From its earliest days, the American experience has encompassed immigrants. But in our current atmosphere of political polarization, is it any wonder that many immigrant children feel excluded and isolated? In fact, research shows first- and second- generation immigrant children and teens can be at risk of experiencing identity crisis, self-depreciation, and low self-esteem due to intergenerational and intercultural conflicts. These young readers need books that show them that their experiences are not unique--and these books also carry the important potential of promoting general understanding of and tolerance toward immigrant groups. The first of its kind, this guide spotlights dozens of award-winning titles that primarily feature a first- or second-generation immigrant child or teen as a narrator or main character. A valuable tool for teaching, collection development, and readers' advisory, in this book ALA Carnegie-Whitney Grant-recipient Khailova
identifies both fiction and non-fiction titles published in the United States and Canada between 1990 and 2015 that focus on the twentieth or twenty-first century immigrant experience; organizes selections by their world region of birth, including Asia, Latin America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, with further subdivisions by countries of origin; provides historical background on the immigration patterns of each group, with a list of additional resources on the topic; and offers discussion starters and questions to promote self-reflection, sense of connectedness, and empathy.
Helping librarians and educators navigate the vast terrain of multicultural literature, this book will serve as a powerful resource for increasing understanding and fostering connections with immigrant populations.
