Please welcome my guest blogger, Natalie Dias Lorenzi.
Natalie Dias Lorenzi is a librarian in Fairfax County, Virginia. Her debut middle grade novel, Flying the Dragon, was published last year by Charlesbridge. Follow her on Twitter (@NatalieLorenzi) or visit her website at www.nataliediaslorenzi.com.
As a school librarian, I often see kids get excited when they connect with characters and settings and problems in stories. “She’s just like me!” they’ll say, or, “I know exactly how he felt.” A major part of my job as a librarian is to help kids find books they can connect with, books that speak to them. If a student has lost a pet, I’ve got several books for that. Problems with bullies? I could recommend a slew of titles. Ditto for the new kid at school, the one moving away, the new big brother or sister, or the kid who worships soccer.
But there are some topics that are largely ignored in children’s literature. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, there were an estimated 11.1 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. in 2011, one million of whom are children, and 4.5 million born in the U.S. to undocumented parents. Like other kids, these children also read books on pets, bullies, new baby siblings, and soccer. But the life of an undocumented child brings special challenges not found in books on their library shelves: feelings of isolation from neighbors, the burden of secrecy, and a constant fear of deportation.
As a librarian, these books are difficult to match with the kids who need them, because a child obviously isn’t going to come up to me and say, “I’m in this country illegally. Do you have any books with characters like me?” If you pay attention, you will sometimes see the signs. Some are obvious—a reluctance to talk about their country of birth, vague answers to questions about when they came to the U.S. or how they traveled here. Some signs are subtle; kids staying home from school to care for younger siblings who are sick—their parents will lose their jobs if they miss a day of work. Or kids who bounce from school to school—sometimes several schools in the same year.
One way to bring these books to the kids who need them is to simply talk them up—display them with books about all kinds of immigrant children, or children from other cultures.
I’d love to add more titles to this list, so if you have other recommendations for books with characters who are undocumented, I’d love to hear about them!
Undocumented Immigrants in Children’s Books
Tomás and the Library Lady by Pat Mora, illustrated by Raul Colon
Tomás is a son of migrant workers. Every summer he and his family follow the crops north from Texas to Iowa, spending long, arduous days in the fields. At night they gather around to hear Grandfather’s wonderful stories. But before long, Tomás knows all the stories by heart. “There are more stories in the library,” Papa Grande tells him. The very next day, Tomás meets the library lady and a whole new world opens up for him. Based on the true story of the Mexican-American author and educator Tomás Rivera, a child of migrant workers who went on to become the first minority Chancellor in the University of California system, this inspirational story suggests what libraries—and education—can make possible. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant’s Tale by Duncan Tonatiuh
Duncan Tonatiuh brings to light the hardship and struggles faced by thousands of families who seek to make better lives for themselves and their children by illegally crossing the border.
In this allegorical picture book, a young rabbit named Pancho eagerly awaits his papa’s return. Papa Rabbit traveled north two years ago to find work in the great carrot and lettuce fields to earn money for his family. When Papa does not return, Pancho sets out to find him. He packs Papa’s favorite meal—mole, rice and beans, a heap of warm tortillas, and a jug of aguamiel—and heads north. He meets a coyote, who offers to help Pancho in exchange for some of Papa’s food. They travel together until the food is gone and the coyote decides he is still hungry . . . for Pancho! [picture book, ages 6 and up]
La Mariposa by Francisco Jiménez, illustrated by Simón Silva
An autobiographical story that reflects the author’s experiences as an undocumented child migrant worker in California. In his first year of school, Francisco understands little of what his teacher says. But he is drawn to the silent, slowmoving caterpillar in the jar next to his desk. He knows caterpillars turn into butterflies, but just how do they do it? To find out, he studies the words in a butterfly book so many times that he can close his eyes and see the black letters, but he still can’t understand their meaning. Illustrated with paintings as deep and rich as the wings of a butterfly, this honest, unsentimental account of a schoolchild’s struggle to learn language reveals that our imaginations powerfully sustain us. La Mariposa makes a subtle plea for tolerance in our homes, our communities, and in our schools. [advanced picture book, ages 6 and up]
My Shoes and I by Rene Colato Lainez, illustrated by Fabricio
A timely and inspiring story. Mario is leaving his home in El Salvador. With his father by his side, he is going north to join his mother, who lives in the UnitedStates. She has sent Mario a new pair of shoes. He will need good shoes because the journey north will be long and hard. He and his father will cross the borders of three countries. They will walk for miles, ride buses, climb mountains, and cross a river. Mario has faith in his shoes. He believes they will take him anywhere. On this day, they will take him to the United States, where his family will be reunited. [picture book, ages 7 and up]
