First Generation: 36 Trailblazing Immigrants and Refugees Who Make America Great

by Sandra Neil Wallace, Rich Wallace, Agata Nowicka (Illustrator)

Overview

Celebrate the genius, diversity, and grit of immigrants and refugees in this boldly illustrated guide to 36 American trailblazers.

The men and women in this book represent nations from Somalia to Germany, from Syria to China, from Mexico to Sweden, and more. They are people like Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, international singing sensation Celia Cruz, star basketball player Dikembe Mutombo, world-renowned physicist Albert Einstein, and influential journalist Jorge Ramos. And they are all immigrants or refugees to the United States of America. Their courage, their achievements, and their determination to change the world have helped make our country a stronger place. Perhaps after reading their stories, you will be inspired to make the world a better place, too.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316515245
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	09/04/2018
Pages:	96
Sales rank:	1,115,354
Product dimensions:	7.60(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Investigative journalists Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace are award-winning novelists and nonfiction authors of books like Blood Brother: Jonathan Daniels and His Sacrifice for Civil Rights and Bound by Ice: A True North Pole Survival Story. Sandra is a former news anchor and ESPN sportscaster. The daughter of a refugee, she became a US citizen in 2016. Rich was a longtime senior editor at Highlights magazine. Both Sandra and Rich are members of the advisory council for the Cohen Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Keene State College and are founding members of the Keene Immigrant and Refugee Partnership. They live in New Hampshire.

Agata Nowicka is an illustrator and a comics artist. She spent her childhood drawing on everything with everything, including her mother's red lipstick on the staircase walls. She became an illustrator because she never wanted to stop drawing. Agata immigrated to the United States from Warsaw, Poland and now lives in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2018

A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2018

A Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Selection 2019

"A book all children should read or have read to them."—The New York Times

* "A deeply patriotic look at how immigrants' application of the American ideals of hard work and perseverance can have lasting effects."
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Engaging... A fascinating and robust collection. Readers will be eager to explore the various subjects and their accomplishments across all fields."
—School Library Journal

"This book is a treasure to show children the value of diverse cultures, and that those who come to America, help make America a wonderful, colorful, and brilliant country."—PamelaKramer.com

"The authors and artist have skillfully presented the stories and challenges of 36 immigrants and refugees who have all made enormous contributions to our nation."—The San Jose Mercury News

From the Publisher

★ 2018-07-24

The Wallaces and Nowicka take a look at the first members of families who immigrated to the United States and the impacts they have had on our lives and country through minibiographies and bright, illustrated portraits.

We all come from somewhere, and unless you are Native American, your people came here as immigrants or refugees. That is what makes America so beautiful. This book takes figures from all races, nationalities, and religions and looks at them as human beings and at the amazing things they have accomplished, from politics to art to science and everything in between. From the music of Yo-Yo Ma to the statecraft of Madeleine Albright or the runway walk of Halima Aden, immigrants have shaped this country. They gave us Google, the Sierra Club, and salsa music. Young readers will be constantly surprised by the impacts these new Americans have had without their ever having realized it. Bright portraits accompany each minibiography along with a box that includes highlights of each person's life. The breezy format will give readers a taste of nonfiction and will ignite their curiosity to delve deeper into the lives of the people within the pages. Selected books and websites for further exploration as well as a bibliography will help them get started.

A deeply patriotic look at how immigrants' application of the American ideals of hard work and perseverance can have lasting effects. (authors' note, illustrator's note) (Collective biography. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews