The Land of the Cranes by Aida Salazar

Not every story has a happily-ever-after. Some stories are drawn from the well of sorrows and painted with tears of anguish. Aida Salazar gives young audiences a searing portrait of the life of girl trapped in the nightmare of an immigrant from Mexico seeking asylum in the United States. Betita lives in East Los Angeles with her parents who are undocumented workers, hoping to find a permanent home in the United States. Her father works as a construction laborer and dishwasher. Her pregnant mother earns money as a nanny.  Though life is challenging, these parents dream of building a new life for their family in the United States. One day the unthinkable happens. Papi is apprehended by ICE agents for failure to appear in court and is taken into custody. Betita is left with an aching heart and a small square of fabric from her father's pillow. ​

Border Stories 

Lubaya’s Quiet Roar by Marilyn Singer ill by Philemona Williamson

Lubaya is a quiet child, a solemn thoughtful child. While people around her instinctively interact with others, she prefers to silently listen and observe. She often finds herself tucked away with paper and colors. Art is her favorite means of self expression. (she) "liked to be alone, happily watching the theater of her thoughts." Lubaya's Quiet Roar

William Still and His Freedom Stories:
​The Father of the Underground Railroad
by Don Tate

Born in New Jersey in1821, Still was the youngest child of his formerly enslaved parents. A pivotal moment for young William came when he helped a freedom-seeking neighbor escape a brutal assault. At age twenty-three he left home and moved to Philadelphia. Still found work with the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society. His skills were recognized by his employer and he eventually became the society’s manager. ​During this time, William’s Philapelphia home became an Underground Railroad “station, ” where he assisted numerous individuals seeking freedom. He was astonished to learn that one of those he helped was his older brother.

Underground Railroad Heroes

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi & Yusef Salaam read by Ethan Herrise

​Sixteen-year-old Amal Shahid is a young black man with a promising future. A talented visual artist, his large-scale works feature innovative design and bold use of color. He recently earned a coveted spot for a prestigious high school art exhibition. His talent is not limited to visual expression. He is also a poet. One night he finds himself in a situation he never considered possible. A combination of wrong place, wrong skin, wrong time set him up for criminal conviction and subsequent incarceration that should never have happened. The only witness who knows the truth is in a comma.

Additional Resources

A Vote is a Powerful Thing
by Catherine Stier ill by Courtney Dawson

The Vote is a Powerful Thing introduces youngsters to the voting process. Callie’s class is learning about elections. Their teacher explains that participation in the selection of leaders and governing laws is important. Knowing this, the students decide to vote on an issue of current school-related interest. The class will plan a field trip. Where should they go? Lynn suggests a trip to the local cookie factory. Callie knows about her grandmother’s interest in the Wilderness Park and recommends visiting this nature preserve. She sets to work, hoping to convince classmates to select her proposed destination. She searches for information about the park, its creation, purpose, and preservation. She makes promotional materials and prepares a speech. Lynn is following a similar pattern, advocating for the cookie factory. The ballots are cast and counted. After a moment of uncertainty, Wilderness Park wins the election by one vote.

The Next President: The Unexpected Beginnings and Unwritten Future of America's Presidents  
​by Kate Messner ill by Adam Rex

The Next President: The Unexpected Beginnings and Unwritten Future of America's Presidents is set in a museum that closely resembles the Smithsonian Museum of American History. Visitors explore the halls, looking back at history and then imagining what might happen in the future. Kids are reminded one or more of them could be a future president. Rex uses a mixed media approach. Black line drawings mix with realistic portraits as well as stylized color wash renderings. The variety of styles reinforce a sense of traveling through time. A limited color palette consisting of various shades of red and blue gives a unifying visual effect. ​

Fault Lines in the Constitution: The Graphic Novel
by Cynthia Levinson & Sanford Levison  art by Ally Shwed

The Levinsons' seminal study of the U. S. Constitution, particularly an examination of the document’s potential flaws was published in 2010. Fault Lines in the Constitution: The Graphic Novel presents the same information in comic book format, primarily with panels that are interspersed interspersed with maps and infographics. The result is a concise, highly readable US Constitution primer. Text alternates between historical background and contemporary applications of decisions that were made by the founding fathers. Format generally follows a configuration of horizontally organizing each page into thirds. Square and rectangular panels fit neatly within this structure. Chapter headings and an occasional concept use the full page. ​This structure offers concise chunks of information that are easy to digest and understand.

