Immigrants & Refugees

This compilation of study guides features the personal histories of immigrants and refugees from countries around the globe, including Haiti, Mexico, Syria, Rwanda, and others. Readers will learn more about the melding of cultures through these diverse stories: a perilous escape from Communist-ruled Vietnam; one woman’s journey through seven African countries to America; and memoirs about crossing the US-Mexico border. Common themes in this collection focus on identity, the dehumanization of refugees, and the struggle to find belonging in a new home.

Publication year 2010Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: CommunityTags Politics / Government, Business / Economics, Education, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Food, History: World, Immigration / Refugee, Leadership/Organization/Management, Military / War, Poverty, Social Justice, Sociology, Technology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Publication year 2018Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Society: Immigration, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of AgeTags Immigration / Refugee, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Parenting, Arts / Culture, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), History: U.S., Biography

A Dream Called Home is a memoir published in 2018 by the award-winning Mexican American author Reyna Grande. The book is the sequel to her bestselling 2012 memoir, The Distance Between Us, which addresses Reyna’s experiences crossing the US-Mexico border as a child. The title alludes to the American dream while also gesturing to varied concepts of home. This summary refers to the 2018 English-language edition published by Atria Books.Plot SummaryReyna divides her memoir into... Read A Dream Called Home Summary


Publication year 2015Genre Poem, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: ColonialismTags Immigration / Refugee

Publication year 2020Genre Biography, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Society: Immigration, Society: CommunityTags Immigration / Refugee, History: U.S., Politics / Government, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Sociology, History: World, Biography

Publication year 2017Genre Biography, NonfictionTags Immigration / Refugee, History: Middle Eastern, Military / War, History: World, Biography, Social Justice, Action / Adventure

A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea is a 2017 book by Melissa Fleming, telling the true story of a young girl named Doaa who fled the Syrian civil war. Made a refugee by the conflict, she travels to Egypt and then attempts to cross the Mediterranean to Europe. The book has won numerous awards.Plot SummaryThe story opens with Doaa Al Zamel floating in the sea amid the wreckage of a ship. Her husband is... Read A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea Summary


Publication year 2020Genre Graphic Memoir , NonfictionThemes Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Society: CommunityTags Immigration / Refugee, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction, Biography

Publication year 1998Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Daughters & SonsTags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Gender / Feminism, Immigration / Refugee, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Biography

Esmeralda’s family relocates from Puerto Rico to Brooklyn in 1961, when Esmeralda is 13 years old. On the cusp of womanhood, Esmeralda receives warnings from her family members, and especially her mother, Mami, to watch out for the many algos or dangers lurking in the city. Struggling to adjust to city life in Brooklyn, Esmeralda misses Puerto Rico, and she dreams of the day when she will return. Initially put into remedial classes because she... Read Almost a Woman Summary


Publication year 2019Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: FateTags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Class, Immigration / Refugee, Latin American Literature, Military / War, History: World, Romance

Publication year 1993Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionTags History: U.S., Sociology, Immigration / Refugee, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Biography

Always Running is the autobiography of Luis J. Rodriguez, a Mexican-American former gang member who grew up in dangerous East Los Angeles in the 1960s and 70s. Luis’ family moved to Los Angeles from Mexico after Luis’ father was accused of theft, and Luis spends his early years in Watts, a particularly crime-ridden LA neighborhood. Luis’ father struggles to find work, and the family struggles to find adequate shelter and food. After they are evicted... Read Always Running Summary


Publication year 1998Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: ImmigrationTags Immigration / Refugee

Publication year 1922Genre Essay / Speech, NonfictionTags Immigration / Refugee

Anzia Yezierska introduces her immigration story by outlining why she came to America—to find hope, romance, and freedom to express herself. When she arrives, she says her body is strong and her “heart and soul pregnant with the unlived lives of generations clamoring for expression” (Paragraph 4). This is not to be, at least immediately. She needs money but cannot find work in factories, so her only options are to work in a kitchen or... Read America and I Summary


Publication year 2006Genre Graphic Novel/Book, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: ImmigrationTags Allegory / Fable / Parable, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Bullying, Race / Racism, History: Asian, Immigration / Refugee, Chinese Literature, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Fantasy

American Born Chinese is a graphic novel published in 2006 by the American author and illustrator Gene Luen Yang, who also wrote the graphic novel Boxers (2013) and the graphic memoir Dragon Hopes (2020). Through three interweaving stories that span from the 16th century to the present, American Born Chinese explores issues of Chinese American identity, anti-Asian racism, and assimilation. American Born Chinese is the first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book... Read American Born Chinese Summary


Publication year 2018Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Life/Time: Coming of AgeTags Humor, Immigration / Refugee, Diversity, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction, Biography

Publication year 2018Genre Essay Collection, NonfictionThemes Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Society: CommunityTags Immigration / Refugee, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Biography

American Like Me: Reflections on Life Between Cultures (2018) is an essay collection edited by actress and activist America Ferrera with E. Cayce Dumont. The collection contains essays from notable individuals in movie and TV entertainment, food, publishing, public service, comedy, music, and self-help content creation. These first-person accounts all address the often troublesome question of what it means to be American, especially when growing up between different cultures. American Like Me is a New... Read American Like Me Summary


Publication year 1927Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Immigration, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: ClassTags Classic Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Action / Adventure, Satire, Class

Publication year 2006Genre Book, NonfictionTags Immigration / Refugee, History: African , Military / War, History: World, Biography

An Ordinary Man is 2006 the autobiography of Paul Rusesabagina, the manager of a Belgian-owned Rwandan hotel. Rusesabagina’s story, written with the aid of journalist Tom Zoellner, centers on the struggles Rusesabagina and his family overcame to survive the inhumane, racially motivated genocide that occurred in Rwanda in 1994—a story later turned into the 2004 film Hotel Rwanda. The narrative uses a conversation tone, unembellished language, and an unostentatious style. After describing Paul's past and... Read An Ordinary Man Summary


Publication year 1982Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Identity: Gender, Relationships: MothersTags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Immigration / Refugee, British Literature, Japanese Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, History: World

A Pale View of Hills (1982) is Kazuo Ishiguro’s first novel. Born in Nagasaki in 1954, Ishiguro immigrated with his family to the United Kingdom when he was five years old. Despite his family’s Japanese origins, the author frequently states in interviews that his experience with Japanese culture is very limited, as he spent all his adult life in England. Simultaneously, however, growing up in a Japanese family developed in Ishiguro a different perspective compared... Read A Pale View of Hills Summary


Publication year 1999Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Indian Literature, Immigration / Refugee

“A Real Durwan” is the fourth story in Jhumpa Lahiri’s debut short-story collection, Interpreter of Maladies (1999), which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the PEN/Hemingway Award. The story recounts the daily lives of the stair-sweeper, Boori Ma, and the families who share a building of flats in Calcutta (now known as Kolkata) after the Partition of India in 1947. An English-born American author raised by Bengali parents, Lahiri is known for her characters’... Read A Real Durwan Summary


Publication year 1971Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Immigration, Society: ClassTags Immigration / Refugee, Race / Racism, Education, Education, History: World, Biography

Barrio Boy is a memoir by Ernesto Galarza that narrates the author’s journey from a small village in Mexico to a barrio in the United States. Considered a founding text in ethnic studies, the book was originally published in 1971 and was reissued as a 40th anniversary edition in 2011. Barrio Boy follows the author from his birth in the small town of Jalcocotán in 1905 up until high school. Galarza, who went on to... Read Barrio Boy Summary


Publication year 2021Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Immigration, Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Identity: Race, Natural World: Food, Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Chinese Literature, Immigration / Refugee, Poverty, American Literature, Education, Biography

Publication year 1997Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionTags History: European, History: U.S., Immigration / Refugee, Education, Education, Military / War, History: World, Biography

Peter Balakian’s Black Dog of Fate: A Memoir (1997) tells the story of the author’s path to embracing his Armenian identity and understanding the legacies of a dark history. Born into the comfortable and consumerist suburbs of mid-century American suburbia, Balakian experienced the vestibules of his family’s Armenian culture mostly through the influence of his maternal grandmother. As he grew up, he caught other glimpses of the family’s heritage; in particular, home rituals in their... Read Black Dog of Fate Summary


Publication year 1925Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Historical Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Jewish Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Bread Givers is a 1925 novel by Anzia Yezierska. As a Jewish-American who emigrated to America from Poland, Yezierska uses her life experience growing up in New York as a basis for the novel. The novel follows Sara Smolinsky, a Jewish-American girl, as she grows up in New York in the 1920s with her sisters. Sara pushes the bounds of her father Reb Smolinsky’s patriarchal belief system as she pursues an education and career. The... Read Bread Givers Summary


Publication year 2007Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Society: Immigration, Relationships: FamilyTags Immigration / Refugee, Afro-Caribbean Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Biography

Brother I’m Dying is a family memoir by Haitian-American writer Edwidge Danticat, originally published in the United States in 2007. Alternating between the author’s past in Haiti and present in the US, this memoir combines personal histories with sociopolitical contextualization to pay homage to Danticat’s father and uncle as well as give voice to Haitian people in their struggle for a peaceful life. The book won the National Book Critics Circle Award, was a finalist... Read Brother, I'm Dying Summary


Publication year 2006Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Society: ImmigrationTags LGBTQ, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Immigration / Refugee, Biography

Publication year 2019Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: FamilyTags Historical Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Vietnam War, Asian Literature, Military / War, Realistic Fiction, Asian Literature, History: World

Publication year 2013Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: LonelinessTags Immigration / Refugee

Publication year 2018Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionTags Immigration / Refugee, Race / Racism, LGBTQ, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Biography

Dear America—Notes of an Undocumented Citizen is a collection of essays written by Jose Antonio Vargas, published in 2018. The book relates the author’s struggle of coming to the United States from the Philippines in an illegal manner and growing up in America without the full documentation that would have made him a legal immigrant.As a 12-year-old boy in the Philippines, the author is surprised by his mother one morning. She rushes him to the... Read Dear America Summary


Publication year 2020Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Realistic Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Children's Literature, Social Justice, Modern Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture

Publication year 1984Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Immigration, Identity: LanguageTags Immigration / Refugee

Publication year 1979Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Immigration, Identity: RaceTags Immigration / Refugee, Colonialism / Postcolonialism

Publication year 2005Genre Biography, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: ImmigrationTags Politics / Government, Social Justice, History: U.S., Immigration / Refugee, Education, Education, History: World, Biography

Enrique’s Journey: The Story of a Boy’s Dangerous Odyssey to Reunite with His Mother is a best-selling nonfiction book by Sonia Nazario, an American journalist best known for her work on social justice. Originally published in 2006, the book is based on Nazario’s Pulitzer Prize-winning “Enrique’s Journey” series, which was written in six parts and published in The Los Angeles Times.The book, which has been published in eight languages and adapted for young adults in... Read Enrique's Journey Summary


Publication year 2012Genre Biography, NonfictionTags Asian Literature, Immigration / Refugee, History: Asian, Korean Literature, History: World, Action / Adventure, Politics / Government, Biography

Escape from Camp 14 is the story of Shin Dong-hyuk, who is the only known person to have been born in and escape from a North Korean labor camp. The book’s author, Blaine Harden, interviewed Shin many times and has also spoken with former camp guards and North Korean traders. His book details Shin’s life both inside and outside the camp, as well as the political landscape in North Korea.As Shin was born in the... Read Escape from Camp 14 Summary


Publication year 2007Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Order & ChaosTags Immigration / Refugee, African Literature, Black Lives Matter, Business / Economics, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Travel Literature

Nigerian author Teju Cole’s Every Day Is for the Thief is a work of autofiction originally published in Nigeria in 2007 and published in the US in 2014. The novel unfolds in picaresque style from the first-person perspective, as a narrator who closely resembles the author returns to Nigeria after 15 years in the US to reckon with Nigerian national identity and his own legacy. Surprised to find that he feels less comfortable in his... Read Every Day Is for the Thief Summary


Publication year 2021Genre Short Story Collection, FictionThemes Society: Immigration, Identity: Language, Society: CommunityTags Immigration / Refugee, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction

Everything Inside (2019) is a short story collection by Haitian American author Edwidge Danticat. The eight stories in this collection, which focus primarily on the lives of Haitian people living across the Caribbean, are connected by their interest in loss and the search for identity. Like many of her characters, Danticat immigrated to the United States from Haiti at a young age; her love for Haiti and its history is evident throughout the collection, despite... Read Everything Inside Summary


Publication year 2020Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Immigration, Natural World: Place, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Education, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: GrandparentsTags Auto/Biographical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, History: Middle Eastern, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 2011Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Natural World: PlaceTags History: U.S., Immigration / Refugee, Social Justice

Flesh and Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy (2011) is a historical nonfiction book intended for an audience of young readers. It was written by Albert Marrin, a former history professor and author of dozens of historical nonfiction books.Marrin, whose academic focus was on liberty under the law, wrote often about times of suffering and movements for liberation, including The War for Independence: The Story of the American Revolution (1988), Years of... Read Flesh and Blood So Cheap Summary


Publication year 2003Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Society: Immigration, Relationships: Fathers, Life/Time: Coming of AgeTags Humor, Creative Nonfiction, Immigration / Refugee, Education, Education, Biography

Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing up in America is a 2003 book by Firoozeh Dumas in which she describes her experiences as an Iranian immigrant to the US. The narrative follows a non-linear time structure, and Dumas often moves between different eras of her life, including the time of writing, when she is an adult. Much of her work centers on what life was like for her as a child who came to... Read Funny In Farsi Summary


