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READING STYLE GUIDE

Immigrant Voices

8/6/2020

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Immigrants. Leaving the world you know and venturing into the unfamiliar. Escaping oppression, violence, poverty, deprivation. For some, the only option is to flee. Several books published in 2020 for teens and middle grade students focus on the immigrant experience. In the face of uncertainty and fear, these are stories of hope.
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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. 
​Readers will note that the narrative does not move in a linear fashion. There are spirals which move forward only to fall back, then spin forward again. All are encompassed within a slowly revolving story arc. It sounds a bit messy, but the story threads are easy to follow.
Everything Sad is Untrue (a true story) is a book like no other. It's like claiming a seat in that Oklahoma classroom and being transported to a world that is somehow familiar and yet one that you never knew existed. ​
​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!
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​Unfortunately, the family restaurant is experiencing a significant financial downturn. Yumi wants to quit the prestigious and expensive private school favored by her parents and enroll in the new Performing Arts Magnet School.
She is juggling working at the restaurant, attending morning test prep classes, maintaining the pretense of studying daily at the library, preparing a routine for an upcoming comedy club showcase, and assuming the identity of another workshop participant. It all comes crashing down. 
Readers will sympathize with Yumi as she tries to unravel the mess that she has created, support the family's business, honor her parents’ wishes, and find a way to realize her dream. Everything doesn't work out perfectly. There are heartbreaking moments and several compromises. However... there are jokes!
​Like Korean barbecue Stand Up, Yumi Chung! is sweet with a few salty tears but definitely savory. YUM! ​Kudos Jessica Kim.
Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.
Pub date: March 17, 2020  Publisher: Kokila
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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.
Their fortunes begin to look up when, desperate for suitable clothing to wear in the oppressive heat, Esther designs and sews a lightweight comfortable dress to replace her heavy woolen clothing. By hand, she sews similar dresses for her friends. Several of her creations are displayed in a local shop. Then the miraculous happens. Esther receives a sewing machine. With help from her father, the two make attractive lightweight dresses for women in the village. Eventually her designs are sold to a buyer in Havana. Now there is hope that she can earn enough money to reunite her family in Cuba. After some tense moments, the family obtains the necessary money to emigrate.
Esther is the star of this story. Her resourcefulness, hard work, willingness to try new things, and acceptance of other cultures and customs make the story shine.
This epistolary middle grade novel was inspired by Behar's grandmother’s journey from Poland to Cuba. Her story offers young readers a fresh perspective on a contemporary issue. ​ Letters from Cuba is a mind-opening, heart-expanding look at the plight of immigrants, the far-reaching effects of World War II, and the stain of racism. ​
Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.
Pub date: August 25, 2020  Publisher:  Nancy Paulsen Books   

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.

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Stork ratchets up the tension as both lives are on the line. Sara is locked in solitary confinement within a detention center in Fort Stockton, Texas because she refuses to disclose the whereabouts of her brother. Emiliano tries to stay one step ahead of a killer hired to track down the phone. It’s a nail biting, intense read.
The narrative includes fascinating details about everything from technical processes used to open a phone to some of the legal intricacies in the asylum process. A surprising betrayal keeps the central characters constantly questioning who to trust. Both siblings are faced with moral dilemmas. There are no easy solutions. Every choice has positive and negative consequences. ​
An electrifying story that could have been ripped from today's headlines. This can't-put-down story of danger, intrigue, and corruption will keep readers rapidly turning pages. It's action and suspense to the max.
Note: ​All author royalties from this book will go to local shelters for immigrants.
Uncorrected copy provided by author.
​Pub date: August 4, 2020  Publisher:  Scholastic Press  
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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.

