Juvenile Crime—A Look Behind the Curtain

 

Anger is Only a Shadow , a contemporary young adult novel by award-winning author Elizabeth Acevedo, is a necessary and moving story for anyone who has dealt with mental illness in their families, with being a multicultural person or known youth with criminal backgrounds.  The main character is a D.C. high schooler, Lil, the middle child of immigrant parents from the indigenous Taino people of El Salvador and the Afro culture of the Dominican Republic. Most of the story is her experience in a youth detention center while waiting for her court hearing and the rest of the story is what her life is like after being released to her family but with an ankle monitor. Her older brother, who has always been looking after her, has gone away to college, but his behavior has changed and not in a good way. She feels burdened with finding out what is going on with him and her parents aren’t sure what to do. 

Lil reveals the positive influence that the poetry teacher at the youth detention center had on her through the “I Am From” writing prompts she is assigned. Even after leaving the center she still writes her own poems that reflect what’s going on in her mind at different points in the story. This is the strongest element of the book for me. Through Lil’s writing, her character goes through a process of seeing what is holding her back and getting to the place where she belongs. Even with several setbacks, the transformation that Lil goes through offers hope to others going through similar circumstances. 

Another strong aspect of the story is Lil’s relationship with her Abuela who is going through memory loss. She sometimes speaks in her native language and this reminds Lil of how much her brother loved the stories that her Abuela told them. This connection to her heritage is what ends up being a big factor in helping her brother at a dire time. Prior to reading this book I had read stories about characters with mental illness, however this is the first time I have read about a younger sibling who witnesses her older sibling’s mental health decline.  Acevedo provides additional mental health resources at the end of the book. 

Of course Lil’s time returning to school after the fallout of her crime is also an important part of her story. As a teacher myself, it reminded me of how much may be going on in the lives of my students that affects their behavior at school. It also makes me question some of the school rules that are strictly enforced without being able to make exceptions for students with special needs. Although it was sad to see that her two best friends, who were with her during her crime, were no longer at her school, it made her pivot to others that she had always been curious about from afar. 

I would highly recommend this book to anyone age 13 and up. Acevedo’s writing is reminiscent of Neal Shusterman and Angie Thomas, as they all express their stories with similar heart and authenticity. 

Thanks to NetGalley for sharing an advanced reader copy for me to read and review before the book is published in September 2026. 

The Power of a Name: Proud to Be...

Proud to Be... is a children's picture book written by Natalie McDonald-Perkins and is illustrated by Mary Ibeh.  The heart of the story is an elementary-aged child from Nigeria named Ifunanya. She is starting at a new school and is already nervous for the typical reasons any child would be.  On her first day she is greeted by a substitute teacher who mispronounces her name. As the day goes on more classmates make fun of her name so much that she starts to question why she even has such name that is so problematic.

Disappointed in her unwelcoming class, Ifunanya shares her feelings about her name with her parents. They listen then tell her about the origin of her name and the meaning behind it.  The advice they give her is to be patient as people learn to say her name correctly.   

Ifunanya decides to give school another chance the next day. Thankfully, her permanent teacher is back and she takes the time to make sure she is pronouncing her name correctly.  She sympathizes with Ifunanya's situation because her name is also commonly mispronounced. The classmates who made fun of her name apologize for their behavior and they start to share the meaning behind their names.  

As a teacher, librarian, parent, and an immigrant whose name is often mispronounced, I liked this book's message and delivery of the point that a person should be proud of their name and be patient as others learn it.  There have been many books published about children with difficult names to pronounce, but this is the first story I have seen with a main character from Nigeria.  The illustrations are also vibrant, show a range of characters and capture the mood of the story well.  

This story could lead to discussions with young people about many topics.  For example, what are ways that you can ask how to pronounce a person's name?  What if your name is difficult to say? How can you help others learn your name?  People can also share experiences they have had with other people's names who were new to them.  What did they learn from those experiences?  It could also be a time to invite readers to share the origin of their own names.  The author also includes a Teacher Tips section at the end of the book for what to do if a student has a name that is difficult to pronounce.  She also includes a list of unique names with their language of origin and meanings.  Children can try to say them out loud for practice.  