Publication year 1990Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Coming of AgeTags Action / Adventure, Historical Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Race / Racism, American Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction

Publication year 2007Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Relationships: FamilyTags Military / War, Immigration / Refugee, History: African , History: World, Biography

God Grew Tired of Us, published in 2007, is a Christian memoir that chronicles John Bul Dau’s 1,000-mile journey from his home village of Duk Payuel in Sudan to the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. This study guide refers to the 2008 first paperback printing edition.In the Introduction Dau states that although he is just one of thousands of Lost Boys, he wanted to tell his story in hope of using his education and experiences... Read God Grew Tired of Us Summary


Publication year 1987Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Identity: Gender, Society: Colonialism, Identity: FemininityTags Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Immigration / Refugee, Gender / Feminism, Indian Literature

“Good Advice Is Rarer Than Rubies,” a short story written by Salman Rushdie, was first published in The New Yorker in 1987 and then reprinted in East, West, a collection of Rushdie’s short stories published in 1994. This anthology divides the stories into three sections: “East, “West,” and “East/West.” “Good Advice Is Rarer Than Rubies” can be found in the “East” section. Most of this story takes place in a shantytown next to the British... Read Good Advice is Rarer than Rubies Summary


Publication year 2019Genre Graphic Memoir , NonfictionThemes Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: LonelinessTags Race / Racism, Politics / Government, September 11 Attacks, Relationships, LGBTQ, Grief / Death, Parenting, Social Justice, Immigration / Refugee, Biography

Publication year 2018Genre Novel, FictionThemes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Music, Relationships: FamilyTags Realistic Fiction, Diversity, Immigration / Refugee, Race / Racism, Bullying, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture

Jacqueline Woodson's 2018 middle grade novel, Harbor Me, tracks the bonds of friendship that develop across six fifth-graders when they are given a unique opportunity to get to know each other. Amari, Esteban, Tiago, Ashton, Holly, and Haley Shondell McGrath (the narrator) are students with special learning needs in a Brooklyn school. Each friend has fears and frustrations that they share with each other over the year, and by opening up, they discover a collective... Read Harbor me Summary


Publication year 2020Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Immigration, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: ConflictTags Historical Fiction, Politics / Government, Immigration / Refugee, Social Justice, September 11 Attacks, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Race / Racism, History: U.S., Class, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

Publication year 2005Genre Novel, FictionTags Immigration / Refugee, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits is a work of fiction written by Moroccan native Laila Lalami and published in 2005. The narrative is comprised of nine stories involving the lives of four major characters, all of whom attempt to emigrate illegally from Morocco to Spain in order to have better lives. Despite the fact that these stories are separate from one another, the book does not represent a short story collection in the classic sense;... Read Hope And Other Dangerous Pursuits Summary


Publication year 2020Genre Novel, FictionThemes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Identity: RaceTags Chinese Literature, Asian Literature, Historical Fiction, Western, Race / Racism, Immigration / Refugee, History: World, LGBTQ

Publication year 2020Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Society: Education, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Class, Society: ImmigrationTags Immigration / Refugee, Asian Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, History: Asian, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 1981Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionTags Immigration / Refugee, Race / Racism, Education, Education, Biography

Richard Rodriguez (b. July 31, 1944) is a prominent public intellectual, author, and essayist whose writing is especially concerned with education, minority identity, and language. He earned a B.A. from Stanford University and an M.A. from Columbia University, and studied at the doctoral level at the University of California, Berkeley. In his memoir, Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez (1982), Rodriguez explores how his education shaped him. Across a prologue and six chapters... Read Hunger of Memory Summary


Publication year 1986Genre Poem, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Lyric Poem, Immigration / Refugee, Mythology

Publication year 2009Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionTags Immigration / Refugee, Race / Racism, Asian Literature, History: World, Biography

I Love Yous are for White People is a memoir by Vietnamese-American Lac Su, published in 2009 by HarperCollins. This guide refers to the first US edition. The title paraphrases Pa, the author’s emotionally distant and abusive father, who rebuffs his son’s declaration of love at the age of 14. Su writes in simple prose and organizes the material chronologically, relying on the power of his experiences as a young immigrant in Los Angeles to... Read I Love Yous are For White People Summary


Publication year 1977Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Narrative / Epic Poem, Immigration / Refugee, Social Justice, American Literature

Publication year 2003Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags History: U.S., Immigration / Refugee, Race / Racism, Politics / Government

Publication year 2021Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Realistic Fiction, Mythology, Immigration / Refugee, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Relationships, American Literature, Latin American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction

Publication year 2015Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags Immigration / Refugee, Korean Literature, History: World, Biography, Politics / Government

Publication year 1986Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Society: ImmigrationTags Race / Racism, Immigration / Refugee

“In the American Society” is a short story by Chinese American writer Gish Jen. It was first published in 1986 in the literary quarterly The Southern Review and was reprinted in 1999 in her short fiction collection, Who’s Irish?Jen, like the story’s narrator, is a second-generation American of Chinese descent, and her story tells of the trials faced by two first-generation Americans as they try to assimilate into their new culture while maintaining old ways... Read In the American Society Summary


Publication year 2016Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Life/Time: The FutureTags Immigration / Refugee, Race / Racism, Biography, Social Justice, Politics / Government

In the Country We Love: My Family Divided (2016) is a memoir by American actress Diane Guerrero (with Michelle Burford). The narrative chronicles how the US government deported Guerrero’s undocumented parents to Colombia when she was 14 years old. The title emphasizes the author’s patriotism, which she projects onto her parents and the undocumented community more broadly with the use of the plural. Guerrero writes in simple prose and organizes the material chronologically, relying on... Read In the Country We Love Summary


Publication year 2017Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: SiblingsTags Historical Fiction, Western, Action / Adventure, Immigration / Refugee, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

Publication year 1987Genre Novel, FictionTags Immigration / Refugee, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Canadian Literature

In the Skin of a Lion is the sprawling, often dreamlike story of Patrick Lewis, a Canadian man who moves from his rural hometown to Toronto in the 1920s. The novel was written by Canadian-Sri Lankan author Michael Ondaatje and published in 1987. Its loosely chronological narrative offers a patchwork of vivid, mysterious, tenuously connected stories that piece together Patrick’s journey over two decades, from the late 1910s to the late 1930s.The story and its... Read In the Skin of a Lion Summary


Publication year 2017Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Immigration, Identity: Race, Identity: Language, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: HopeTags Lyric Poem, Diversity, Social Justice, History: U.S., Black Lives Matter, Immigration / Refugee, American Literature

Publication year 2009Genre Novel, FictionThemes Life/Time: Coming of AgeTags Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Immigration / Refugee, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Travel Literature

Into the Beautiful North is an adventure story that parallels the plot of the Hollywood movie, The Magnificent Seven. Set in the village of Tres Camarones in Sinaloa, Mexico, the novel’s protagonist, nineteen-year-old Nayeli, notices that there are no men left in the village – they have all gone north for more opportunities and a better life. Fearing that the village will be taken over by bandidos, and with no real law enforcement or men... Read Into the Beautiful North Summary