The Voting Booth
​by Brandy Colbert

Boy meets girl. She's a serious student and advocate for voting rights. He's not sure where to vote. Fortunately for him, this activist comes to his rescue. The story takes place in one day with visits to multiple polling places and working through a mammoth amount of regulations. However, before the day is over he votes. When your hero is Fannie Lou Hamer, voting is not optional. It's vital. Marva Sheridan has devoted her efforts to understanding the voting process and helping people register to vote. She is disappointed when her white boyfriend Alec decides that he will not be voting. Duke Crenshaw comes from a family of civic-minded citizens. He knows that voting is the right thing to do. If only it weren't so complicated. Marva is precisely the guide to help him through the election rules and red tape. During the day this unlikely pair discover that their interest is in more than the ballot box. There is definitely a mutual attraction that extends beyond a lesson in civics.

Everything Sad is Untrue (a true story) by Daniel Nayeri Like Scheherazade, ​Nayeri weaves a thousand and one tales into an opulent Persian tapestry: a story of mythology and memoir, of lineage and loss. A story that is as true as what you see with your own eyes and as real as what you cannot see. The saga begins as a ten-year-old Iranian refugee stands up in an Oklahoma schoolroom and tells classmates his story, his history. There are so many things going on in this narrative. Several pages are devoted to considerations of poop. It should not be surprising. This is not some esoteric philosophical treatise, although there are ample references to God and religion, anxiety and resilience, dignity and prejudice. At its core, it is a story of basic human needs. It's a story of survival. Nayeri lays bare his heart, his devotion to his mother, his complicated relationship with his father. It’s a guidebook for navigating a strange western culture and for methodically escaping the cruelty of others. It’s all of it.

​Pub date: August 25, 2020  Publisher:   Levine Querido Uncorrected copy provided by publisher. Stand Up, Yumi Chung!  ​by Jessica Kim A middle grade tale that is funny, heartwarming and painfully honest. Daughter of immigrant parents, eleven-year-old Yumi Chung constantly feels parental pressure to excel academically. Mom has decided that Yumi will spend her summer with tutoring sessions in preparation for the SSAT, Secondary School Admission Test. ​​​Yumi grudgingly heads off for morning test prep sessions combined with three hours of afternoon study at the library. Then something amazing happens. ​She discovers a comedy club adjacent to the library.  YouTube sensation Jasmine Jasper is facilitating a comedy camp. Yumi succumbs to temptation and steps inside. She is mistaken for a camp registrant who failed to show. Here’s Yumi’s chance to shine. Performing using another identity frees her from stage fright. She is a success!

Letters From Cuba ​by Ruth Behar Late 1930's were perilous times in Europe. The Nazi party was ascending to power and invading surrounding nations. Twelve-year-old Esther’s family are Polish Jews. They face a future filled with uncertainty and fear. Bravely Esther leaves her mother, siblings, and grandmother to join her father in Cuba. The plan: father and daughter will secure funds for the entire family to escape the dire conditions in their homeland and emigrate to Cuba. Through a series of letters to her sister, Esther describes her life in this new country. Her correspondence is infused with sensory descriptions: luscious tropical fruit, beautiful countryside, eloquent Spanish language, and the poetry of José Matí. ​She tells of heartbreaking setbacks and small triumphs. ​Initially, the two earn money peddling religious statues in the predominantly Catholic villages. It seems an unusual thing: Jews selling religious statues. Sadly, this venture produces little income.

Illegal ​by Francisco X. Stork Siblings Sara and Emiliano Zapata are on the run, hoping to elude an international human trafficking cartel. Illegal continues their story which began with Disappeared. After leaving Juárez, Mexico, the two separately cross the Rio Grande River, hoping to outpace and outsmart the syndicate. The story is told in the alternating voices of the brother and sister. Sara opts to legally request asylum as she believes that ample documentation will support her amnesty claim. Emiliano chooses to go underground, hiding in the back of a horse trailer to evade detection and eventually living in the basement of his father’s home in a Chicago suburb. ​​The two share an dangerous secret: a cell phone containing damning photographs and documents detailing human trafficking that originates in Mexico and extends into the United States. Sara entrusts the phone to her brother. Sara and Emiliano must protect this valuable piece of evidence without endangering one another.

When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson & Omar Mohamed Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed's When Stars Are Scattered introduces readers to the reality of survival for displaced individuals, an existence filled with deprivation, uncertainty, and boredom. Jamieson chronicles the childhood of Somali refugees Omar Mohamed and his younger brother Hassan. ​The narrative is based on Omar’s memories. He and Hassan escaped Somalia's civil war, lost contact with their parents, and were given shelter at a camp located in Kenya. Looked after by a kind woman, they subsist on meager rations and sleep in a tiny tent. Omar assumes responsibility for disabled brother's daily care. Life changes when a UN worker suggests that Omar attend a school organized for the camp's children. Education becomes his lifeline and an escape from the grim reality of camp life. Fifteen long years later, the two resettle in Arizona.

