Celebrating the Immigrant Experience with Books for Children and Teens
Happy Immigrant Heritage Week 2020! Continuing with our virtual IHW 2020 celebration, today we have a list of books in English for children and teens. If you want to learn a bit about Immigrant Heritage Week, and see some book recommendations in English for adults, please see our post Immigrant Heritage Week 2020 Virtual Celebration.
These titles below, recommended by our wonderful staff, tell us of stories of immigration through the eyes, emotions, and experiences of children and teens who have had to move away from their home, or are living in the United States because their family needed to leave their home country. We hope these stories allow you to travel with them on their journeys, learn, and offer encouragement and inspiration. These titles are just a selection and are listed in alphabetical order—recommend your favorite immigrant experience books for children and teens in the comments section below.
All of these books are available in digital formats so you can read them wherever you are! All you need is your library card (and if you live in New York State you can apply through the SimplyE app to get a card).
We thank the following staff for their recommendations: Alessandra A, Annie L, Andrea L, Adriana B-H, Alexandra G, Libbhy R, Sydney R.
American Street by Ibi Anau Zoboi (2017)
Separated from her detained mother after moving from Haiti to America, Fabiola struggles to navigate the home of her loud cousins and a new school on Detroit's gritty west side, where a surprising romance and a dangerous proposition challenge her ideas about freedom.
An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio by Judith Ortiz Cofer (2009, 1995)
Twelve stories about young people caught between their Puerto Rican heritage and their American surroundings.
Behind the Mountains by Edwidge Danticat (2002)
When Celiane’s teacher gives her a blank notebook, Celiane uses it to record the thoughts she can’t share with anyone else. She writes about her life in the Haitian village of Beau Jour, about how her simple life becomes complicated after Haiti gets too dangerous, and about how moving to Brooklyn is a shocking transition for the whole family.
The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayorby Sonia Sotomayor (2018)
In this adaptation for middle graders based on her bestselling adult memoir, My Beloved World, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Sonia Sotomayor's extraordinary life inspires. Her achievement serves as a true testament to the fact that no matter the obstacles, dreams can come true.
The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui
This beautifully illustrated and emotional story is an evocative memoir about the search for a better future and a longing for the past. Exploring the anguish of immigration and the lasting effects that displacement has on a child and her family, Bui documents the story of her family’s daring escape after the fall of South Vietnam in the 1970s, and the difficulties they faced building new lives for themselves.
Bodega Dreams by Ernesto Quiñonez (YA) 2000
Chino, a promising young latino, finds himself drawn into the dangerous world of Willy Bodega, ruler of Spanish Harlem, and torn between his loyalties to his pregnant Pentecostal wife and the promises of the barrio ringleader.
Caravan to the North by Jorge Argueta (2019)
This novel in verse is a powerful first-person account of Misael Martínez, a Salvadoran boy whose family joins the caravan heading north to the United States.
Dreamers by Yuyi Morales (2018)
An illustrated picture book autobiography in which award-winning author Yuyi Morales tells her own immigration story.
Enchanted Air: A Cold War Memoirby Margarita Engle
In this poetic memoir Engle, the first Latina woman to receive a Newbery Honor, tells of growing up as a child of two cultures during the Cold War. Her heart was in Cuba, her mother's tropical island country, a place so lush with vibrant life that it seems like a fairy tale kingdom. But most of the time she lived in Los Angeles, lonely in the noisy city and dreaming of the summers when she can take a plane through the enchanted air to her beloved island.
Front Desk by Kelly Yang (2018)
10-year-old Mia Tang and her parents have just moved to California from China. Her parents have been hired to manage a rundown motel and Mia helps them by running the front desk. Despite struggling with fitting in at her new school and the cruel motel owner, Mr. Yao, harassing her parents, Mia finds new friends with the "Weeklies" as she and her parents do all they can to help others in difficult situations.
Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say (2008,1993)
A Japanese American man recounts his grandfather's journey to America, which he later also undertakes, and describes the feelings of being torn by a love for two different countries.
Islandborn by Junot Diaz (2002)
"Lola was just a baby when her family left the Island, so when she has to draw it for a school assignment, she asks her family, friends, and neighbors about their memories of her homeland ... and in the process, comes up with a new way of understanding her own heritage"—Provided by publisher.
The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Aliby Sabina Khan (2019)
Excited to be leaving for college, Rukhsana's plans are shattered when her parents catch her kissing her girlfriend and send her to Bangladesh.
Mamá the Alien by René Colato Laínez (2016)
A young girl misunderstands the word alien on her mother's Resident Alien Card and let's her imagination run wild, coming to the conclusion that her mother is from outer space.
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi (2001)
After Unhei moves from Korea to the United States, her new classmates help her decide what her name should be.
New Year by Rich Lo (2016)
“New Year is based on author/illustrator Rich Lo's childhood experiences immigrating to America, and it is ultimately a story about being proud of who you are and where you've come from.”
Pasta, Fried Rice, and Matzoh Balls by Loretta Frances Ichord (2006)
“Describes the culinary contributions of different immigrant groups in the United States and includes recipes for German potato salad, Swedish meatballs, Portuguese sweet bread, and Chinese fried rice.”
Same Sun Hereby Silas House and Neela Vaswani (2012)
In this extraordinary novel in letters, an Indian immigrant girl in New York City and a Kentucky coal miner's son find strength and perspective by sharing their true selves across the miles.
The Sky at Our Feet by Nadia Hashimi (2018)
“Discovering that his Afghan mother has been living illegally in the United States since his father was killed in Afghanistan, American-born Jason fears that she has been deported and runs away to New York City in the hope of connecting with a family member who might be able to help.”
The Storyteller's Candle by Lucia M Gonzalez (2012, 2008)
The winter of 1929 feels especially cold to cousins Hildamar and Santiago—they arrived in New York City from sunny Puerto Rico only months before. Their island home feels very far away indeed, especially with Three Kings' Day rapidly approaching. But then a magical thing happened. A visitor appears in their class, a gifted storyteller and librarian by the name of Pura Belpré. She opens the children's eyes to the public library and its potential to be the living, breathing heart of the community.
You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins (2017)
Sonia and Tara are growing up in a traditional Indian family. But when they move to New York City, it’s hard to balance the traditional things their parents want with their new American lifestyle. This story spans several generations, as the girls grow up, grow apart from their family, and then start families of their own.