Publication year 2019Genre Graphic Memoir , NonfictionThemes Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Society: CommunityTags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Immigration / Refugee, Biography

Publication year 2014Genre Poem, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: LoveTags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Immigration / Refugee, Vietnam War

Publication year 2006Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Immigration / Refugee, Education, Education, Historical Fiction, Arts / Culture

Publication year 1995Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Immigration, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Immigration / Refugee

Publication year 2009Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Society: ImmigrationTags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Military / War, History: European, WWI / World War I, Children's Literature, Russian Literature, Jewish Literature, Education, Education, WWII / World War II, History: World

Karen Hesse’s young adult historical novel Letters from Rifka (1992) takes place between 1919 and 1920 and follows a young Jewish girl, Rifka, and her family as they escape persecution in Russia and begin a new life in America. The novel takes the form of letters Rifka writes, but cannot send, to her cousin in Russia, composed in the blank spaces of a volume of poetry by Russian poet Alexander Pushkin. The work thus combines... Read Letters from Rifka Summary


Publication year 2015Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Grandparents, Identity: Language, Self DiscoveryTags Realistic Fiction, Asian Literature, Grief / Death, Food, Immigration / Refugee, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Arts / Culture

Published in 2015, Listen, Slowly is the second novel from Thanhhà Lại, a Vietnamese American author who incorporates her experience as a refugee into her work. The novel was named a New York Times Book Review Notable Book, Publisher’s Weekly’s Best Book of the Year, and one of NPR’s Best Books of 2015. This middle-grade novel is the follow-up to her debut Inside Out and Back Again which won the National Book Award and Newbery... Read Listen, Slowly Summary


Publication year 2019Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Language, Society: Immigration, Relationships: FamilyTags Action / Adventure, Immigration / Refugee, Latin American Literature, History: U.S., Modern Classic Fiction, Travel Literature

Lost Children Archive is the first English-language novel by Mexican author Valeria Luiselli. Published in 2019, Lost Children Archive was awarded the 2020 Rathbones Folio Prize and was shortlisted for the 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction and the 2019 Booker Prize. The novel illustrates the intersections and overlaps between a troubled family’s cross-country journey and the treacherous journeys of “lost” children migrating from Mexico to the United States.Lost Children Archive is also an archive in... Read Lost Children Archive Summary


Publication year 2017Genre Novel, FictionThemes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Relationships: FamilyTags Historical Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Disability, Arts / Culture, American Literature, Children's Literature, Jewish Literature, Realistic Fiction, History: World

Lucky Broken Girl is a middle-grade historical novel by Ruth Behar. Main character Ruthie Mizrahi, an immigrant from Cuba, lives with her parents and brother in 1966 Queens. Together they try to quell their homesickness for Cuba while seeking new opportunities in America. When a car accident injures Ruthie, she becomes bedridden in a full body cast for over a year; during that time, challenges and fears she never anticipated give her a new perspective... Read Lucky Broken Girl Summary


Publication year 1981Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Society: ImmigrationTags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Arts / Culture, Immigration / Refugee, Poverty, Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Class

In 1981, Patricia Beatty originally published the young adult novel Lupita Mañana about the difficulties faced by two teenage Mexican siblings who immigrate to Southern California to locate their aunt and find dependable jobs. The book has remained popular and in print throughout the years that have followed. The version summarized here is the 2000 Harper Trophy reprint. Though a perennial bestseller that has been exhaustively reviewed, commented upon, and nominated for the Jane Adams... Read Lupita Manana Summary


Publication year 1988Genre Poem, FictionThemes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: ConflictTags Lyric Poem, Immigration / Refugee, Philosophy, American Literature

Publication year 2020Genre Novel, FictionThemes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: FathersTags Immigration / Refugee, Food, Asian Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman

Publication year 2018Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: ImmigrationTags Immigration / Refugee, Latin American Literature, Children's Literature, Mental Illness, Biography

Publication year 2004Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity, Society: Immigration, Self DiscoveryTags Immigration / Refugee

Publication year 1998Genre Poem, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Life/Time: The PastTags Lyric Poem, Immigration / Refugee, Middle Eastern Literature

Genre Short Story, FictionTags Immigration / Refugee, Education, Education, American Literature, Classic Fiction

In an office in rural Nebraska, Doctor Burleigh diagnoses Anton Rosicky with heart failure. Rosicky is a sixty-five-year-old Czech immigrant with a good-natured disposition, and he reacts calmly and even amusedly to the news. Although he reluctantly agrees to leave the heavy labor to his five sons, he stubbornly refuses to give up his coffee.The two men chat pleasantly for a while. Doctor Burleigh is troubled, because he is very fond of Rosicky. He begins... Read Neighbour Rosicky Summary


Publication year 2009Genre Book, NonfictionTags Asian Literature, Sociology, Korean Literature, Journalism, Immigration / Refugee, History: World, Travel Literature, Politics / Government, Biography

Barbara Demick’s 2010 nonfiction book, Nothing to Envy, is based on interviews with North Korean defectors from the city of Chongjin, six of whom are profiled in the book. It relays the history of modern Korea, from the end of Japanese occupation after WWII, to the division of Korea into two by the United States, to the economic rise and fall of the North Korean state in the late 20th century. There is a particular... Read Nothing to Envy Summary


Publication year 2001Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Appearance & RealityTags Immigration / Refugee, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Biography

Of Beetles and Angels: A Boy’s Remarkable Journey from a Refugee Camp to Harvard is the memoir of Selamawi “Mawi” Asgedom. Mawi recounts overcoming numerous disadvantages as an African refugee and ascending to the highest reaches of American society, ultimately graduating from Harvard University with top honors in 1999. Through Mawi’s story, the book explores the experiences of refugees in America. Born in September 1979, in Adi Wahla, Ethiopia, Mawi and his family flee Ethiopia due... Read Of Beetles and Angels Summary


Publication year 2021Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: FamilyTags Historical Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Gender / Feminism, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

Publication year 2013Genre Poem, FictionThemes Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: EqualityTags LGBTQ, Politics / Government, Immigration / Refugee

Publication year 1993Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Immigration, Identity: RaceTags Lyric Poem, Race / Racism, Immigration / Refugee

Publication year 2011Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Colonialism, Society: ImmigrationTags American Literature, Psychological Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Race / Racism, September 11 Attacks, Modern Classic Fiction

Teju Cole’s first full-length novel, Open City was published in 2011 to widespread acclaim, winning the PEN/Hemingway Award, The New York City Book Award, and the Rosenthal Foundation Award. Open City made many lists of the best books of the year, including at the New York Times Book Review, the Los Angeles Times, and NPR. Cole was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan to Nigerian parents and spent most of his childhood in Lagos, Nigeria before returning... Read Open City Summary


