Multicultural Children’s Book Day Review of First Generation – 36 Trailblazing Immigrants and Refugees Who Make America Great

It is Multicultural Children’s Book Day and I am thrilled to share an important book which should be on your “must read” list in today’s difficult political and social climate.

First Generation
36 Trailblazing Immigrants and Refugees Who Make America Great
By Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace (authors) and Agata Nowicka (illustrator)
Little Brown Publishers 2018
Collective Biography for ages 9-12

 

This timely collective biography tells the inspiring stories of 36 first generation immigrants or refugees who, for various reasons, came to live in the United States. All faced obstacles such as discrimination but through hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance built successful lives and made significant contributions to their new country.

The men and women profiled come from countries all over the world such as Ethiopia, China, Afghanistan, and South Korea. They represent various fields including science, business, music, food, and sports. Their contributions are as varied as the Pentium chip, salsa, the Sierra Club, and Google. Some, such as Albert Einstein, are well known but many of these inspiring individuals will be new to the children reading this book. Each of the men and women are featured in a two-page spread with highlights of their struggles and achievements, interesting facts, and a brightly colored portrait.

 

 

Of special interest are the quotes included with each profile:

“I wanted to do something with my life that would help people.” Maizie Hirono, First Asian American woman elected to the senate born in Japan.

“Knowledge is something nobody can steal.”  Razia Jan, business woman turned activist born in Afghanistan.

“Success is a collection of problems solved.” I.M. Pei, architect born in China.

“I would never take anything from America that I wouldn’t want to put back a hundred times.” Carlos Santana, musician born in Mexico.

“Without culture we are nothing.” Marcus Samuelsson, chef born in Ethiopia.

Students will be excited to read about immigrants of different races, religions, and cultures who have made positive contributions to their new country. The writing is upbeat and positive and will cause students to want to learn more about these fascinating people. (Sources for more information are included). The authors have included ideas for students to become trailblazers themselves by reaching out to immigrants and refugees.

First Generation 36 Trailblazing Immigrants and Refugees Who Make America Great is an important book that should be on classroom and library shelves across the country. It will generate conversation which hopefully will foster compassion and understanding toward America’s immigrants and refugees.

I am thankful to author Sandra Neil Wallace for sending me First Generation to review for MCCBD. I am looking forward to sharing this book with the immigrant students I work with.

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2019 (1/25/19) is in its 6^th year and was founded by Valarie Budayr from Jump Into A Book and Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom. The mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves while also working diligently to get more of these types of books into the hands of young readers, parents and educators.

MCBD 2019 is honored to have the following Medallion Sponsors on board!

*View our 2019 Medallion Sponsors here: https://wp.me/P5tVud-
*View our 2019 MCBD Author Sponsors here: https://wp.me/P5tVud-2eN

Medallion Level Sponsors

Honorary: Children’s Book Council, The Junior Library Guild, TheConsciousKid.org.

Super Platinum: Make A Way Media

GOLD: Bharat Babies, Candlewick Press, Chickasaw Press, Juan Guerra and The Little Doctor / El doctorcito, KidLitTV,  Lerner Publishing Group, Plum Street Press,

SILVER: Capstone Publishing, Carole P. Roman, Author Charlotte Riggle, Huda Essa, The Pack-n-Go Girls,

BRONZE: Charlesbridge Publishing, Judy Dodge Cummings, Author Gwen Jackson, Kitaab World, Language Lizard – Bilingual & Multicultural Resources in 50+ Languages, Lee & Low Books, Miranda Paul and Baptiste Paul, Redfin, Author Gayle H. Swift,  T.A. Debonis-Monkey King’s Daughter, TimTimTom Books, Lin Thomas, Sleeping Bear Press/Dow Phumiruk, Vivian Kirkfield,

MCBD 2019 is honored to have the following Author Sponsors on board

Honorary: Julie Flett, Mehrdokht Amini,

Author Janet Balletta, Author Kathleen Burkinshaw, Author Josh Funk, Chitra Soundar, One Globe Kids – Friendship Stories, Sociosights Press and Almost a Minyan, Karen Leggett, Author Eugenia Chu, CultureGroove Books, Phelicia Lang and Me On The Page, L.L. Walters, Author Sarah Stevenson, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, Hayley Barrett, Sonia Panigrah, Author Carolyn Wilhelm, Alva Sachs and Dancing Dreidels, Author Susan Bernardo, Milind Makwana and A Day in the Life of a Hindu Kid, Tara Williams, Veronica Appleton, Author Crystal Bowe, Dr. Claudia May, Author/Illustrator Aram Kim, Author Sandra L. Richards, Erin Dealey, Author Sanya Whittaker Gragg, Author Elsa Takaoka, Evelyn Sanchez-Toledo, Anita Badhwar, Author Sylvia Liu, Feyi Fay Adventures, Author Ann Morris, Author Jacqueline Jules, CeCe & Roxy Books, Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace, LEUYEN PHAM, Padma Venkatraman, Patricia Newman and Lightswitch Learning, Shoumi Sen, Valerie Williams-Sanchez and Valorena Publishing, Traci Sorell, Shereen Rahming, Blythe Stanfel, Christina Matula, Julie Rubini, Paula Chase, Erin Twamley, Afsaneh Moradian, Lori DeMonia, Claudia Schwam, Terri Birnbaum/ RealGirls Revolution, Soulful Sydney, Queen Girls Publications, LLC