Star in the Forest by Laura Resau
This lovely story is on our state reading list this year, the Virginia Readers Choice. Zitlally’s family is undocumented, and her father has just been arrested for speeding and deported back to Mexico. As her family waits for him to return— they’ve paid a coyote to guide him back across the border—they receive news that he and the coyote’s other charges have been kidnapped and are being held for ransom. Meanwhile, Zitlally and a new friend find a dog in the forest near their trailer park. They name it Star for the star-shaped patch over its eye. As time goes on, Zitlally starts to realize that Star is her father’s “spirit animal,” and that as long as Star is safe, her father will be also. But what will happen to Zitlally’s dad when Star disappears? [chapter book, ages 7 and up]
Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Esperanza lived the life of a princess with her family in Mexico, thinking of the future only when she dreamed about her big Quinceañeras party to be held in two years, when she would turn 15. But when tragedy entered their lives, Esperanza and her mother flee from Mexico to California and become farm workers. Esperanza isn’t ready for the hard work, the financial struggle, or the lack of acceptance she must face, but perhaps the biggest challenge is something Esperanza has never had to face before: an uncertain future. [chapter book, ages 9 and up]
Crossing the Wire by Will Hobbs
The end was coming, but I didn’t see it coming. In the mountains of central Mexico, fifteen-year-old Victor Flores has been scratching out a living for his family by farming ever since his father died. Days after Victor’s best friend, Rico, runs away from home to seek a better life in the U.S., Victor learns that he may not be able to sell his corn this year. As his family teeters on the brink of disaster, Victor heads north in an attempt to “cross the wire” into the States, find work, and send money home.
Unlike Rico, Victor has no experienced men to travel with and no coyote money to pay the smugglers who sneak illegal workers across the border. He resorts to jumping trains. For a while Victor travels with Julio from Honduras, then the mysterious Miguel, and finally with his childhood friend, Rico. Victor’s journey is fraught with danger as he faces freezing cold, the scorching heat of the Arizona desert, hunger, and dead ends. It’s a gauntlet run by millions attempting to cross the border. Through Victor’s often desperate struggle, Will Hobbs brings to life one of the great human dramas of our time. [chapter book, ages 9 and up]
Illegal by Bettina Restrepo
Nora is on a desperate journey far away from home. When her father leaves their beloved Mexico in search of work, Nora stays behind. She fights to make sense of her loss while living in poverty—in wait of her father’s return and a better day. When the letters and money stop coming, Nora decides that she and her mother must look for him in Texas. After a frightening experience crossing the border, the two are all alone in a strange place. Nora must find the strength to survive while aching for small comforts: friends, a new school, and her quinceañera. This gripping, deeply hopeful debut novel captures the challenges of one girl’s unique, yet universal immigrant experience. [young adult, ages 13 and up]
Enrique’s Journey by Sonia Nazario
I recently read this title for adults and was thrilled to learn that a young adult version is being released next month. Based upon the author’s highly praised adult work, Enrique’s Journey is the amazing and heartbreaking true story of Enrique, a teenager from Honduras who sets out on a journey, braving hardship and peril, to find his mother, who had no other choice but to leave him and migrate to the United States in search of work. The accessible text for young people will capture hearts and resonate among readers. It bring to light the daily struggles of migrants, legal and otherwise, and the complicated choices they face, not necessarily for a better life, but rather to simply survive and provide for the basic needs of their families. An epilogue will update what has happened since the adult edition was first published. [young adult, ages 14 and up]
Until I Find Julian by Patricia Reilly Giff
Mateo knows that life in his Mexican town can be tough, but he has a supportive family. His brother Julian has gone to the US to find work so he can help out by sending money home, but eventually, there is not word from him. Mateo decides that he has to go and find his brother, and his Abuelita knows this isn’t the best idea but understands that Mateo feels compelled to do this. Crossing into the US is dangerous, and Mateo makes it with the help of a girl, Angel, who befriends him and seems to know a lot about making this journey. When they finally make it to the town where Julian was living, they find that the house where he is living is empty, and that there are many issues with immigrants going on at the place of employment where Julian was working. Was Julian killed in a fall, or did he take off because of these issues? Angel and Julian are able to figure things out and report back to the family in Mexico. Review from Ms. YingLing Reads. [chapter book, ages 8 and up]
Reader Recommendations for Undocumented Immigrant Books for Kids
Thank you to Valarie from Jump Into a Book for her two great recommendations!