Publication year 2019Genre Novel/Book in Verse, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Race, Relationships: FamilyTags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Immigration / Refugee, Diversity, Race / Racism, American Literature, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture

Publication year 2013Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Teams, Society: ImmigrationTags Sports, Immigration / Refugee, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Arts / Culture

Publication year 2004Genre Graphic Memoir , NonfictionThemes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags History: Middle Eastern, Gender / Feminism, Immigration / Refugee

Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return is the sequel to Marjane Satrapi’s bestselling graphic memoir, Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood, which was published in four volumes between 2000 and 2003. The early memoir documents Marjane’s childhood in Iran during the transition to fundamentalist Islamic control and concludes in her departure at age 14 in 1984. Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return was released in 2004 and documents the author’s teenage years in... Read Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return Summary


Publication year 1986Genre Poem, FictionThemes Relationships: Fathers, Identity: Language, Society: Immigration, Natural World: Objects, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: FoodTags Lyric Poem, Ekphrastic, Free verse, Relationships, Immigration / Refugee, Arts / Culture, Confessional, Asian Literature

Publication year 1991Genre Poem, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: NostalgiaTags Immigration / Refugee

Publication year 2022Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Arts / Culture, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Food, Grief / Death, History: U.S., History: World, Immigration / Refugee, Incarceration, Military / War, Philosophy, Politics / Government, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Social Justice

Publication year 1991Genre Biography, NonfictionTags Immigration / Refugee, Latin American Literature, Arts / Culture, History: World, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Classic Fiction

Rain of Gold recounts author Victor Villaseñor’s family history through the early 20th century, when his parents immigrated to America to escape the violence of the Mexican Revolution. The book was inspired by stories from his grandmother and father, which Villaseñor came to view with skepticism as an adult. He devoted 12 years to researching his family’s history, which included conducting hundreds of hours of interviews with his parents, Lupe and Juan Salvador, and embarking... Read Rain of Gold Summary


Publication year 2001Genre Novel, FictionThemes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: War, Relationships: FamilyTags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Immigration / Refugee, Education, Education, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Publication year 2009Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Society: ImmigrationTags Children's Literature, Immigration / Refugee, Arts / Culture, Latin American Literature, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Publication year 2020Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Survival Fiction, Race / Racism, Immigration / Refugee, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure

Publication year 1982Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Race, Society: WarTags Historical Fiction, Holocaust, WWII / World War II, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Race / Racism, History: World, Immigration / Refugee, Incarceration, Military / War, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Sociology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Classic Fiction, Biography

Schindler’s List (originally titled Schindler’s Ark) is a 1982 historical novel by Australian author Thomas Keneally. It tells the story of Oskar Schindler, a member of the Nazi party who used his position as a German industrialist to save more than 1,200 people’s lives during the war. In protecting as many people as he could from the genocidal Nazi regime, Schindler risked being sent to a concentration camp himself. Keneally wrote the novel with the... Read Schindler's List Summary


Publication year 2018Genre Graphic Novel/Book, FictionThemes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: PlaceTags Historical Fiction, Narrative / Epic Poem, Immigration / Refugee

Publication year 2019Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: RaceTags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Modern Classic Fiction

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Publication year 2018Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Immigration, Natural World: Place, Identity: Language, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Self DiscoveryTags Satire, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Survival Fiction, Chinese Literature, Immigration / Refugee, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 2009Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Fate, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: CourageTags Asian Literature, History: World, Chinese Literature, Arts / Culture, Historical Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Asian Literature

Shanghai Girls (May 2009) is a New York Times bestselling historical novel by Lisa See. It is the first of a two-book series that concludes with Dreams of Joy (2011). The author’s paternal great-grandfather emigrated from China, and many of See’s books examine the Chinese immigrant experience in America. Other titles that cover similar subject matter are Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2005), Peony in Love (2007), China Dolls (2014), The Tea Girl of... Read Shanghai Girls Summary


Publication year 2001Genre Short Story Collection, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: ImmigrationTags Psychological Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Drama / Tragedy, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Immigration / Refugee, Food, Asian Literature

Madeleine Thien is a Canadian writer whose work explores the trans-cultural world of Asian art, politics, and family life within Canada’s diasporic Asian Communities. She was born in 1974 to a Malaysian Chinese father and a Hong Kong Chinese mother. Thien studied contemporary dance but switched to creative writing as an undergraduate in college. She earned her MFA in writing from the University of British Columbia.Thien’s collection of short stories, Simple Recipes (2001, Little Brown... Read Simple Recipes Summary


Publication year 2022Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Society: Immigration, Relationships: FamilyTags Immigration / Refugee, Race / Racism, Biography, Social Justice

Publication year 2020Genre Biography, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Society: Immigration, Society: War, Relationships: Family, Society: CommunityTags Immigration / Refugee, Social Justice, History: World

Publication year 2022Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Identity: RaceTags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Social Justice, Southern Literature, Immigration / Refugee, History: World, Travel Literature, Politics / Government

Publication year 1989Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags History: U.S., History: Asian, Race / Racism, Immigration / Refugee, Education, Education, Asian Literature, Sociology, History: World, Chinese Literature

Strangers from a Different Shore: A History of Asian Americans is a 1989 book by American historian Ronald Takaki. Takaki analyzes the long and diverse history of Asians in America, explaining the personal and economic circumstances that prompted their immigration, and recounting their myriad experiences in their new country. Takaki argues that, traditionally, historians’ Eurocentric histories have neglected to analyze and explain Asian Americans’ role in American history. This has led to a distorted perception... Read Strangers from a Different Shore Summary


Publication year 2000Genre Biography, NonfictionTags History: African , Immigration / Refugee, History: World, Health / Medicine, Biography

Strength in What Remains is a nonfiction book by Pulitzer Prize-winning nonfiction writer Tracy Kidder. It chronicles the story of a Burundian man named Deogratias (Deo). Deo, a Tutsi, survived a genocide that embroiled Burundi and Rwanda—especially in 1993-94. Deo fled the hospital where he had a medical school internship. Without any resources, he made his way to Rwanda only to be forced to escape violence there, return to Burundi, and finally travel to America... Read Strength in What Remains Summary


Publication year 2017Genre Essay Collection, NonfictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Society: ImmigrationTags Immigration / Refugee, Social Justice, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Education, Education, History: World, Politics / Government

Tell Me How It Ends: An Essay in Forty Questions is Valeria Luiselli’s 2017 book-length essay exploring the influx of undocumented child migrants from Latin America that began in 2014. Through her work as a volunteer translator, Luiselli became intimately aware of what these children experienced, and the essay argues that their inhumane treatment at the hands of American bureaucracy is an unjust denial of due process and the core principles of the American Dream... Read Tell Me How It Ends Summary


Publication year 2003Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Nation, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Class, Society: Immigration, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags History: U.S., Immigration / Refugee, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Black Lives Matter, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Politics / Government, American Revolution, American Civil War, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Colonial America, Sociology, Education, Education, Business / Economics, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Arts / Culture