​Drawings are clean and uncluttered, keeping the focus on these young siblings. Each frame becomes a metaphor for life within the refugee camp. Omar remains trapped inside the confining panel boundaries. There are a few instances where Omar breaks through the restrictive lines which limit him. The inference is that education breaks the confines that hold him captive.
Color tends to be flat except the expanse of sky, where a breathtaking array of hues ranging from soft pinks to deep blues are sprinkled with the glimmering pinpoints of tiny stars. The sky appears limitless.
​Jamieson takes a few liberties with Mohamed's story, fleshing out the narrative with additional characters. Two fictional camp residents deal with the harsh realities for girls in this society: few basic personal supplies, limited education opportunities, and arranged marriages at a young age.
​​With extraordinary grace and simplicity, Mohamed and Jamieson put a name and a face on the plight of refugees. The suffering and unsettled circumstances are evident on every page. Without undue sentimentality or overwrought emotion, young Omar’s story is simple and straightforward yet powerful in its impact.
This graphic novelization of Omar’s life as a refugee is heart wrenching and eye opening. It's the story of the bond that connects siblings, living with a disabled family member, a repressive view of women, and the long-lasting aftereffects of war. Notwithstanding these obstacles, this is a story of hope.
Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.
Pub date: April 14, 2020  Publisher:  Dial Books

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.
​
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​She is angry with her father who mysteriously vanishes for long periods of time. She resents her mother for what she perceives as abandonment of her children. She feels that she must accept responsibility for Willy and be the mother he no longer has. This is a heavy burden for a young girl to carry.
When her life in Juárez is forever gone, she makes a startling discovery. Her father is more than a courier. He is a hit man.
​Julia is devastated. Her pain bleeds across her diary pages.
She enters an American high school with a few glimmers of hope. She makes a friend and tells him of her shameful secret. Her great grandmother becomes a source of constancy and comfort. Mamá reunites with Julia and Willy in the United States and takes tentative steps to reconnecting with family. 
The Everything I Have Lost is a story that is bleak and often terrifying. It paints a picture of survival and finding hope when things seem hopeless. Zéleny's prose is poignant and piercing in its honesty and humanity. 
Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.
Pub date: February 11, 2020  Publisher: Cinco Puntos Press
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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.

​Dr Lee, his children Tommy and Roberta, and mandarin-speaking wife move from Chinatown to a suburban Metropolis home. Sadly, some people do not welcome the Lee family. They are subjected to subtle and overt racism. One night Tommy and Roberta watch in horror when hooded Klansmen chant “One Race! One Color! One Religion!" and burn a cross in their neighborhood.
Superman is having his own interior conflict. Readers follow a flashback when young Clark decides that his incredible powers are an unwelcome stigma. He resolves to conceal his capabilities, hoping for acceptance among his peers. Years later, Superman's parents from Krypton appear to their adult son and encourage him to accept and use all his remarkable strengths.
Things end well. After a frightening abduction, an injury, and a harrowing escape, the leaders of the Klan are exposed and their plans for destruction are foiled.
The script is laced with clever dialog as well as tongue-in-cheek humor. While characters remain true-to-form, Yang fleshes out the Superman with a compelling backstory. Smooth segues between the two story lines create a seamless narrative.
Gurihiru's art has a distinctive 1940's vibe. Panel size and placement moves the story forward at a fast pace. Large two-page illustration spreads are background for panel inserts which advance the action. A dazzling two-page spread exposes the horror of cross burning. Angled panels accentuate action sequences.
​The author’s note, "Superman and Me" provides context to Superman Smashes the Klan. Gene Luen Yang interweaves the development of the Superman mythos, a brief history of targeting Chinese Americans and other marginalized people, the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, and challenges faced by immigrants. The account is broad in its scope while also a deeply personal reflection on superheroes, bigotry, and the immigrant experience.
Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.
Pub date: May 12, 2020  Publisher: DC Comics 

More Stories

Addition books featuring immigrants. The titles include a variety of immigrant experiences.
Some stories are memoirs, others offer fictionalized narratives. The assortment includes various formats: picture book, poetry, prose, and graphic novel. There are titles for elementary school, middle grade, and young adult audiences.
Sample several different titles for a deeper understanding of the immigrant story.

Want to Help?

​Looking for ways to help refugees? 
Omar Mohamed's initiative helps students in an African refugee camp succeed in school  Refugee Strong.
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Inspiring stories from the people who have welcomed refugees. International Rescue Committee offers specific suggestions to support refugees.
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