She says, “Same Sun Here by Silas House and Neela Vaswani. Some of the main characters in the story are immigrants waiting for final papers. The Chinese neighbor lady doesn’t have any paperwork and must endure the landlords abuses and threats. She ends up having to move quickly. I did a post on this book some time back:
This is a tender story about an unlikely friendship between a boy from Kentucky and a girl from India who has recently immigrated to the United States. Through their letters and emails via a pen pal exchange, Meena and River realize they have more in common than not …
Meena lives in New York City in Chinatown, and River lives in Kentucky coal mining country. With honesty and humor, Meena and River bridge the miles between them and their world views, to create a friendship which inspires and defeats any cultural misconceptions.
There are two other books I thought of Lupita Mañana: Life at the Acatemy and America is her Name by Luis Rodriguez. Hope that helps.”
Lupita Mañana by Patricia Beatty
America is not the land of opportunity they had hoped. A new language, hard labor, and the constant threat of la migra — the immigration police–make every day a difficult challenge. But for feisty Lupita, there is always hope for a better manana — tomorrow.
America is her Name by Luis Rodriguez
Set in the Pilsen barrio of Chicago, this children’s picture book gives a heartwarming message of hope. The heroine, América, is a primary school student who is unhappy in school until a poet visits the class and inspires the students to express themselves creatively-in Spanish or English. América Is Her Name emphasizes the power of individual creativity in overcoming a difficult environment and establishing self-worth and identity through the young girl América’s desire and determination to be a writer. This story deals realistically with the problems in urban neighborhoods and has an upbeat theme: you can succeed in spite of the odds against you. Carlos Vázquez’s inspired four-color illustrations give a vivid sense of the barrio, as well as the beauty and strength of the young girl América.
Zombie Baseball Beatdown by Paolo Bacigalupi
You’d think with a title that includes “zombie” and “beatdown” that this is meant for the boys who enjoy potty humor. You’d be right. But then, this is National Book Award Finalist author Paolo Baciaglupi we are talking about. He’s managed to weave in a few serious elements into this action packed farce with lots of boy appeal: bullying, undocumented workers and the unsafe meat processing conditions here in the United States.
When Rabi takes on the local meat packing plant whose toxic cattle feed is turning cows into flesh-craving monsters, he doesn’t realize that the plant managers use deporation of their undocumented workers as a means to keep them from speaking out. His friend Miguel loses both his parents and his guardians to an immigration raid tipped off by the factory foreman. Rabi has a plan to figure out what is going on to help Miguel get his family back and it involves a zombie baseball beatdown. [chapter book, ages 8 and up]
Thank you to children’s book author Barbara Mojica who says, “I would add Journey of Dreams by Marge Pellegrino for ages eleven and up. Available on Amazon.” She posts a review of Journey of Dreams here.
The book provides a glimpse into the horror of warfare and human enslavement. The interweaving of native culture in dreams and storytelling is vivid and engaging, The author provides a glossary of Spanish and native terms as well as a map to mark the journey. Teachers will find much to discuss with their students and adults will learn more about a tragedy that resulted in making a native people stronger and more resilient.
Thank you to @JudyOLoughlin on Twitter who tweeted, “The Circuit is one of my favorite of these books about undocumented immigrants.”
The Circuit by Francisco Jimenez
“‘La frontera’…I heard it for the first time back in the late 1940s when Papa and Mama told me and Roberto, my older brother, that someday we would take a long trip north, cross la frontera, enter California, and leave our poverty behind.” So begins this honest and powerful account of a family’s journey to the fields of California — to a life of constant moving, from strawberry fields to cotton fields, from tent cities to one-room shacks, from picking grapes to topping carrots and thinning lettuce. Seen through the eyes of a boy who longs for an education and the right to call one palce home, this is a story of survival, faith, and hope. It is a journey that will open readers’ hearts and minds.
Thank you to @judiparadis16h for her great book recommendation. She tweeted, “And I’d add Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez–Undocumented Immigrants in Children’s Literature.”
Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez
After Tyler’s father is injured in a tractor accident, his family is forced to hire migrant Mexican workers to help save their Vermont farm from foreclosure. Tyler isn’t sure what to make of these workers. Are they undocumented? And what about the three daughters, particularly Mari, the oldest, who is proud of her Mexican heritage but also increasingly connected her American life. Her family lives in constant fear of being discovered by the authorities and sent back to the poverty they left behind in Mexico. Can Tyler and Mari find a way to be friends despite their differences?
Thank you to author Angela Cervantes for the heads up on her debut middle grade novel Gaby, Lost and Found. She includes themes of undocumented workers in her book for ages 9 and up.
