Leaving one homeland to come to another is a key theme in literature. Indeed, due to ever-shifting politics, more and more people every day leave their countries to seek safety and hope for a better life. Immigrant stories have affected the lives of many, particularly kids. When children resettle young, they may lose a sense of their identity and the culture of their homelands. Often, children may miss or forget what their life was like before they immigrated. Entire parts of their lives may only remain a distant memory. In this way, vital aspects of heritage, places, and people become lost and forgotten.
While it may feel sad, there are still ways to reminisce about the comforts of the past with the help of family, relatives, and friends. Parents can help keep alive memories of when they are little. You can share happy stories and pictures about places you went together, activities you did, and other unique memories as parhe barely remembers the place she came from and the memories she got there. In Junot Diaz’s book Island Born, the character of Lola was just a baby when her family immigrated. As a result, her family and friends helped her journey back to their Island.
The book Island Born is a story of a little girl who immigrated with her family. At first, Lola did not feel excited when her teacher asked her to draw her homeland. But through the stories of her family, she was able to relive the memories. That is when she started to envision their Island and the good stories behind it.
Reasons Why the Island Born Is a Good Book Investment for Kids
Discover the reasons why the book Island Born is a good investment for kids below.
It will encourage children to find ways to answer different puzzles in life.
In life, there are many challenges each one of us may encounter. For kids, even the tiny puzzles turn big. Teaching them how the little girl finds a way to discover more about her previous Island is a great encouragement for children to do the same in their own lives. Each of our connections to our culture is important. It helps us remember where we came from and helps us have compassion for others and their unique cultures.
It will help children to understand their roots.
Sometimes people fail to look back on their roots. Whether intentional or not, recognizing your roots is vital to getting to know yourself and the people around you better. The little girl in the story is a great example of someone who tries her best to understand her roots. In this way, children will learn the importance of connecting to their own culture.
It will help children realize the same – Just because you do not remember a place does not mean it is not in you.
Since the little girl left the Island before she could remember things, she barely knows about the place. Unlike the other kids, she doesn’t feel excited when their teacher gives them an activity that involves sharing about her roots. But as soon as she rediscovers the history of her Island, she realizes that the place also lives in her heart, and it is just that she can not remember it.
There might be different reasons behind every immigration story, but both adults and kids will learn from various challenges and opportunities it brings. Join your kids in learning these best takeaways from the book Island Born today!
Island Born: get your copy from Bookshop.org or Amazon.com
Buy from Bookshop.com – https://bookshop.org/a/14451/9780735229860
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Buy from Amazon.com – https://amzn.to/366iwA4
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More About The Author
Junot Díaz was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New Jersey. He is the author of the critically acclaimed Drown; The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, which won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award; and This Is How You Lose Her, a New York Times bestseller and National Book Award finalist. A graduate of Rutgers University, Díaz is currently the fiction editor at Boston Review and the Rudge and Nancy Allen Professor of Writing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Leo Espinosa is an award-winning illustrator and designer from Bogotá, Colombia, whose work has been featured in The New Yorker, Wired, Esquire, The New York Times, The Atlantic, and more. Leo’s illustrations have been recognized by American Illustration, Communication Arts, Pictoplasma, 3×3, and the Society of Illustrators. Leo lives with his family in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Reviews
“With his tenacious, curious heroine and a voice that’s chatty, passionate, wise, and loving, Díaz entices readers to think about a fundamental human question: what does it mean to belong?”–Publishers Weekly, starred review
“A sensitive and beautiful story of culture, identity, and belonging—a superb picture book outing for Díaz and one to be shared broadly in a variety of settings.” –School Library Journal, starred review
“This important title will be enjoyed by young children and may spark many significant discussions.” –Booklist, starred review
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