Immigrants: we get the job done!

A hot topic in today's discourse is immigration. Why not check out one of these great stories about the immigrant experience or the history of immigration in the United States.

Non-Fiction:
From Immigrants to Americans by Jacob Vigdor

Enrique's Journey by Sonia Nazario

Coming to America by Roger Daniels

Russians in America by Alison Behnke

Fresh of the Boat by Eddie Huang

Fiction:
Nory Ryan's Song

What Can't Wait by Ashley Hope Perez

Out Run the Moon by Stacey Lee

West of the Moon by Margi Preus

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

Pick of the Week- This Way Home

is This Way Home by Wes Moore. Elijah Thomas is an excellent basketball player with a bright future at a Division I college. He and his best friends have bonded over basketball and have kept each other safe through a sometimes dangerous Baltimore neighborhood. As they prepare to enter a tournament that could lead to tremendous opportunities, they receive a tempting offer of a sponsorship from a local gang. Each of the three friends has to choose his path forward. The decisions they make will have serious and long lasting consequences.

Pick of the Week- Mighty Jack

is Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke. This graphic novel is a modern take on Jack and the Bean stock. Jack is a teenager who is tasked with taking care of his little sister, who is non verbal, while his single mother works two jobs to keep the family afloat financially. When Jack buys some mysterious seeds at a flea market, he and his sister turn their backyard into a magical garden. He strikes up a friendship with Lilly, a neighbor who is intrigued by Jack and the garden. The three of them embark on magical adventures in their new exciting but dangerous escape from reality.

Pick of the Week- Ghost

is Ghost by Jason Reynolds. The first in a promising new series, Ghost is about a young runner struggling to prove himself on an elite track team. Castle lives in a poor neighborhood with his mother; they survived an attempt on their lives from Castle's father a year before he decided to running track. He uses his experience to drive his training to be the fastest sprinter on the team. Though the plot sounds like a typical sport narrative, the characters are written with nuance and dimension that make this story worth reading.

Pick of the Week- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon. This unique story is told from the perspective of an autistic teenager, Christopher, who discovers that his neighbor's dog has been murdered. Despite his father's insistence that he stop investigating, he continues to search for the dog's killer. What he finds up ends his family life and threatens to affect his future. Though he attends a specialized school for people with developmental disabilities, Christopher insists that he take the national examination for math, a subject at which he excels. When he discovers a shocking family secret, his ability to take the test is in jeopardy. This story will make you feel for Christopher's plight and question your world around, just as Christopher is forced to question his.

Pick of the Week- March: Book 3

is March: Book 3 by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell. The last installment of the graphic memoir of John Lewis finishes the epic arch of John Lewis' story from the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement to his witnessing the inauguration of Barack Obama as president of the United States. The most dramatic of the three books, March: Book 3 takes you through the most tense and violent period of Civil Rights struggle- the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, the murder of three Civil Rights workers in Mississippi to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Don't miss the epic conclusion of the masterpiece graphic memoir of a hero of the Civil Rights Movement.

Pick of the Week- Magnus Chase

is Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan.  This is a new series by the popular author of the Percy Jackson series. It follows Magnus, the child of a god and human as he navigates modern Boston and the Norse mythological world. After the death of his mother, Magnus has been homeless; proving that not everything is as it seems he is joined on his adventures through the supernatural word by two other seemingly homeless men who turn out to have special abilities of their own. They have been keeping a watchful eye on Magnus as they know that has special importance to the Norse other world. Kids and adults will appreciate the subtle humor and sarcasm of this exciting new story.