Gaby, Lost and Found by Angela Cervantes
Wanted: One amazing forever home for one amazing sixth grader.
“My name is Gaby, and I’m looking for a home where I can invite my best friend over and have a warm breakfast a couple of times a week. Having the newest cell phone or fancy clothes isn’t important, but I’d like to have a cat that I can talk to when I’m home alone.”
Gaby Ramirez Howard loves volunteering at the local animal shelter. She plays with the kittens, helps to obedience train the dogs, and writes adoption advertisements so that the strays who live there can find their forever homes: places where they’ll be loved and cared for, no matter what.
Gaby has been feeling like a bit of a stray herself, lately. Her mother has recently been deported to Honduras and Gaby is stuck living with her inattentive dad. She’s confident that her mom will come home soon so that they can adopt Gaby’s favorite shelter cat together. When the cat’s original owners turn up at the shelter, however, Gaby worries that her plans for the perfect family are about to fall apart.
Another review from Latin@s in KidLit here.
Thank you to reader Heather who has a great book recommendation:
I highly recommend reading Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos. It is about two sisters in America who are undocumented, but must act as if life is normal when their father is detained near the border and mother stays with him to work to free their father. The strain on the family and how it spills into the community is palpable and heartbreaking.
Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos
“You forget. You forget you don’t really exist here, that this isn’t your home.”
Since emigrating from Bangladesh, fourteen-year-old Nadira and her family have been living in New York City on expired visas, hoping to realize their dream of becoming legal U.S. citizens. But after 9/11, everything changes. Suddenly being Muslim means you are dangerous — a suspected terrorist.
When Nadira’s father is arrested and detained at the U.S.-Canadian border, Nadira and her older sister, Aisha, are told to carry on as if everything is the same. The teachers at Flushing High don’t ask any questions, but Aisha falls apart. Nothing matters to her anymore — not even college.
It’s up to Nadira to be the strong one and bring her family back together again.
Independent Film Director Jennifer Fischer is making a film called Smuggled. She says, I am putting together [a resource guide] on immigration. Becky Morales shared resources and talked about the film on her blog. Facebook page for Smuggled here.
Thank you to Erica of What Do We Do All Day ? for her great picture book recommendation, Hannah is My Name. She did a review at Storied Cities.
Hannah is My Name by Belle Yang
With Chinese-influenced paintings in jewel-like colors, Belle Yang tells an immigration tale that reflects one of the many facets of the American dream.Hannah is my name in this new country. It doesn’t sound at all like myChinese name, Na-Li, which means beautiful.
It’s a long way from Taiwan to San Francisco, but Hannah’s family has made the journey because they want to make America their home. Here in America, Baba tells his daughter, people are free to say what they think, and children can grow up to be whatever they choose. And so Hannah takes a new name, begins a new school, learns a new language, and starts to adjust to a new way of life. Meanwhile, they all wait — and hope — for the arrival of the green cards that will assure they are finally home to stay.
I found one more through The New York Times via Reading Rockets
“What would it be like to stay in one place — to have your own bed, to ride your own bicycle?” a little girl named Anna wonders in Maxine Trottier’s 2011 picture book, “Migrant.” “Now that would be something.” Anna’s parents, who are migrant workers, move from one temporary home to another, and Anna imagines herself as a rabbit, living in abandoned burrows, or a bee, flitting from flower to flower. She is effectively homeless, and longs to live a settled life, “like a tree with roots sunk deeply into the earth.”
Migrant by Maxine Trottier
Anna is the child of the Low German-speaking Mennonites from Mexico, a unique group migrants who moved from Canada to Mexico in the 1920s. They kept their Canadian citizenship hoping to farm in Mexico, withdraw from the modern world and find religious freedom. But as times became increasingly difficult, they returne to Canada as migrant workers. With lyrical prose, Trottier tells the story through young Anna who imagines herself as part of a flock of geeese, a jackrabbit in an abandoned burrow, or a bee. But most of all, she imagines what it would be like to stay in one place. [picture book, ages 4 to 7]
Red Glass by Laura Resau
While we certainly don’t want to frighten our students, Red Glass challenges traditional notions on immigration and begs us to understand the complexities of the process. Immigration is not about “illegals” jumping the border; it is a process that involves real life people in often dangerous situations. Thus, this book challenges us to amend our perceptions on immigration. While this book is recommended for middle grade readers, it does talk about themes of death.
Review from Vamos y Leer.