I'd definitely add this to my school library collection and include it in my daughter's reading collection, too!

Another book that this author and illustrator duo have created is Best In Me. I reviewed it last year and it had similar themes of looking inward to point out your unique traits.  

 

Last Night at the Telegraph Club: a Young Adult historical fiction coming of age tale

Last Night at the Telegraph Club the 2021 National Book Award for Young People's Literature written by Malinda Lo is a story that has yet to be told in the arena of young adult literature. Lo deserves the award for her portrayal of Lily Hu, a 17 year-old Chinese-American daughter of immigrants who settled in Chinatown in San Francisco.  The year is 1954 and the Red Scare is is buzzing all around Lily and her community. She must be careful with whom she associates or else it could spell trouble for her family.  What ends up happening not only affects Lily's future, but also those around her.  

With the tone of a coming of age story, Lo reminds the reader of what it's like to be a teenager trying to figure out who you really are.  When Lily sees an advertisement for The Telegraph Club with a male impersonator or cross-dresser, something in her is awakened. She feels drawn to the club and finds a fellow classmate, Kath, who has an in there.  Once Kath introduces Lily to the club and the people inside, a whole new world opens up for Lily.  A world where others who feel like her can feel normal.  How can Lily return to the person her family expects her to be after she's discovered her feelings for women?  

The best part of this story is when Lo uses the flashbacks between Lily's storyline with ones about her parents and her aunt.  Their own circumstances and journeys to the U.S. to where they are in the 1950s sheds much light on their actions.  As I read the story I kept telling myself if Lily only knew her own family's struggles with their identity in the U.S., then she could open up to them about her own apprehension about where she stands.  

As a former history teacher, I also enjoyed the timelines that Lo includes that show the year, Lily and her family's major moments, and parts of world and American history that have affected Chinese Americans since they were first brought to the U.S. to build the trans-continental railroad.  As the daughter of an aerospace engineer, I enjoyed the development of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory as Lily's other passion is studying space travel.  Thankfully her aunt is a human computer for the program and encourages Lily to pursue her interest in math, science, and engineering.  This part of history is interesting for readers to compare to Katherine Johnson and her pioneering work she did for NASA.

This story is an important one for people to read who may not be familiar with the experiences of Chinese Americans.  It's also a history of how the LGBTQ+ community has had to seek out safe spaces to be themselves.  It surprised me that in the ever-inclusive city of San Francisco, there was once a time that it was illegal for homosexuals to even congregate in public.  The end of the novel is full of more information that Lo explains served as her basis for all of the storylines in the book.  Readers who are interested have a number of resources to use to continue learning about more people who lived during this time and left their mark on the country. 

Black Boy Joy: a middle grades anthology

 

Black Boy Joy is a middle grades short story collection edited by Kwambe Mbalia and is full of stories written by contemporary Black male and nonbinary authors who know their audience and subject matter. The stories range from realistic fiction tales about fashion, friendship, crushes, deciding how to continue one's journey on finding their identity, music, customs and more.  Surprisingly, there are also science fiction and fantasy stories about gaming in other dimensions, mysterious realms of happiness, and challenges that require zero gravity and quick-witted problem solving.  My favorite parts of these stories are the strong community and family units that support the boys in all of the settings.  They are self-assured, confident people who are going through life's challenges either in real life or in a fantasy world, but overall, the themes they embody are universal.  

I am going to get this book for my school library and will share it with students, families, teachers, and community members. Readers will enjoy the variety of stories and formats.  There is even a story told through comics by the award winning author and illustrator, Jerry Craft.  This is a recommended title along the same vein of Ancestor Approved and Flying Lessons.  I hope that readers will appreciate short story collections and add them to their reading lives!

Cuba in My Pocket: a refugee's tale of uncertainty & hope

 

Cuba in My Pocket, the middle grades historical fiction chapter book by award-winning author, Adrianna Cuevas, tells the story of 12 year old Cumba who, in 1961, is forced to flee Santa Clara for the U.S. in order to avoid being drafted into the military for Fidel Castro.  Based on the author's family history, the book is full of intimate details that can only be from the perspective of someone who lived it.  The story is one that should be shared with middle grade readers on up because it tells the important part of history, how governments impact people's lives, and the real accounts of people who risked it all in order to have a chance at a future for themselves and their families.  

