Crossing Into America: The New Literature Of Immigration
Adult/High School-This anthology includes a few poems and some fictional works, but most of the selections are memoirs. The political oppression and economic desperation that prompted immigration to the United States as well as the prejudice and discrimination that people often face once they arrive here are addressed in many of the pieces. Ramon "Tianguis" Perez recounts how illegal immigration from Mexico became a trend in the 1940s. Frank McCourt humorously narrates his last days in Ireland and long-anticipated arrival in the U.S. Nola Kambanda, a young woman born in Burundi to Rwandan parents, writes about her initial shock at the disdainful ignorance that many Americans display toward Africa. The touching short story "Hae Soon's Song" describes how the tragic experiences of a Korean woman caused her to flee to Hawaii, where she faced sexist humiliation in her job at a bar. The narrative poem "Thanksgiving" reads like a short story, and the poem "AmeRican" is about being Puerto Rican in the U.S. This is an excellent source for supplemental or independent reading in social studies classes. It can also serve to sensitize teens to the rich cultural diversity of their own schools and communities. Students will find much to entertain and enlighten them in this lively collection.Joyce Fay Fletcher, Rippon Middle School, Prince William County, VACopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.