América is Her Name by Sonia Alejandra Rodríguez
At the beginning of the story, the narrator makes clear that América is having a difficult time feeling like she belongs in her new home in the United States. Pilsen is not like her hometown in Oaxaca. She witnesses gun violence—a shooting between two youth groups—as she walks to school. Her white teachers marginalize her for not speaking English and she also overhears them calling her an “illegal.” ”
Review from Latin@s in KidLit
The Secret Side of Empty by Cindy Rodriguez
Told in M.T.’s darkly funny voice and full of nuanced characters, The Secret Side of Empty is a poignant but unsentimental look at what it’s like to live as an “illegal” immigrant, how we’re shaped by the secrets we keep, and how the human spirit ultimately always triumphs.
Review from Latin@s in KidLit
La Línea by Ann Jaramillo
From Vamos a Leer:
Miguel’s life is just beginning. Or so he thinks. Fifteen-year-old Miguel leaves his rancho deep in Mexico to migrate to California across la linea, the border, in a debut novel of life-changing, cliff-hanging moments.
But Miguel’s carefully laid plans change suddenly when his younger sister Elena stows away and follows him. Together, Miguel and Elena endure hardships and danger on their journey of desperation and desire, loyalty and betrayal. An epilogue, set ten years after the events of the story, shows that you can’t always count on dreams–even the ones that come true. [young adult, ages 10 and up]
Another review from Vamos a Leer.
Enrique’s Journey: The True Story of A Boy Determined to Reunite with His Mother by Sonia Nazario
Enrique’s Journey recounts the unforgettable quest of a Honduran boy looking for his mother, eleven years after she is forced to leave her starving family to find work in the United States. Braving unimaginable peril, often clinging to the sides and tops of freight trains, Enrique travels through hostile worlds full of thugs, bandits, and corrupt cops. But he pushes forward, relying on his wit, courage, hope, and the kindness of strangers. [young adult, ages 14 and up]
From Latin@’s in KidLit:
The best creative non-fiction takes you straight down into the messy, contradictory, gut-wrenching heart of a subject, and awakens your appreciation for its complexity. By every measure, Enrique’s Journey is such a book. It’s the riveting epic of a Honduran teenager driven to escape intolerable conditions and fueled by the hope of crossing the border into the United States. The original version was published in 2007 as adult nonfiction. This edition, adapted for readers as young as the seventh grade, was released in 2013. It also updates the story.
Dream Things True by Marie Marqardt
Alma meets Evan when her father is mowing the yard at Evan’s palatial house, and Evan saves her (if not her coffee) when the truck in which she is sitting starts to roll down a hill. Alma had been at a high school in a larger town, but had to return home for family reasons. Her brother, Raul, played soccer with Evan, and when Alma goes to the local high school, Evan pursues her. There are problems, however– Alma’s family are undocumented, and Evan’s uncle is a state senator who is campaigning on the platform of removing “illegal aliens” from the area. Many of Alma’s relatives are discovered working at a chicken processing plant and deported. Her own mother died attempting to get the children to the U.S. With the help of guidance counselor Mrs. King, Alma is trying to make sure she gets a good education, but her undocumented status is a big problem, especially when Raul and her father are arrested on traffic violations and must return to Mexico. Can Evan and Alma maintain their relationship, given the odds they face? [young adult, ages 14 and up]
Somos Como Las Nubes / We Are Like the Cloud by Jorge Argueta
Review from Latinos in KidLit:
An eloquent and moving account of the tragic migrations of thousands upon thousands of children who are leaving their homes in Central America, often alone, to seek refuge in the United States. Why are they going and how does it feel to be one of them? What is this terrible trip like? What do their hopes and dreams for safety, a new life and a loving reception mean to them? [bilingual Spanish poetry picture book, ages 7 and up]
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Note: All summaries come from the authors’ or publishers’ websites.
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Multicultural Children’s Book Day: Celebrating Diversity in Children’s Literature
2010 Africana Awards for Best Children’s Literature
A Call for Diverse Children’s Literature #WeNeedDiverseBooks
Outstanding Children’s Literature like the Newbery!
FREE eBooks: Classic Children’s Literature
Top 10: Best Latino American Children’s Books (ages 2-16)
Top 10: Best Children’s Books about Best Friend Issues (ages 2-16)
China for Kids with Children’s Books, Culture and Design
I would add Journey of Dreams by Marge Pellegrino for ages eleven and up. Available on Amazon. See my review link above.
Barbara Mojica recently posted…MIND GAMES
Thanks Barbara,
I just updated the list with your book and link to your blog. What a powerful but sad story!
Natalie Dias Lorenzi
Thank you, Barbara! Journey of Dreams sounds like a haunting story–one that I’ll be sure to check out.
