73 // Islandborn / Junot Diaz, Ill. Leo Espinosa

Islandborn / Junot Diaz, Ill. Leo Espinosa

• Dial Books for Young Readers

• 2018

• So when Lola's teacher asks the students to draw a picture of where their families immigrated from, all the kids are excited. Except Lola. She can't remember The Island—she left when she was just a baby. But with the help of her family and friends, and their memories—joyous, fantastical, heartbreaking, and frightening—Lola's imagination takes her on an extraordinary journey back to The Island. As she draws closer to the heart of her family's story, Lola comes to understand the truth of her abuela's words: “Just because you don't remember a place doesn't mean it's not in you." - From Amazon

• Family Heritage - Immigration - Diversity

• I love how this book depicts the immigrants experience in a way that is allegorical. The "monster" standing in for a dictator, which a kid might not understand when they DO understand monsters. I love that there is both a diversity of ethnic backgrounds pictured here, but also a diversity of ages and shows the importance of listening to the stories of our elders and taking to heart their lived experience. I got a little teary by the end.