Cumba's relationships with his family and friends in Cuba are the most memorable parts of the story.  They play dominoes, cook delicious meals, go looking for flowers and even discuss how their lives have changed after Fidel came to power.  Readers can continue with learning about these parts of Cuban history and culture by looking at photos and videos of Cuba prior to the 1960s and afterwards.  Cumba relies on the strength of these relationships to propel him towards the unknown in the U.S. and holds on to the promise of reuniting with them again.  

Cumba's journey to the U.S. is another important part of the story that readers will never forget. From his flight to Miami with another young girl traveling alone who doesn't understand the language or even how to put on a seat belt, they rely on the kindness of other passengers to guide them through.  Cumba's school experience in Miami is like being pulled into a rip tide because of the cacophony of noise, not being able to practice his English, and his teachers not making any attempts to help him.  This is especially gripping to me as a teacher.  Thankfully he does make an American friend who makes going to school more tolerable, but the PTSD that Cumba has as a result of living in a militaristic society, is keeping him from moving on.

The reader also learns about the role the Catholic Church had in taking in young children from Cuba and sending them to foster families across the U.S.  Cumba and his house-mates use the Catholic Welfare Services to help them locate their family and friends who were supposed to be coming to the U.S.  If readers want to continue learning about this part of history there are many resources that offer more glimpses into how the church supported Cuban immigrants.

When Cumba gets sent to a foster family in Key Largo his story does change for the better.  School is a complete change as his teachers help him learn the content through visuals and study tips.  He even reunites with a friend from Santa Clara and they bond over being the only Cubans in school.  Even when he gets bad news from home and feels helpless he knows he can rely on his friend to understand exactly what he's feeling: helpless and guilty.   Here they are enjoying life in Key Largo while their families are experiencing torture in Cuba.  I think other immigrants can relate to this feeling, too.  We are grateful for being able to be here in the U.S. but also have guilt that our family members are struggling in our home countries.   

I applaud Cuevas for writing this story and honoring her family's history.  The photos and glossary at the end of the book offer more details about the Spanish language and why she chose to write her father's story.  As an adult, I learned a lot about Cuba's history and how refugees were treated during this time.  It would be a good book for grades 4 and up. Here is the author talking about the book in her own words:

Uprising & Boys Without Names: child labor, then & now

Uprising, a middle grades historical fiction novel by Margaret Peterson Haddix, explains the role of worker's rights, suffrage, immigrants' living conditions, and activism in the early 1900s that led to the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York in 1911.  The novel alternates between three different girls' point of views and each one seems to be in their own world until their lives intersect.  The reader also knows that the tragedy of the fire will happen at some point so reading the story is extra suspenseful because there are constant dangers leading up to the fire.  Readers get to know the three girls incredibly well so by the end of the story the way they either survive or not is especially hard-hitting to the reader.

I used this novel as a whole class read with my American History classes for 7th and 8th graders and it sparked many discussions about living and working conditions for immigrants in the late 1890s and early 1900s. Haddix brings in facts about the time period and real people so students can get a sense of what actually happened.  They went on to read about and research the events and people that Haddix names in the novel.  New terms, such as "scab" and other vocabulary that we use today is shown in the book so it helps students understand those ideas in an enriched context.

After reading this novel and mind-mapping while reading it, our students got the chance to have a Skype author-visit with Haddix.  She was incredibly gracious to share with us her research process for this topic and answered all of the students' questions.  I highly recommend using this book in American History classes and engaging with Haddix before, during or after reading the novel.   

This was also a smart book to choose because we studied other labor movements, like Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta  , and students could better connect with those parts of American History.  Child Labor is a subject in which my students took an interest in and they explored that topic by reading the book, The Boys Without Names by Kashmira Sheth:

Sheth describes the conditions that bring together a group of boys forced to work against their will in Mumbai, India.  After reading and discussing the book, our students engaged in a discussion with Sheth through a Skype virtual-author visit.  Our students continued to learn about the plight of child labor in various places in the world, as well as in the U.S.