Natalie Dias Lorenzi recently posted…Comment on News & Reviews by Ten Young Adult Books that Reflect the US Immigration Experience by Natalie Dias Lorenzi « Nerdy Book Club
My thanks too Barbara! I really appreciate your great review! Sounds like a sad story that is also realistic and hopefully will make people who read it more empathetic to the plight of undocumented workers.
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Summer Reading Fun and Giveaway from GenZ!
Judie Haynes
I taught ESL for 28 years at the elementary school level and am an advocate for undocumented immigrant students. Thank you for this wonderful blog on books for them. It is a terrific resource for teachers. I am putting your link on Twitter with the hashtag #ELLCHAT. This is a group for teachers of English learners.
Thanks so much Judie and my thanks also to Natalie whose is also an advocate for undocumented immigrant students. We are both hoping that librarians everywhere will order a few of these books for their school and pubic libraries.
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Undocumented Immigrants in Children’s Literature
Natalie Dias Lorenzi
Thank you for spreading the word, Judie! I also taught ESL for 10 years, and I agree that lists like these are important to share. Many thanks to Mia for partnering with me and to those who have added to our list!
Natalie Dias Lorenzi recently posted…Comment on News & Reviews by Ten Young Adult Books that Reflect the US Immigration Experience by Natalie Dias Lorenzi « Nerdy Book Club
Thank you Natalie for drawing attention to this topic and for helping to get books like these into the libraries and hands of kids who will appreciate stories about people they can relate to! I am such an advocate for multicultural books for kids that it was my great pleasure to have this wonderful list!
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Summer Reading Fun and Giveaway from GenZ!
Thank you for sharing this post on such an important theme! These books sound excellent.
maryanne recently posted…Crayola Giveaway!
Natalie Dias Lorenzi
Thank you for stopping by, Maryanne!
Natalie Dias Lorenzi recently posted…Comment on News & Reviews by Ten Young Adult Books that Reflect the US Immigration Experience by Natalie Dias Lorenzi « Nerdy Book Club
Hi Natalie,
MaryAnne is moving to Northern California where there are lots of agriculture and migrant workers. Hopefully some of these books will be at her school and public library where ever she happens to land.
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Summer Reading Fun and Giveaway from GenZ!
Natalie Dias Lorenzi
Good luck with your move, Maryanne!
Natalie Dias Lorenzi recently posted…Comment on News & Reviews by AletheaKontis.com » Blog Archive » MoAA Interview #29: Natalie Dias Lorenzi
Thanks so much MaryAnne! I think since you are moving to Northern California, you may have interaction with migrant farm workers; central California has a lot of agriculture. And hopefully these books will find their way into hands of kids who want these stories, even if they are not undocumented immigrant children. Who knows, some kid who reads one of these stories may advocate for them on day?! I do think books are powerful!
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Summer Reading Fun and Giveaway from GenZ!
Thank you so much MaryAnne for your comment! I hope these books help kids understand what undocumented immigrants go through, especially if they happen to know kids like that from school.
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Multicultural Starting School Books for Kids
Giora
Thanks. I’m going to search for the book “Illegal” by Bettina Restrepo cause my current book is set in Mexico … and also “Flying the Dragon” by Natalie Dias Lorenzi.
Hi Giora,
Loved Flying the Dragon myself! There are basically NO Japanese American contemporary chapter books. Most are set around WWII internment. While I will agree that it is an important subject (my mother was forced to relocate from San Francisco’s Japan Town), it seems like a million years ago to kids today. I was so grateful to Natalie for telling a story that my kids (1/4 Japanese American — 4th generation) can relate to! And fighting kites is something kids in the U.S. are not familiar with but it’s so exciting!!
Glad you found a book for your research as well!
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Summer Reading Fun and Giveaway from GenZ!
Natalie Dias Lorenzi
Thank you, Giora and Mia!
Giora, I hope you enjoy Flying the Dragon, and I know you’ll enjoy Illegal. Reading stories like the ones on this list always make me realize how fortunate I am to have been born in a country where I’m able to make a living and raise a family. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Natalie Dias Lorenzi recently posted…Comment on News & Reviews by AletheaKontis.com » Blog Archive » MoAA Interview #29: Natalie Dias Lorenzi
Hi Natalie,
Oh, I so agree with you about our good fortune to be living in the United States. How lucky we are!! Giora, please let me know what you think of Natalie’s book. I’m so happy that it’s a multicultural chapter book about Kite Fighting and multigenerations passing their knowledge from one generation to another. It’s a quietly powerful book!