The Everything I Have Lost ​by Sylvia Zéleny Thirteen-year-old Julia keeps a deeply personal journal describing her life near the Mexico-United States border. Over the course of approximately two years she discloses her fears, her uncertainty, and the longings of her heart. Detailed lists and commentary reveal her life, her everything. Living in Juárez with father, mother, and younger brother Willy, Julia’s life experiences a seismic shift when her father begins working for the mafia. She assumes that he is a courier. Suddenly the family has a new car, a new house, and many luxury items. But wealth has a downside. Mamá is no longer her confidant. Her mother’s primary objective is to protect and care for her husband. In an attempt ​to shield her children from the mob's influence and possible retribution, she sends Julia and Willy to live with family in El Paso. Young Julia faces an uncertain and frightening existence. She must adjust to a new city, new home, new school, new language. ​

Superman Smashes the Klan ​by Gene Luen Yang A comic book set in 1946 with 2020 sensibilities features the traditional superhero trope: Man of Steel versus an archenemy. Metropolis is plagued with a sinister influence. It’s up to the caped crusader with an assist from a couple of kids to defeat evil and protect the city’s citizens. ​Inspired by the 1940s Superman radio series “Clan of the Fiery Cross,” Gene Luen Yang chronicles a lesser-known aspect of bigotry and racism in American history: Chinese Americans targeted by white supremacists. ​​​The narrative has two plot threads. Alternating stories chronicle a Chinese American family's move from Chinatown to a new neighborhood. This is juxtaposed with the tale of a superhero arriving to earth from another planet. ​Both threads explore the plight of individuals who are perceived as different. ​Both are stories of immigrants. Stories of aliens.

More Stories

Want to Help?

Omar Mohamed's initiative helps students in an African refugee camp succeed in school  Refugee Strong.

Inspiring stories from the people who have welcomed refugees. International Rescue Committee offers specific suggestions to support refugees.

28 Days: Moments in Black History That Changed the World by Charles R. Smith ill by Shane W. Evans full cast narration

A handsome volume of intertwined poetry, prose, and direct quotations honors Black History Month by using the February calendar format with twenty eight entries. Subjects include individuals, federal laws, and milestone events that have positively influenced United States’ Black history. A nod to Leap Year adds a twenty ninth entry that encourages readers to create their own significant moments in history. Beginning with Crispus Attucks and bookending with Barak Obama, a selection of outstanding Black individuals are featured. Notables include Harriet Tubman, Hank Aaron, Malcolm X, Matthew Henson, Shirley Chisholm, and Oprah Winfrey. Lyrical verse combines with informational text to highlight the contributions of these Black change agents.

Free audiobook. Listen here.

Bonus

Illegal: A Disappeared Novel by Francisco X. Stork

Siblings Sara and Emiliano Zapata are on the run, hoping to elude an international human trafficking cartel. Illegal continues their story which began with Disappeared. After leaving Juárez Mexico, the two separately cross the Rio Grande River, hoping to outpace and outsmart the syndicate. The story is told in the alternating voices of the brother and sister. Sara opts to legally request asylum as she believes that ample documentation will support her amnesty claim. Emiliano chooses to go underground, hiding in the back of a horse trailer to evade detection and eventually living in the basement of his father’s home in a Chicago suburb.

Letters From Cuba by Ruth Behar

Late 1930's were perilous times in Europe. The Nazi party was ascending to power and invading surrounding nations. Twelve-year-old Esther’s family is Polish and Jewish. They face a future filled with uncertainty and fear. Bravely Esther leaves her mother, siblings, and grandmother to join her father in Cuba. The plan: father and daughter will secure funds for the entire family to escape the dire conditions in their homeland and emigrate to Cuba. Through a series of letters to her sister, Esther describes her life in this new country. Her correspondence is infused with sensory descriptions: luscious tropical fruit, beautiful countryside, eloquent Spanish language, and the poetry of José Matí. ​She tells of heartbreaking setbacks and small triumphs.

Everything Sad is Untrue: (a true story) by Daniel Nayeri

​Like Scheherazade, Nayeri has a gift. He weaves a thousand and one tales into an opulent Persian tapestry: a story of mythology and memoir, of lineage and loss. A story that is as true as what you see with your own eyes and as real as what you cannot see. The saga begins: a ten-year-old Iranian refugee stands up in an Oklahoma schoolroom and tells classmates his story, his history. There are so many things going on in this narrative. Several pages are devoted to considerations of poop. It should not be surprising. This is not some esoteric philosophical treatise, although there are ample references to God and religion, anxiety and resilience, dignity and prejudice. At its core, it is a story of basic human needs. It's a story of survival. Nayeri lays bare his heart, his devotion to his mother, his complicated relationship with his father. It’s a guidebook for navigating a strange western culture and for methodically escaping the cruelty of others. It’s all of it.

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