Both of these books offer middle grade and high school students the chance to learn more about important topics with memorable characters and settings. If you want a good one for middle schoolers, try Threads by Ami Polonsky about a young girl in China forced to work in a purse factory who reaches out for help. 

The House That Lou Built: what makes a home?

 

The House That Lou Built by Mae Respicio is an award-winning, middle-grades chapter book that is great for a book club, read aloud, or independent reading book.  It offers a unique look at the Filipino-American culture while exploring universal themes of grief, family, and friendship for a middle-schooler.

13 year-old Lou is half-Filipina, half-White but she identifies with her Filipina side since she lives with her mother's family in San Francisco.  Her father passed away before she was born and he left her some land as her inheritance.  When Lou visits her plot of land she feels at peace and connected to her father.  When her mother considers moving them away so she can find a better job Lou decides to build a tiny house on her land that she has always dreamed of building. Lolo, her grandpa, tells her, "That's how dreams work.  You just have to do them."  Perhaps this will convince her mother to keep them there?

Lou's community is an important part of the story.  Her mentors, Lolo, Annie, the salvage yard owner and shop teacher, Mr. Keller,  help her with her plans, as have her close friends and family members.  She even makes friends with the ever-popular, Jack, who she encourages to document her project.  Lou is not a typical character because she excels in building and engineering, which makes her stand out amongst her friends and classmates.  Her favorite place to be is the salvage yard because it inspires her to use the parts to invent new machines.  Readers can share a place that inspires them!  She also keeps a running 1,001 Cool Things to Build list and adds items to it, like a catapult.  Readers can add items to the list of something they'd like to build one day.

Lou's identity is an interesting theme that Respicio addresses in the story.  Lou says, "Being half and half is something I don't think about much."  Readers who are split between cultures can compare how they feel to Lou.  When Lou compares her grandparents from both sides of her family she says, "I never knew the difference between my white grandpa and my brown one because they loved me the same." Readers can discuss differences between their family members.  Lou describes her White and Filipina features noting that she doesn't look like her mom but "Mom knows that inside, I'm just as Filipina as she is.  We connect with each other no matter how different we look."  Readers can consider to whom they feel most connected in their lives.  Lou also compares her experiences when eating meals at non-Filipino households.  Readers can share about times when they were exposed to cultures outside of their own.

I enjoyed this story in many ways.   I learned about the Barrio Fiesta and how homes in the Philippines could be moved if flooding were to occur.  Readers can learn about the trials that immigrants endure when moving to the U.S.  I loved Respicio's description of the foods, dancing, and community in the story.  It reminded me of my own Persian community of ex-Pats growing up in Kansas.  

Readers will want to stick with Lou all the way to the end to find out if she ends up building her tiny dream home or if she has to follow her dad's advice she read in his journal, that "sometimes plans change."

Readers can also explore the Tiny House Movement and design their own as an extension idea.  

She has a strong outlook and jumps over the hurdles the adults put in her way.  My favorite line is when she says, "Sure, I'm only 13 but my ideas matter."  When I taught middle school students, this was the feeling that students said frustrated them the most, that they weren't being heard.  Readers can share what is important to them, just like Lou.

  

Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna: the true cost of war

 

Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna by Alda P. Dobbs is a historical fiction, #ownvoices story of the author's great-grandmother who trekked across Mexico during the 1913 revolution towards the U.S. border.  This is an important chapter book that is excellent for grades 3 and up.  Although this is a refugee, war story, readers can still relate to the characters and their emotions since they are all universal themes of family, friendship, hope and love.

12 year-old Petra whose mother passed away a year ago is grappling with the trauma of her father being forced to fight in the revolution.  Alone in her village with her aging grandmother and two younger siblings, Petra is forced to lookout for their well-being.  Her father promises to return as she remembers his words before he left, "in a world full of darkness and uncertainty, there's always enough rom for one more promise."  Petra clings to the hope of reuniting with her father after the war.  Readers can discuss times when they were forced to say goodbye to loved ones and what that felt like.  Did they make plans to stay in touch or reunite one day?  Why does that offer comfort?