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Multicultural Starting School Books for Kids
I’ve read some of these but not all. It’s a really wonderful list about such a difficult topic in this country nowadays. Hopefully books like this will garner sympathy/empathy in readrs instead of disgust and resentment.
Alex Baugh recently posted…Brick by Brick by Charles R. Smith, Jr. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Thank you Alex!! YES! That is probably the most important point of this list. I hope that kids (and adults) will read some of these stories and put themselves in the shoes of undocumented workers. By the grace of god, if this is not our personal plight, I hope these books will make us all more empathetic and less resentful.
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Summer Reading Fun and Giveaway from GenZ!
Natalie Dias Lorenzi
So true. These books put a face on the issue of immigration, don’t they? It’s rarely a child’s decision to up and move across the border to carve out a new life, but kids experience anti-immigrant backlash that we see on the news, and it’s hurtful. Even for those who don’t know undocumented immigrants personally, books have a way of introducing us to them in ways that can definitely make us more empathetic to their plight.
Natalie Dias Lorenzi recently posted…Comment on News & Reviews by AletheaKontis.com » Blog Archive » MoAA Interview #29: Natalie Dias Lorenzi
Thanks so much for this list. It gives me many books new books to read and add to my blog!
Liz Parrott recently posted…Heart on Fire: Susan B. Anthony Votes for President
You are so welcome Liz! It makes me so happy that you like the list!!
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Summer Reading Fun and Giveaway from GenZ!
Natalie Dias Lorenzi
Thanks for stopping by, Liz, and I’m glad you found the list useful. 🙂
Natalie Dias Lorenzi recently posted…Comment on News & Reviews by AletheaKontis.com » Blog Archive » MoAA Interview #29: Natalie Dias Lorenzi
Melissa C
One of my favorites is “Return to Sender” (Devolver al remitente) by Julia Alvarez. Beautifully written book through the eyes of a young child.
Thanks so much Melissa C. Adding it to the list right now!!
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Natalie Dias Lorenzi
Yes, thank you for this recommendation, Melissa–will definitely check it out!
Natalie Dias Lorenzi recently posted…Comment on News & Reviews by AletheaKontis.com » Blog Archive » MoAA Interview #29: Natalie Dias Lorenzi
Thanks so much Melissa. I just added it to the list!
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Angela Cervantes
Thank you for this timely and important post. This is a subject very close to my heart and that is why I also tackled it in my debut middle grade novel, Gaby, Lost and Found (Scholastic 2013). It’s a beautiful experience to see a child light up when they see their own stories and realities in a book. 🙂
Thanks so much for the heads up on your debut novel Angela. I will add it to the list. I completely agree with you about finding books that match the real life experiences of kids. If that doesn’t exist, I think it makes the child feel like he or she is validated. It means a lot to find “books like you” to kids so that they don’t feel marginalized.
I never saw Asian American children’s books growing up and that is probably the most exciting change I’ve noticed in children’s books these days. But I didn’t realize it was at the expense of other people of color. Their stories are also important and their numbers are growing in the United States. I think the books published should keep up with the changing demographics of the world around us. It will too, if we buy these books! That’s the tail that wags the dog!!!
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Natalie Dias Lorenzi
Angela, I’ll look forward to reading your book, and congratulations on its publication! I agree with Mia about children feeling validated when they read books with characters who experience the same struggles as they do. Keep writing! 🙂
Natalie Dias Lorenzi recently posted…Comment on News & Reviews by AletheaKontis.com » Blog Archive » MoAA Interview #29: Natalie Dias Lorenzi
I also just added it to the list. Thanks Angela again!
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Multicultural Starting School Books for Kids
I highly recommend reading Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos. It is about two sisters in America who are undocumented, but must act as if life is normal when their father is detained near the border and mother stays with him to work to free their father. The strain on the family and how it spills into the community is palpable and heartbreaking.
Thank you so much Heather for your wonderful book recommendation. I am adding it right now! It was so hard to search for books on undocumented workers. Natalie used a librarian database and that is all she found. I had come across a few books and I searched for a while using Google. It’s truly a gift that my readers are giving us these wonderful book recommendations. I hope it helps bring these books to kids who can relate to these stories!!
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Natalie Dias Lorenzi
Thanks so much for this recommendation, Heather! It sounds like the girls in this story have to take on adult responsibilities, which I find to be true with my own students. It’s heartbreaking, and always amazing that they endure what life brings. Thanks again for sharing and for stopping by.