The American Dream: A Short History of an Idea that Shaped a Nation, originally published in 2003 by Oxford University Press, is a popular history book by American cultural historian Jim Cullen. As an overview and critical analysis of the American Dream, this book adds some meat to the bones of a traditionally ambiguous concept. Cullen maintains an optimistic outlook about the usefulness of the various American Dreams and about the promise of America, despite... Read The American Dream Summary


Publication year 1988Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Flora/plants, Society: Community, Self DiscoveryTags Realistic Fiction, Relationships, Animals, Depression / Suicide, Diversity, Immigration / Refugee, Parenting, Poverty, Politics / Government, Race / Racism, Science / Nature, Social Justice, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

The Bean Trees (first published in 1988) is the first novel by Barbara Kingsolver. Kingsolver is an American novelist, essayist, and poet who holds degrees in ecology and evolutionary biology, and her work often addresses biodiversity, social justice, communities, and people’s interactions with their environment. The Bean Trees is a work of realistic adult fiction that follows Taylor Greer as she leaves her rural upbringing in Kentucky, drives across the country to Tucson, Arizona, and... Read The Bean Trees Summary


Publication year 2007Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Immigration, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The PastTags Realistic Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, History: African , African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Dinaw Mengestu’s 2007 debut novel, The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears, is a NYT Notable Book, a recipient of the Guardian First Book Award, and the LA Times Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction. Originally published in the UK under the title Children of the Revolution, the story takes place across three days in the life of Sepha Stephanos, an Ethiopian refugee living in Washington, DC. In his New York Times review of the book... Read The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears Summary


Publication year 2019Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Immigration, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: GriefTags Immigration / Refugee, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction

Publication year 2016Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags Realistic Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 2011Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags Historical Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Class, History: U.S., Race / Racism, American Literature, WWII / World War II, Asian Literature, History: World, Japanese Literature

Julie Otsuka is a Japanese American writer who was born in 1962 in Palo Alto, California. Both The Buddha in the Attic (2011) and her 2002 novel, When the Emperor was Divine, portray the Japanese American experience of internment camps following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. The subject is close to Otsuka’s heart; the FBI arrested her grandfather on suspicion of being an enemy spy, while her mother, uncle, and grandmother were... Read The Buddha in the Attic Summary


Publication year 1992Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Birth, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, British Literature, Climate Change, Depression / Suicide, Grief / Death, Health / Medicine, History: European, Immigration / Refugee, Love / Sexuality, Natural Disaster, Politics / Government, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy

The Children of Men is a dystopian 1992 science fiction novel by P.D. James set in 2021, years after the onset of a mass infertility epidemic. Unless scientists can discover a cure, there will be no more births and the human race will go extinct when the youngest generation dies. This scenario allows James to explore many themes, including existentialism, the meaning of a good life, and the corrupting nature of power.The novel switches between... Read The Children of Men Summary


Publication year 1997Genre Short Story Collection, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Immigration, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Education, Life/Time: Childhood & YouthTags Historical Fiction, Poverty, Immigration / Refugee, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Arts / Culture

Publication year 1991Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: War, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: HopeTags Historical Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Military / War, History: World

Publication year 1987Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Good & EvilTags Action / Adventure, Immigration / Refugee, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, Poverty, Military / War, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Gary Paulsen’s The Crossing is a young adult novel published in 1987. This realistic work of fiction highlights the hope and opportunity Manny, a Mexican teenager, envisions waiting for him in America, and the desperation that propels him to attempt the border crossing from Mexico into the United States.Paulsen (1939-2021) was a celebrated author of middle grade and young adult fiction, best known for writing the award-winning Hatchet series. His work often depicts wilderness settings... Read The Crossing Summary


Publication year 1993Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Immigration, Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: MemoryTags Historical Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Latin American Literature

Publication year 2004Genre Book, NonfictionTags Sociology, History: U.S., Race / Racism, Immigration / Refugee, Creative Nonfiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Journalism, History: World, Social Justice, Politics / Government

Luis Alberto Urrea’s book, The Devil’s Highway, tells the story of a disastrous border crossing between Mexico and The United States. The Devil’s Highway refers to a particularly brutal stretch of desert. In the past, it was not used as often as other routes, but as the story shows, the development and proliferation of the Border Patrol has made it necessary to use this dangerous route. The story is divided into four sections: “Cutting the... Read The Devil's Highway Summary


Publication year 2016Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: ImmigrationTags Immigration / Refugee, Latin American Literature

Publication year 2020Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Society: ImmigrationTags Immigration / Refugee, Relationships, History: African , Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Race / Racism, African American Literature, Military / War, History: World, Biography

Publication year 2022Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Globalization, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags Politics / Government, Business / Economics, History: U.S., Agriculture, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Food, History: World, Immigration / Refugee, Military / War, Technology, Urban Development

Publication year 1950Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Society: Class, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: LoveTags Immigration / Refugee, Religion / Spirituality, Holocaust

“The First Seven Years” is a short story that Bernard Malamud originally published in 1950. The story subsequently appeared in several collections, including The Magic Barrel, which won the 1959 National Book Award for fiction. Malamud’s exploration of the complications of the American Dream for immigrants and the aftermath of the Holocaust make the story an important contribution to American Jewish literature of the twentieth century. This guide is based on the short story as... Read The First Seven Years Summary


Publication year 2016Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Fame, Society: Immigration, Relationships: FamilyTags Race / Racism, Immigration / Refugee, Asian Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Chinese Literature

The Fortunes (2016) is a historical novel by British author Peter Ho Davies. Written in the form of four interconnected stories, it details the experiences of various groups of Chinese immigrants and their descendants in the United States. Three of the four stories are based on real, historical figures, and together the narratives form a vast, multi-generational portrait of Chinese American communities across time and in various regions of the US. The four stories take... Read The Fortunes Summary


Publication year 2018Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionTags Military / War, History: African , Immigration / Refugee, History: World, Biography

The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After is a 2018 memoir by Clemantine Wamariya, who at age six escaped the Rwandan genocide of 1994 with her older sister Claire. The memoir, which is co-authored by Elizabeth Weil, follows a dual narrative that alternates between scenes from Wamariya’s journey through seven African countries and from her life in America, where she moved in 2000. Wamariya describes the dehumanization of refugees... Read The Girl Who Smiled Beads Summary


Publication year 1984Genre Novella, FictionThemes Identity: FemininityTags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Gender / Feminism, Immigration / Refugee, American Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

Sandra Cisneros’s The House on Mango Street is an internationally acclaimed novel, first published in 1984. The story of Esperanza Cordero is told through stunning vignettes that chronicle the life of a young Latina woman growing up in the Hispanic quarter of Chicago. Heralded as an important voice in representing an underserved community, the novel won the American Book Award in 1985. It has since become an integral part of school curriculum across the country... Read The House on Mango Street Summary