When the Federales, "the monsters" who are the army for the government of Huerta, attack their village, Petra and her family must flee or be killed.  Petra thinks, "My home, my life--everything I knew was gone.  There was nothing to come back to.  I thought about Papa and prayed that one day we'd find each other."  Readers can try to imagine what they would do in Petra's situation.  Would they stay close-by in case her father returned or risk losing touch with him if they left their village?  

 Using their wits and knowledge of their ancestors, they make their way north meeting various groups of people along the way who offer advice, hope and friendship to Petra who desperately needs the encouragement.  "...sincere friendships can sprout even amid the darkest moments and places."  These friends provide a safe space for Petra to share her insecurities and develop a sense of confidence in her abilities.  Readers can share people in their lives who offer this support and even think about who they offer their support to, as well.

The story is quite well-told with Spanish words and folklore mixed in that adds authenticity to the characters and their mindsets.  The relationship that Petra has with her grandma and younger siblings is touching and relatable for many readers.  She faces prejudice for being darker-skinned so others look down upon her.  Readers can discuss ways in which prejudice still exists in the world today.  How does that affect how people earn money to support their families?

The author's note at the end explains more about how Dobbs' great-grandmother escaped the war and fled to the U.S.  She provides a timeline that explains the complicated history of power in Mexico and is helpful for even adults to read and understand.  I hope that this book makes its way into many classrooms, libraries, and book clubs.  Refugee perspectives are so often left out of history books that the more we have them, the better we can empathize with their circumstances.  Here is a free teaching guide that goes with the book for more ideas on how to use it with students.

Infinite Country: a multi-generational saga in less than 200 pages

 

Infinite Country, a young adult and adult novel, by Patricia Engel clocks in at less than 200 pages, but it is a richly told story of a Colombian family whose choices have everlasting effects on future generations.  Engel rotates the point-of-view throughout the story so it is told in a series of present-day snapshots and flashbacks to when their family was started with the union of Elena and Mauro.

The story opens with 15-year Talia's breaking out of a juvenile detention facility in the Andes mountains, "it was her idea to tie up the nun."  Immediately the reader is drawn into the story and curious about all of the events that led to that point.  Thankfully, Engel reveals just enough information through each character's chapters so it slowly trickles out, piece by piece.  Talia's crime was justified in her mind yet "Talia considered how people who do horrible things can be victims, and how victims can be people who do horrible things."  Readers can discuss if this is true and when history has done this for various people.  Does this still happen today?

As the story moves forward the reader learns that "Talia's mother was abroad and sent Talia to Columbia when she was a baby but this story was so common it couldn't possibly be considered trauma."  The choice that Elena makes resonates with everyone in the family.  Readers can discuss if this is truly traumatic and in what way?  Engel continues to divulge more of the how and why behind Elena's decision and the way it is revealed through the different characters' chapters makes it most heart-wrenching to read.  

"People say drugs and alcohol are the greatest and most persuasive narcotics--the elements most likely to ruin a life.  They're wrong. It's love."  Engel drops this incredibly deep thought in the middle of the story as Mauro is dipping in and out of sobriety in his attempt to deal with the splitting up of his family.  Readers can talk about addiction and the ways in which love drives people to do the unthinkable.  How does Elena and Mauro's love story ruin lives? Did it ruin their own, their children's, Elena's mother's, or all of theirs, or none of theirs?

Another aspect of this novel that is especially meaningful is the idea of dual-identity that immigrants continually must grapple with on a daily basis.  Elena thinks, "when you leave one country for another, nobody tells you years will bleed together like rain on newsprint.  One year becomes five and five years becomes ten. Ten years become fifteen."  Even over the course of many years in another country, immigrants hope to one day return, but in this story, Elena cannot just visit Columbia since her status is undocumented.  Her family in the U.S. must straddle the awkward rope of trying to fit-in while not standing out and attracting the attention of authorities.  Readers can discuss the stress of living this way.  What are the drawbacks of this life for Elena and her children?  What are the benefits? Which outweighs the other?

Elena and Mauro's children's perspective are told in vastly different ways. Talia, the youngest, is in Colombia with her father and her side of the story is the first the reader learns.  Karina, the first-born, is in the U.S. with her mother and younger brother, who was born in the U.S. so his experience contrasts to hers.  She has to go to great lengths to wrap her mind around half of her family being in another country. A country that she is a citizen of but will never live in, unless she is found and deported by ICE.  Nando, the only son of the family is bullied incessantly but he keeps it all to himself.  Nando and Karina's perspectives are ones that readers can discuss. Who has it better?  

