to beat MIT, it gave us a new mentality of being able to do similar things. It really touched our hearts and would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to feel the same way. Love Michelle Carrera, Melissa Cervantes, and Darline Castaneda Amazon review: A huge thank you to Mr.Davis for allowing his audience to read through the various perspective of what it means to be a Latino immigrant in the United States. Spare Parts is incredibly eye opening and provides a detailed personal account of four amazing teenage boys who have came out on top. This book resonated the most for its brilliant inclusion of the lives of the robotics team after their inspiring win in a prestige competition. Davis writes not just another cliche with a fairy tale ending, but the harsh reality that not everything is fixed with one simple solution. The clashing perspectives about immigrants are seen throughout the book, and allowing the audience to form their own opinion about boys like Oscar or Lorenzo. Bianca, Erandi, and Rachel This was a very aspiring and relatable book. It inspired me to take advantage of the opportunities that I have and be grateful for all these opportunities I have as a United States citizen. Considering the book is really relatable I was able to connect it to some events from my personal life experiences as a U.S. citizen with Mexican parents. It was very good to be able to connect with some of these amazing characters that have a lot characteristics that are very powerful and understanding. Catherine Romero Stephanie Isarraraz Jacquelin Gonzalez Having this story brought into our classroom was such an amazing chance to be able to see that people our age with the same identity as us can come to achieve so many incredible things, rising from almost nothing. Seeing the stories of these 4 boys opened our eyes to the difficulties that Mexican immigrants face and how much fighting and perseverance it takes to survive it all. They defined the statistics and the odds that were against them, by simply succeeding. Even after their success, the reality that entranced them caused them to sink back into reality. It wasn't just rainbows and butterflies but it gave us that refreshing new feeling that we rarely get to see in a book, which made it so much easier to understand because of the similar struggles we were able to relate to. I can't even think of reading anything else in classroom, because of how wonderful and bitter sweet their reality was. Group : Melissa Martinez, Aaron Velasquez, Samantha Gonzalez , Frida Ruiz Spare Parts is the type of book that urges one to question the injustice that one can become so numb to. Joshua Davis masterly reveals to his readers that injustice happens right in their back yard and what makes the difference is that if they take the next step and speak up. It is a beautiful nonfiction that leaves one in awe and with a broken heart. Thank you, Joshua Davis, for giving my AP English class free copies of your book. It is very generous and kind of you. I also thank you for being the voice of the voiceless. We are sending you our most sincere wishes for success. Much love, Joseph Contreras, Shaghayegh Lashgari, Maria Jimenez This book allowed my AP English Language class to read into the lives of individuals that struggled to become someone greater in America. It is not a fairytale nor does it have a happy ending. This allows the reader to realize that being a hispanic, in a low income community, and having different mindsets as other students, does not come easy to fit in society. These boys’ stories are heartbreaking, heartwarming and Joshua Davis analyzes the roots of where these boys came from and the true story of high school kids that beat a really big college. This does not happen on a regular basis and inspires young teens to reach their goals and realize that living in America has never been easy. Nicole Chavira

Author Joshua Davis tells the true story of four undocumented teenagers from an impoverished section of Phoenix, Arizona who build a ragtag robot nicknamed “Stinky” out of spare parts to compete in a national robotics championship against the likes of MIT among other prestigious, well-funded universities. This brave and unlikely team combats more than their competitors. They also fight the vehemence of anti-immigrant sentiment, laws designed to prevent their advancement in society and a pervasive fear of deportation. Even so, they deal with typical teenage issues of insecurity and fitting into high school culture. They find their way with the support of each other and the backing of two teachers, Fredi Lajvardi and Allan Cameron. This story first appeared in Wired Magazine in 2005 where Davis wrote about Oscar Vasquez, Lorenzo Santillan, Christian Arcega, and Luis Aranda, the four teens who possessed a sizeable amount of grit, determination, charm, and an endearing adolescent awkwardness. Since publication, the article has attracted the attention and wonderment of readers drawn to a story of the underdog, a story that feels simultaneously mythical, real, and as elusive as its premise, the American Dream. Though that tale is entertaining and inspiring, this book resounds most when it uncovers intersections of how law and policy affect the everyday lives of undocumented students, students who are more American than Mexican in this case, students who have spent the better part of their lives growing up in the US. At various points, the boys and their teachers are confronted with a harsh reality of laws enacted to limit the boys’ ability to move freely, drive a car, enlist in the armed forces, go to college, and find desirable employment that matches their levels of education and intelligence. On a trip back to Phoenix where they visited a San Diego based ROV manufacturer to improve their robot in time for the competition, their van is stopped unexpectedly at an immigration checkpoint on I-10 near Yuma, Arizona. As Oscar imagines being torn from his family, the agent waves them on across the border. Davis writes “suddenly, their desire to see the ocean and learn more about robots seemed foolish and maybe even a bit reckless.” Ten years later, a movie version will be released on January 16, 2015. It’s with little doubt that the Hollywood film will capture well the underdog theme which is both entertaining and inspiring. (A film review by us is forthcoming). What is not as uplifting is what happens to the boys after the competition, what happens as they become men. To be sure, they lose none of their integrity, but we as a nation are implored to ask ten years later, with respect to our immigration laws and policy, have we?

