Immigration-Themed Youth Literature

Danielle Sachdeva, PhD, is Professor of Literacy and Elementary Education at the University of North Georgia, USA.

• IllustrationsPrefaceIntroductionPart 1: Reading Immigration-Themed Literature1. Amplifying Their Voices: Immigrant Children’s Experiences in a New Land, Ruth McKoy Lowery (University of North Texas, USA) and Jeanne G. Fain (Lipscomb University, USA)2. Landscape of Immigration in Contemporary Children’s Literature: Portrayal of Character, Setting, Perspective, and Genre, Sandip LeeAnne Wilson (Husson University, USA)3. Supporting Preservice and Inservice Teachers in Identifying and Utilizing Diverse Immigration- and Refugee-Themed Literature, Ruth Quiroa (National Louis University, USA), Jackie Marshall Arnold (University of Dayton, USA), and Mary-Kate Sableski (University of Dayton, USA)4. Postcolonialism: A Lens for Critically Reading Immigration-Themed Youth Literature, Danielle E. Sachdeva (University of North Georgia, USA)Part 2: Teaching Immigration-Themed Literature in K-125. Imagined to Real: Building Inclusive Communities Through Global Children’s Literature and Pen Pal Dialogues, Junko Sakoi (Tucson Unified School District, USA) and Yoo Kyung Sung (University of New Mexico, USA)6. Pushed and Pulled: Stories of Migration in Children’s, Middle Grade, and Young Adult Literature, Sharryn Larsen Walker (Central Washington University, USA)7. Transformational Experiences of Asian Migrants in Picture Books: Refugees, Empathy, and Resilience, Danilo Madayag Baylen (University of West Georgia, USA)8. “Give Peace A Chance”: Teaching Critical Literacy, Empathy, and the Israeli and Palestine Conflict Through Immigrant and Refugee-Themed Children’s Literature to Students in Grades 3-8, Kathleen S. Howe (Emporia State University, USA), Sandra Bequette (Emporia State University, USA), and Elizabeth Dobler (Emporia State University, USA)Part 3: Sharing Immigration-Themed Literature with Educators9. Inquiring About Immigration with Preservice Teachers, Deanna Day (Washington State University, USA)10. Preservice Teachers Examine Themes of Immigration in Award-Winning Children’s Literature, Mary Ellen Oslick (Stetson University, USA)11. A Community Literacy Partnership: Preservice Teachers Create Family Literacy Projects Around Immigration-Themed Literature for Local Students, Anne Katz (University of Houston, USA)12. Designing Professional Development on Teaching Immigration-Themed Children’s Literature, Annmarie Wright (University of North Georgia, USA) and Sarah Williams (University of North Georgia, USA)ConclusionIndex

With references to current immigration issues in the United States, deep dives into research on diversity in children's and YA literature, and discussions of engaging and relevant teaching strategies, Sachdeva's Immigration-Themed Youth Literature offers teachers insight into how to work with students from around the world. Critical literacy, active reading, project-based learning, discussion techniques, and building empathy and confidence are among the topics presented by the authors in this book, many of whom have first-hand experience of being immigrants themselves. Educators will learn how to move beyond stories based on colonialism theory to consider post-colonialism's impact on perspectives in systemic dynamics and social functioning. There are several chapters on working with pre-service teachers and providing full-time teachers with professional development on immigration themes. Further, each chapter includes a thorough list of research sources and children's and YA titles. Sachveda et al. have provided an essential text that will be used for years to come as educators continue to negotiate a changing world and changing classrooms.