Elena "blamed herself for displacing her own children, especially her girls.  Karina and Talia, binational, each born in one country and raised in another like repotted flowers, creatures forced to live in the wrong habitat."  Mauro's upbringing, what he teaches Talia in terms of folklore and native Columbian stories, weaves its way through the story.  Engel beautifully uses the stories of the serpent, princesses, jaguar and condors to reflect what is happening to the family.  Readers can try to find the parallels in these mentions. Which family member fits each animal's role?

Overall, this story leaves the reader with hope, want for action on current immigration policies in the U.S., and more empathy towards immigrant stories.  Engel's Columbian background adds authenticity to every layer and is a must-read for any young adult and adult. 

We are home: A Pho Love Story

 A Pho Love Story is a young adult, romance debut novel by Loan Le, about rival Vietnamese restaurants in L.A. whose owners have a long history of animosity and competition. Imagine the mess that ensues when their high school seniors, Bao and Linh, become partners for a school project and end up falling for each other!  This is an important story about how family and cultural pressure can influence the children of immigrants.  Rather than communicate their needs and wants, immigrant children often go-with-the-flow and end up stressed.  A Pho Love Story is a richly layered story full of humor, bonds, love and hope.  It resonates strongly with people who straddle dual cultures and don't want to let anyone down, including themselves.

As a teacher, librarian, and parent, I would use this book to discuss many topics with readers. Starting with the main characters, Bao and Linh, whose point of view changes with every-other-chapter.  Bao accuses Linh of being a liar because she isn't forthcoming with her family about her true passion of painting.  Readers can take a side and debate who is in the right and wrong in this situation.  

Another topic for discussion is how Bao and Linh go about their romance.  At first they hesitate to partner up because for their entire lives they were told by their families that it was taboo to associate with the other.  Despite their apprehension over being seen by someone in their community circle they embark on a friendship which grows into a romance.  Do readers agree with how the events unfolded?  Were there any times when they could've come clean with their families?

I just loved the friendship between Bao and Linh.  The more time they spent together the more they discover all that they had in common: they both recognize their Vietnamese culture along with the pressure to make their families proud.  It is unique to live in America where, as the children of immigrants, they are exposed to more avenues and opportunities than their parents.  Communicating this with their parents is difficult because their parents are unknowledgeable about how these experiences lead to future success.  Readers can talk about anyone in their life whom they feel like can understand them and their background.  

As the child of immigrants myself, I connected to this story especially when Linh was looking at old photographs of her parents from Vietnam.  She notices how happy and idyllic the scenes are and thinks, "It seems impossible to think that outside the frame of this photo, the country they knew was changing rapidly.  And yet here they were: joyful."  It would be interesting to pose this question of what is happening outside of the frame when looking at photos as primary sources with students.  Although countries go through so much change that their citizens are pushed or pulled to emigrate, the constant that they feel is family, cherished moments and unforgettable memories.  This is universal.  Which is what hurts when in the story there is a racist posting online with the person telling those in Little Saigon, "go home!"  Bao responds by writing an op-ed titled, "We Are Home".  His message is that immigrants are real people with a past that needs to be listened to in order to understand why they would leave their homes in order to make a better life here.  In the wake of the anti-Asian hate-crimes on the rise recently, his writing hits hard.

Le also captures what it is like when your secrets are revealed to your parents.  When the truth is out and you have to deal with the shame that stems from disappointing them, but also the other side of the feeling that what you did and hid from them was something that felt perfectly natural to you.  Linh calls the aftermath of her parents finding out as, "Terse. Cold. Punishing."  Readers can talk about times when they kept secrets from their loved ones or friends.  What was keeping them from being honest? Did they find ways to get through it? 

The most uplifting part of this whole story is the network of support that Bao and Linh have through their friends, teachers, neighbors, and family members who see their struggles and encourage them.  Like when Linh's aunt says to her, "Be the brave, honest person I know you are."  Readers can name people in their lives who provide this advice and kindness to them.  Maybe they are that support system to others in their lives.  Why is it important to form and nurture these relationships?