I appreciated the writing and the honest perspective in this text. Davis did not seem to try to develop a fairy tale ending to a true story that did not have the ending the reader might have been longing for. The honesty helps the reader to understand and empathize with the students on whose experiences the book is based. It is an eye-opening story that lets the reader into the experiences of the children of immigrants and the struggles they might face. There were incredible triumphs and let-downs that seem hopeless. Overall, this is an inspiring narrative about resilience. creativity, and finding unexpected solutions that simultaneously presents an frank examination of the lives of undocumented immigrants.

This book is a great book to read because it shows a story which reflects on many others situations. The main topic that was showing the struggles of immigrants and having the odds against you accomplishing a goal. "everybody's got to be a hero somehow with something" This quote stood out to me because it is true. Everyone has to do something heroic. Heroic can be indifferent meanings no like being a hero like spider-man but something that amazes and helps others. “It’s got to be small and super-absorbent,” Arcega said. Meaning that this was the only solution they had to fix the problem. My reaction towards this book is i was amazed and engaged the entire time. I was putting myself in their shoes of each character an imagined how they felt like and which gave me a better visual idea on the book.This book is a great book to read and is surely to engaged it's audience, with no disappointments. Unlike other books this gave a visual picture on how each characters were feeling and behaving. The book showed a side of a lifestyle which is currently occurring in the U.S country. Immigrants are struggling with education getting earned especially in getting to college. This gave perfect visual that engages the audience unlike some books. It had a specific guideline on what the book was about. Which the main thesis that was driven was how the struggles are we having all doubts looked against a lower class person or persons.

The DVD movie of the same name is an entertaining feel good story. However, this book reveals all the details and the true reality of these young men's lives. After reading this, it's plain to me that we need a more realistic plan for handling immigrants who came to this country illegally. The largely conservative voices on this matter would paint all illegal immigrants with a broad brush as criminals and undesirable. When some of those same illegal immigrants prove to be talented engineers who could contribute much to the U.S., yet they still have no path to becoming productive U.S. citizens, something is seriously wrong with our laws. Joshua Davis has written both a great story and an eye-opening view into our immigration laws. For those who think that illegal immigration is a black and white matter, I think this book will show you the shades of gray. I highly recommend this inspiring, thoughtfully told story of going against the odds. I hope it inspires people to be kinder to each other and reach out a hand to help a fellow human being.

This is the story about how high school kids, mostly illegal aliens from South American countries, and living in the barrios of eastern Phoenix come to win over the top colleges in the country in the Marine Advanced Technology Robotics Competition. Their ability to learn through doing, through finding ways to achieve what they want to build with virtually nothing but some PVC pipe and technical parts that they receive from expert in the robotics and other fields who respond to the kids because they are pationate to learn and succeed. Competitors, like MIT are college kids with $10,000 budgets to build the robot. It is an inspiring and soul-lifting true story that everyone should read who feels like they are disadvantaged because of their race, their living conditions, their poor schooling. It also demonstrates that with a talented and devoted teacher, virtually nothing is impossible.

Davis tells a vivid and engaging tale about how four high school students from the desert of west Phoenix ended up beating the best colleges in the country in a 2004 underwater robotics competition. But this is more than a feel-good tale. Davis is compassionate and unflinching in explaining the complexities of these youths' circumstances as undocumented Mexican immigrants. Ten years after their "big win," all four of these young men have continued to face limited opportunities, challenges often exacerbated by increasingly punitive anti-immigration legislation. I appreciate Davis's insistence on telling the story of what happened after that competition, and the explicit contrasts he points out between the "feel-good" ending of the film adaptation and the actual lived truth of things. Still, I found myself a little bit frustrated by Davis's insistence on staying in impassive objective journalist voice rather than speaking the bold truth of this tale: if national robotics experts are being deported or only able to find janitorial work, that is a clear sign that we MUST do better.

The thing I liked most about this book is how much it educated me on the plight of illegal aliens and our prejudice about them. I cannot argue about the unfairness of giving amnesty to the illegals when so many others are trying to get into the country legally. But why do we have to make it so hard for hardworking honest people to get here in the first place? After reading this book, I have changed my opinion towards our immigration laws. I think they need gross modification that enable good honest people to have a wholehearted welcome to our country. We need so seriously to rid ourselves of prejudice based on race, nationality, and culture! We will become stronger for it. We will live up to those beautiful words under the statute of Liberty. I recommend this book for reading in our schools and by all U.S. citizens.

This is a true story whicn teach us that potential talent really exist, that mentors really make the difference in their students' lifes. We can change someone's life, just trust them, specially low resources students. Esta historia te enseñará que no importa el origen, condición social, cuando hay potencial, solo hay que motivar a los estudiantes a aprovecharlo de una forma sana, con perspectiva de crecimiento personal y profesional, no siempre es fácil hacerlo si la prioridad es la economía familiar. Si eres profesor, esta lectura es obligada para tus alumnos, les mostrará que un sueño, con apoyo y disciplina cambiará tu vida. Te invito a compartir esta historia motivadora.... Thanks Joshua Davis to shout to the world this great story.

An honest account of the imaginative efforts of four young students and their hard-working and far-sighted tutors. It should be required reading for the Grumps of this world, frankly, to undermine the dog-whistle politics which make life harder for all similarly creative and industrious people who shine when given an opportunity.

Book Club group

Great read, highlighting the roles of immigrants in development. Strange how a country can invest in an individual then decide to not take a gain.