Publication year 2017Genre Novel, FictionThemes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Elif Batuman is a contemporary Turkish-American author. She received her BA from Harvard University and PhD in Comparative Literature from Stanford University and spent several years in Turkey as a resident writer at Koç University. Her first novel, The Idiot (2017), as well as her collection of essays, The Possessed: Adventures with Russian Books and the People Who Read Them (2010), are auto-biographical in nature and focus on life within US academia. Both titles allude... Read The Idiot Summary


Publication year 2012Genre Poem, FictionThemes Life/Time: The FutureTags Immigration / Refugee, Indian Literature

Publication year 2021Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Race, Society: Nation, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Flora/plants, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Romance, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Food, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: European, History: World, Immigration / Refugee, LGBTQ, Love / Sexuality, Military / War, Politics / Government, Science / Nature, Race / Racism, Relationships, Religion / Spirituality, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 2012Genre Poem, FictionThemes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: MemoryTags Science / Nature, Philosophy, Philosophy, Travel Literature, Action / Adventure, Biography, Immigration / Refugee

Publication year 1989Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Immigration, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: FateTags Realistic Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Relationships, Race / Racism, Gender / Feminism, Asian Literature, American Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Chinese Literature, Classic Fiction

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan (1989) follows the stories of four Chinese women who immigrate to America and their American-born daughters. This was Tan’s first novel, a highly-acclaimed New York Times best-seller and winner of the 1989 California Book Award for Fiction. It was adapted into a film in 1993 and was the first wide American film release with a predominantly Asian American cast.Plot SummaryThe Joy Luck Club is divided into four parts... Read The Joy Luck Club Summary


Publication year 2020Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: ImmigrationTags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Historical Fiction

Publication year 2008Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Relationships: FamilyTags Mythology, Immigration / Refugee, History: Asian, Poverty, History: World, Biography

The Latehomecomer, a memoir by Kao Kalia Yang, was published in 2008. It won the Minnesota Book Award and was a finalist for the PEN USA Literary Award for Nonfiction. Yang was born in Thailand’s Ban Vinai Refugee Camp in 1980 and immigrated to St. Paul, Minnesota when she was six years old. She is a graduate of Carleton College and Columbia University and co-founder of Words Wanted, an organization committed to helping immigrants with... Read The Latehomecomer Summary


Publication year 2006Genre Biography, NonfictionThemes Relationships: FriendshipTags Religion / Spirituality, History: Middle Eastern, Immigration / Refugee, Military / War, History: World, Biography, Politics / Government

The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East is a biography and work of historical nonfiction written by Sandy Tolan and published in 2006. Against the backdrop of the first Arab-Israeli War’s 50th anniversary, American journalist Sandy Tolan traveled to the Middle East to research his assignment. Through the biography, Tolan aims to highlight how two families on opposite sides of the conflict—the Khairis and the Eshkenazis—are connected on... Read The Lemon Tree Summary


Publication year 1958Genre Short Story Collection, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Self DiscoveryTags Jewish Literature, Immigration / Refugee, Magical Realism, History: U.S., American Literature, Classic Fiction

Publication year 2015Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Society: Community, Society: Colonialism, Society: GlobalizationTags Asian Literature, History: World, History: U.S., Race / Racism, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Immigration / Refugee

Publication year 2018Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of AgeTags Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Immigration / Refugee, Gender / Feminism, Military / War, American Literature, Middle Eastern Literature

Zeyn Joukhadar is a transgender Syrian American writer (also published under the name Jennifer Zeynab Joukhadar). His first novel, The Map of Salt and Stars (2018), won the 2018 Middle East Book Award in Youth Literature and became a 2018 Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist in Historical Fiction. Comprising two interwoven narratives, the novel follows Nour, the present-day protagonist whose flight from a war-torn Syria parallels the journey of her imaginary heroine—Rawiya, a medieval mapmaker’s apprentice... Read The Map of Salt and Stars Summary


Publication year 1920Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Society: Class, Relationships: MarriageTags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Class, Grief / Death, Immigration / Refugee, Psychology, WWI / World War I, British Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction

The Mysterious Affair at Styles, written by Agatha Christie in 1920, is the first of her novels to feature Hercule Poirot. The small, fastidious Belgian is one of her most iconic characters and among the most famous fictional detectives in the world. The novel is exemplary of the “cozy mystery,” in which well-heeled figures work out the solutions to complex, puzzle-like murders within comfortable settings. This one takes place during the years of the Great... Read The Mysterious Affair at Styles Summary


Publication year 2003Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Relationships: MarriageTags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Immigration / Refugee, Diversity, Race / Racism, Relationships, Indian Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature

The Namesake is a novel by the distinguished American writer Jhumpa Lahiri, who is known for her traditional narrative style often dealing with sensitive issues of immigrant life and culture clash. First published in 2003, this is her first novel, originally published in The New Yorker in shorter form, and it follows an immigrant Bengali family in America and the way its members adapt to a culture and society very different to their own. The... Read The Namesake Summary


Publication year 1883Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: HopeTags Immigration / Refugee, Lyric Poem

Publication year 2005Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionTags History: U.S., Immigration / Refugee

The Other Side of the Sky is the memoir of Farah Ahmedi, written with Tamim Ansary. The following summary and analysis is based on the 2005 paperback edition published by Simon Spotlight Entertainment, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. Ahmedi was born in Afghanistan in 1987 at the height of the war with the Soviet Union. She came to the US in 2002, when she was 14. She had only been in the US a... Read The Other Side of the Sky Summary


Publication year 2010Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Family, Relationships: FriendshipTags Historical Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Relationships, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Arts / Culture

Publication year 2017Genre Short Story Collection, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Life/Time: AgingTags Immigration / Refugee, Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Vietnam War, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, History: World

The Refugees is a 2017 collection of short stories by celebrated Vietnamese American author, Viet Thanh Nguyen. Nguyen has written fiction, academic nonfiction, and children’s books, and his novel The Sympathizer won the Pulitzer Prize in 2016. Nguyen received his doctorate in English at the University of California Berkeley, and he currently is a literature professor at the University of Southern California. Nguyen’s scholarship and literary works focus on the experiences of Vietnamese communities in... Read The Refugees Summary


Publication year 1997Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Disability, Values/Ideas: Trust & DoubtTags Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Sociology, Immigration / Refugee, American Literature, Education, Education, Anthropology, Anthropology, History: World, Biography

Anne Fadiman’s nonfiction book The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures chronicles the life of Lia Lee, a Hmong girl who lives with her family in Merced, California, in the 1980s and 1990s. The book examines the cultural misunderstandings and conflicting belief systems that result in Lia’s poor medical treatment after she is diagnosed with a severe form of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome... Read The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down Summary


Publication year 1998Genre Novel, FictionTags Psychological Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Education, Education, History: U.S., Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction

The Tattooed Soldier (1998) is a novel written by author and journalist Héctor Tobar. Tobar worked for the LA Times at the time of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, and his work covering that event contributed to a Pulitzer Prize. This experience directly informs this novel, which is set in LA in the weeks prior to the riots, as well as in Guatemala. Much of Tobar’s work focuses on the relationship between the United States... Read The Tattooed Soldier Summary


Publication year 1995Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Immigration, Society: Class, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Satire, Drama / Tragedy, Race / Racism, Immigration / Refugee, American Literature

Published in 1995, The Tortilla Curtain by T. C. Boyle tells the story of two couples living parallel lives in Southern California: Delaney and Kyra Mossbacher, affluent white Americans with a home in the upper-middle-class subdivision of Arroyo Blanco; and Cándido and América Rincón, undocumented immigrants from Mexico living in a makeshift camp at the bottom of the canyon. Rotating among the perspectives of the four protagonists, the novel explores the inequality inherent in the United States... Read The Tortilla Curtain Summary


Publication year 1980Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Colonialism, Identity: Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: LoveTags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, History: European, Immigration / Refugee, Post-War Era, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), History: World, Classic Fiction

Shirley Hazzard (1931-2016) was an Australian novelist and United Nations worker who settled in the United States. The Transit of Venus (1980) is Hazzard’s third novel and the winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction. It draws upon Hazzard’s own experiences of an Australian childhood, emigrating abroad, and being part of the first generation of working women. Critics responded to the juxtaposition of intimate, personal narratives with a broader examination of what... Read The Transit of Venus Summary


Publication year 1922Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Immigration, Emotions/Behavior: NostalgiaTags Lyric Poem, Immigration / Refugee, Afro-Caribbean Literature, Harlem Renaissance, Food

Publication year 1991Genre Short Story, FictionTags Immigration / Refugee, Race / Racism, African Literature, Classic Fiction

Nadine Gordimer’s “The Ultimate Safari” is a short story about a family’s journey from their demolished home in war-torn Mozambique to a refugee camp in South Africa. The story is set in 1988 amid the backdrop of a civil war, which neighboring South Africa supported by the funding of rebel forces. Gordimer, a white South African, was deeply critical of her nation’s involvement, and she tells the story of a young, unnamed refugee girl as... Read The Ultimate Safari Summary


Publication year 2020Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Society: Immigration, Relationships: Family, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Immigration / Refugee, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Race / Racism, History: World, Biography

Publication year 368Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: ImmigrationTags Immigration / Refugee, Gender / Feminism, Politics / Government, Race / Racism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Biography, Social Justice

The Ungrateful Refugee: What Immigrants Never Tell You is a 2019 memoir by novelist Dina Nayeri. It is her first nonfiction book and a finalist for the Kirkus Prize, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and the Clara Johnson Award for Women’s Literature. While Nayeri chronicles her childhood escape from post-revolution Iran and her struggle to build an identity, she interweaves modern tales of refugees mired in uncaring asylum systems.SummaryThe author and first-person narrator of... Read The Ungrateful Refugee Summary


Publication year 2018Genre Poem, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: FearTags Immigration / Refugee

Publication year 2023Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Politics & Government, Society: ImmigrationTags Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Class, History: World, History: The Americas, History: U.S., Immigration / Refugee, Military / War, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Music, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Race / Racism

Publication year 2019Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: LoveTags Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, Immigration / Refugee, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Fantasy

Publication year 2018Genre Poem, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Immigration / Refugee, History: Asian

Publication year 2021Genre Novel, FictionThemes Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Community, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Immigration / Refugee, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Bullying, Love / Sexuality, Grief / Death, History: Asian, Natural Disaster, Parenting, Military / War, Race / Racism, Religion / Spirituality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

Publication year 2020Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: CommunityTags Realistic Fiction, Social Justice, Race / Racism, Immigration / Refugee, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Publication year 2011Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: Immigration, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: FamilyTags Drama / Tragedy, Immigration / Refugee, Poverty, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Arts / Culture

Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall is a coming-of-age story about the importance of family, heritage, and perseverance. This young adult novel comes directly from McCall’s own experiences as a young Mexican immigrant, a writer with a dream, and a teenager who watches her mother die from cancer. Under the Mesquite infuses poetic form, free verse, imagery, and sprinkles of the Spanish language in order to portray a bildungsroman in which a young girl... Read Under The Mesquite Summary


Publication year 2011Genre Graphic Memoir , NonfictionThemes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: ImmigrationTags Vietnam War, Military / War, Immigration / Refugee, History: World, Biography

Publication year 2018Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Society: Immigration, Society: War, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: Femininity, Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Family, Society: Education, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: ConflictTags Politics / Government, Social Justice, History: World, Immigration / Refugee, Gender / Feminism, Education, Biography

Publication year 2020Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Immigration, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: FamilyTags Realistic Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Modern Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure

Publication year 2019Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Gender, Society: Community, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: ImmigrationTags Gender / Feminism, LGBTQ, Immigration / Refugee, Religion / Spirituality, Biography

Publication year 2013Genre Novel, FictionTags Immigration / Refugee, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction

We Need New Names is a work of fiction by Zimbabwean author NoViolet Bulawayo. It’s her debut novel, which garnered critical praise upon its publication in 2013. Bulawayo’s narrative centers around 10-year-old Darling and her group of friends, in a Zimbabwean shantytown called Paradise, as the group perceptively observes life around them. When Darling later moves to America (a hope she’s long had), she’s confronted with the America of her dreams as it clashes with... Read We Need New Names Summary


Publication year 2021Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags Immigration / Refugee, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 2017Genre Play, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Play: Drama, Play: Comedy / Satire, Politics / Government, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Immigration / Refugee, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy

Publication year 1989Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags History: Asian, Vietnam War, Immigration / Refugee, Politics / Government, Military / War, History: World, Biography

Publication year 1971Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: FamilyTags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Immigration / Refugee, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World, Classic Fiction

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit (1971) is a children’s novel by Judith Kerr. The novel is set between 1933 and 1936, and traces the life of protagonist Anna, who is nine years old at the novel’s opening, as her family flees Germany for Switzerland, France, and, finally, England. Although the novel is a work of fiction, it is semi-autobiographical. Kerr is of German-Jewish heritage, and her family left Germany once Hitler rose to power in... Read When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit Summary


Publication year 1993Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Music, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of AgeTags Immigration / Refugee, American Literature, Race / Racism, Education, Education, Biography

The memoir When I Was Puerto Rican recounts author Esmeralda Santiago’s early years. It is the first of her three memoirs chronicling her childhood in Puerto Rico to her eventual residence in the United States. It is a coming of age story, but mines richer material than that. Questions of identity—national identity, hereditary identity, familial identity, female identity, spiritual identity, and semantic labels—underpin the stories Santiago tells.The book begins in Puerto Rico, when Esmeralda is... Read When I Was Puerto Rican Summary