All in all, I absolutely loved this book. I'd recommend it, even to adults, because it has universal themes and good knowledge to bestow about Vietnamese history, food, language, and culture as a whole.  For example, how to pronounce PHO: it rhymes with, "huh?" Thank you, Loan!  I had never read a book with Vietnamese characters that I can recall and I cannot wait to read more from this amazing author.

Saffron Ice Cream: an #ownvoices unforgettable memory

 

Saffron Ice Cream is a picture book by author and illustrator Rashin Kheiriyeh aimed for elementary-aged children and up.  It is a personal narrative of the author who moved to Brooklyn, New York from Iran when she was a little girl.  

Prior to reading the story we used the TeachingBooks.Net resource of how to pronounce the author's name and heard her tell how to remember it, "Rashin rhymes with machine!"  Our students discussed the importance of learning how to pronounce everyone's name, even if it is unusual to them.  The respect and dignity associated with a name can help a person feel more at home in a new country.

We also used a short introduction video message from the author to allow students to connect the story with a real person:

The story is a simple one:  newly arrived in America, Rashin's family decides to take a beach trip to Coney Island.  During the commute, Rashin compares and contrasts this new experience to a vivid one of her visiting the Caspian Sea with her family and friends.  

Although this looks like a simple topic, there are numerous layers to explore with readers.  From the laws in Iran that have women and adolescent girls wearing a hijab and body cover to separate beaches for women and men, the discussion that can arises about various types of governments and freedoms compared to those we have in the U.S. is worth having.  

Another layer that Rashin brings to the story is that of cuisine.  Many immigrants long for the tastes and smells of certain foods and ingredients of a home they have left behind.  Saffron is another interesting spice to teach readers about.  Our students looked at the flowers from which saffron fronds are picked and dried.  They watched a clip of my mother grinding the fronds down into a fine powder. They passed around and investigated several types of saffron packages. Finally, they looked at how the spice changes the color and taste of foods, both savory and sweet.

For fun, our students even tried out anagrams from the book title, Saffron Ice Cream, on a Google Jamboard.

One more layer of the story is how maps can tell us more about a particular place. Prior to reading the story we used Google Maps to look at how far it is from Iran to Brooklyn.  We made observations about the two main colors we see on the map and made predictions about what they may represent.  

Then we noticed the satellite view on the bottom of the screen. We discussed how satellites capture images of the Earth and send the images back to us.  Once we went into satellite view the students were mesmerized by the level of detail we were able to see.  We zoomed in on the Caspian Sea's coastal towns and were able to see photos of what Rashin remembered.

  

After listening to the story our students shared what they do when they notice someone is new to this country.  I shared a time of when I taught my cousins how to play Four-Square, since they didn't have that game in Iran.  Then our students brainstormed memories that they would consider unforgettable and used a PicCollage app on their iPads to write about that memory through photos, captions and stickers.  

Storytelling is an important skill that connects us as we find empathy and commonalities in one another's experiences.  Stories like Saffron Ice Cream show that everyone's voice matters and that we all can be a part of someone's unforgettable memory in a positive way.

Stand Up, Yumi Chung!

 

Stand Up, Yumi Chung! a middle grade chapter book by Jessica Kim is a fast-paced, humorous, yet touching book about a 6th grade daughter of Korean immigrants who has to tackle the difficult decision of following a dream that is different than what is expected by family elders.

Yumi is constantly in the shadow of her genius, older sister, Yuri.  Yumi loves stand-up comedy and even though she is shy, it doesn't deter her from wanting to pursue it.  When Yumi accidentally ends up in another person's slot in a comedy camp, she cannot give up her opportunity to feel a part of a community in which she belongs.  

Unfortunately, as in the common experience of children of immigrants who cannot face disappointing their parents, Yumi lies in order to stay in the camp.  When one lie turns into another in order to avoid getting caught, Yumi loses control of the situation.  Will she be able to express herself to her family and come clean with her comedy crew?

