# Beast Rider: A Boy's Journey Beyond the Border - Hardcover

by **Tony Johnston** (Author), **Mar? Elena Fontanot de Rhoads** (Author)

**In _Beast Rider_, award-winning author Tony Johnston and psychotherapist****Maria Elena Fontanot de Rhoads "offer a sympathetic, illuminating portrait of the challenges faced by one undocumented immigrant" (_Publishers Weekly_, Starred Review).**

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.  

### Author Biography

**Tony Johnston** is the award-winning author of more than 100 children's books. She lives with her family in San Marino, California.

**Maria Elena Fontanot de Rhoads** is a Mexican psychotherapist who specializes in childhood trauma. She lives in M駻ida, Mexico.

**Number of Pages:** 192

**Dimensions:** 0.9 x 8.3 x 5.7 IN

**Publication Date:** March 19, 2019

**Accelerated Reader:**

**Quiz Name:** Beast Rider: A Boy's Journey Beyond the Border

**Interest Level:** Upper Middle Grades, 6 and up

**Reading Level:** 4.2

**Point Value:** 4

## Details

- **Price:** 19.99 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 19.99 USD | In stock |

## Images

- Beast Rider: A Boy's Journey Beyond the Border - Hardcover

---

> Source: [Smart supply deals](https://smartsupplydeals.com/products/beast-rider-a-boys-journey-beyond-the-border-hardcover)
> Updated: 2026-07-23