Natalie Dias Lorenzi recently posted…Comment on News & Reviews by AletheaKontis.com » Blog Archive » MoAA Interview #29: Natalie Dias Lorenzi
I added Heather’s book to the list as well! Thank you for the great recommendation!
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This is such a fantastic list and very much needed. A huge and big thank you for including my comments and links to the post. I’m honored and it’s greatly appreciated.
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My deep thanks to you Valarie for your three wonderful picks. Valarie has a children’s book publishing company herself and is an author of children’s book and knows her stuff. It was a honor as well to create this list spearheaded by Natalie Dias Lorenzi and we all hope that it somehow, in a small way, makes life easier for these courageous children of undocumented workers. But, of course, first these books have to be purchased by teachers and librarians to find their way into their hands.
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Natalie Dias Lorenzi
Valerie, thank you so much for weighing in with your recommendations and lending your expertise to this important topic!
Natalie Dias Lorenzi recently posted…Comment on News & Reviews by AletheaKontis.com » Blog Archive » MoAA Interview #29: Natalie Dias Lorenzi
Hi Natalie and Valarie,
It was so wonderful to get your great recommemdations Valarie. It has not been easy to idenify these books so we are grateful to everyone for your wonderful book selections!
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Great theme for a book list. These books would be great for any kids to read too as examples of courage, etc.
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Hi Ann,
What a great point you make that the undocumente immigrant books are profiles in courage with stories as harrowing as any Holocaust or escaping slave story.
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Natalie Dias Lorenzi
You’re right, Ann, and we teach theme fairly early on in elementary school. As a teacher, I love picture books that I can share with a wide range of ages. With Duncan Tonatiuh’s Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant’s Tale, for example, young children can talk about what it’s like to miss someone you love, while upper elementary students can handle a discussion on the social, emotional, and physical effects of illegal immigration. It’s nice to be able to use the same book for more than one theme.
Thanks for stopping by and adding to the discussion!
Natalie Dias Lorenzi recently posted…Comment on News & Reviews by AletheaKontis.com » Blog Archive » MoAA Interview #29: Natalie Dias Lorenzi
Hi Ann and Natalie,
I love the allergory of Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote. I came across one more picture book suitable for preschoolers from a New York Times review.
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That is such a good list Mia. I think school libraries should carry some if not most of these. I agree with some comments here that the subject is so hard and difficult, I wonder how teachers would use this to open up discussions.
Thanks for sharing it on Kit Lit Blog Hop!
-Reshama @StackingBooks.com
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Thanks so much Reshama,
Natalie Dias Lorenzi did most of the heavy lifting and then we got so many great suggestions from readers who were able to recall these books from their brains. There’s no good way to search them so I’m glad to have the books all in one place. I sincerely hope that these books find their way to libraries and then into the hands of kids who can relate to them. I really loved working on this list, it feels so meaningful.
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Wow! I had chills just reading through the summaries! What a great list! Thanks for sharing it. I found you at the Kid Lit blog hop. I also host a weekly link-up on Thursdays for all things book related at my site, mommynificent.com. I would love for you to join us anytime!
Have a magnificent week!
Tina
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Hi Tina,
So nice to meet you! I would love to come by for your book linky on Thursdays! Thanks so much for the heads up. I know what you mean about getting the chills. The butterflies are at the center of so many human stories. I especially was surprised but delighted to find the monarch butterfly migration story told from so many different points of view.
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Wow! What an important list for librarians, teachers, parents, and community members. I WILL be picking up the Pat Mora book.
I saw an infographic not long ago about the race and ethnicity disparity in children’s books and am determined to place diversity on my son’s bookshelf. This list will go a long way toward helping me with that.
Thank you so much for linking this post into the Kid Lit Blog Hop!
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Thanks so much Jaymie! You are exactly what we were hoping for! Thank you, thank you, thank you for supporting diversity authors and books! It will make a world of difference (we hope) in getting more published!
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…A Multicultural Round Up of Butterfly Books for Kids
Fantastic post, Natalie and Mia! I was JUST speaking with another children’s writer who was asking for a list just like this, and we were discussing that we hadn’t seen one yet. It’s so needed and relevant in today’s society – thank you for putting this together!!
Hi Laura,
I give all the credit for this list to Natalie Lorenzi who is a children’s librarian AND an author! She also had difficulty researching books on this topic so we put our heads together to creat it. The weird thing is that this topic isn’t indexed, even on librarian databaes! So we just had to think of books that we remembered with characters that were undocumented workers. And then, of course, I noticed more from fellow KidLit bloggers. So if I ever find new ones, I immediately add to this list.
Glad you are finding our list helpful! That is so gratifying!!!
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