As a teacher, librarian, and daughter of immigrants, I can relate to the family pressure that she feels.  When discussing this book with students they can share times when their personal interests were or weren't supported by family members and how they handled those situations.  Another way that students can use this book is to compare how Yumi's choices are the same or different as to what they would do if they were in her shoes, her sister's shoes, and even her family and friends' shoes if they saw what Yumi was doing.

Overall I would recommend this book to readers in grade 4 and up, and their parents, too.  As an educator and parent I learned about how important it is to listen to children and support their interests while expressing expectations for them, at the same time.  Kim, who is Korean, writes with authenticity and care for her characters.  

Land of the Cranes: a migrant's perspective

 

Land of the Cranes, by Aida Salazar, is a novel-in-verse story of immigrants from Mexico that is perfect for 3rd graders and up.  4th grader, Betita lives in east L.A. with her Mami and Papi.  She loves drawing and writing poetry, especially about the legends her Papi tells her about their being descendants of cranes.  When her Papi get detained by I.C.E., Betita and her newly pregnant Mami must find a way to help him. During their attempt they both get detained, too.  Betita is shocked at the freezing cold conditions at the center where they are being held and tries her best to stay positive.  She believes that as her ancestors before her, she will be able to be free once again.  With her Mami's pregnancy in danger, Betita fears that she may lose her Mami and unborn sibling.  A sorrowful story of a real problem that if affecting this country.

As a librarian and teacher I would use this story with students.  We would discuss what it means to file for asylum and look at real life cases where this happens.  

This book would pair well with the picture book, Hear My Voice, set for release on April 13, 2021:

 

Almost American Girl: an illustrated memoir

Almost American Girl by Robin Ha is a poignant story on immigration and cultural norms that emotes empathy for anyone who has been made to feel like "the other."

 For 14 years Chun is raised by her mother in Seoul, South Korea. Chun and her mother face prejudice there because of her mother's unwed status.  During the summer Chun's mother announces a surprise trip to Alabama to visit a new friend.  Unbeknownst to Chun, her mother had no intentions to return to Seoul. Chun was blindsided. She didn't like Alabama because she hardly spoke English, had racist classmates, and she wasn't able to say goodbye to her friends back at home. Months of isolation and loneliness caused Chun to doubt her mother's life choices.  With flashbacks that filled in the backstory of Chun and her mother's life, the story moves in a hopeful direction when Chun finds friends in a comic book club.  

This story connects to me as in immigrant because like Chun, I was asked if I wanted to choose an American name to go by in school.  Before my kindergarten enrollment I spent weeks deciding what name would be a part of my identity.  For Chun, it was Robin.  For me, it was Fallon.  Asking a 5 year old or a 14 year old that question is a heavy load for them to process. The choice empowered Chun because it allowed her to start fresh in a new school.

Robin's story also connects to me as a teacher, because I, too, have had students who have immigrated to the United States.  I knew how important it was to build relationships with them and their families.   In the story, Robin has a strong relationship with her English/Language Arts teacher.  They write back and forth in Robin's journal and she encourages Robin to speak up for herself.

Robin was rescued from feeling isolated by reconnecting with her friends in Seoul.  "Even though my friends weren't with me, knowing that they cared gave me strength."  This is the part that truly saves Robin.  She had to feel like herself again before she could be vulnerable to explore her interests in Alabama.  Knowing that her friends back home were rooting for her gave her the confidence to try harder.

Every Body Looking: seeking an identity

Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh is an emotionally-driven book about a first-generation Nigerian immigrant, Ada, who is about to attend college away from the watchful eye of her father.  Through a series of flashbacks from first grade, second grade, and middle school the reader is exposed to the trauma young Ada faced.  The repercussions of that trauma resonates her total being until the present when she embarks on her own for the first time, to a HBCU to fulfill her duty to her father.

Ada's reserved nature changes as she meets new people on campus and is drawn to a dance studio where she feels, in her heart, she can be her authentic self.  It's more than a coming-of-age story. It's a self-actualization tale that is fraught with sorrow and regret, but most importantly, with hope.

This is intended for a young adult to adult audience due to its mature themes about abuse. As a debut author Iloh approaches Ada's story with such care.  Iloh's choice to write the story as a novel-in-verse only adds to its lyricism.