Books About the Immigrant Experience

Whether first or fourth generation, each immigrant story is unique in its own beautiful way, while also sharing some big, overarching similarities. We live in such a rich land composed of people from around the world; it would be a shame if we didn’t listen. Lucky for us, these authors were brave enough to share their stories.

Updated April 22, 2024
Nashua Public Library
Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
Almost American girl : an illustrated memoir
Ha, Robin
Paper Book
Launch and lead promotion at national school & library conferences and previews, including extensive galley distribution Announcement advertising Standalone Big Mouth ARE mailing with art piece Teens' Top Ten/ARE mailing Pitch author appearances at...
I am not your perfect Mexican daughter
Sánchez, Erika L.
Paper Book
National Book Award Finalist! Instant New York Times Bestseller! The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian meets Jane the Virgin in this poignant but often laugh-out-loud funny contemporary YA about losing a sister and finding yourself amid...
American Street
Zoboi, Ibi Aanu
Paper Book
oLaunch and lead promotion at NCTE, ALA Midwinter and TLA, including lead booth display (blowup) and extensive galley distribution *Big Mouth galley mailing oExtensive announcement advertising in Horn Book, SLJ and Booklist (Jan) oYALSA galley mailing to teen book clubs across the country (March)...
The astonishing color of after
Pan, Emily X. R.
Paper Book
A Time Magazine 100 Best YA Books of All Time Selection A stunning, heartbreaking debut novel about grief, love, and family, perfect for fans of Jandy Nelson and Celeste Ng. Leigh Chen Sanders is absolutely certain about one thing: When...
Black enough : stories of being young & black in America
Zoboi, Ibi Aanu
Paper Book
Launch and lead promotion at national school & library conferences and previews, including booth signage and extensive galley distribution Author appearance, panel and signing with four anthology contributors at NCTE 2018 in Houston, TX (November) Included in W19 School &...
Butterfly yellow
Lai, Thanhha
Paper Book
- Launch and lead promotion at national school & library conferences and previews, including extensive galley distribution - Announcement advertising in June issues of Booklist, SLJ and The Horn Book (extra ALA distribution) - Stand-alone Big Mouth galley mailing ...
Darius the Great is not okay
Khorram, Adib
Paper Book
Darius doesn't think he'll ever be enough, in America or in Iran. Hilarious and heartbreaking, this unforgettable debut introduces a brilliant new voice in contemporary YA. Winner of the William C. Morris Debut Award "Heartfelt, tender, and so utterly real. I'd live...
An emotion of great delight
Mafi, Tahereh
Paper Book
Big Mouth galley mailing to 150 librarians, teachers, and other national tastemakers Advertising in key school & library media, such as School Library Journal and Booklist Teens' Top 10/YALSA ARE mailing to 15 teen reading groups across the country ...
Everything sad is untrue : (a true story)
Nayeri, Daniel
Paper Book
Winner of the Michael L. Printz Award Christopher Award Winner Middle East Book Award Winner National Indie Bestseller NPR Best Book of the Year New York Times Best of the Year Amazon Best of the Year Booklist Editors' Choice ...
Last night at the Telegraph Club
Lo, Malinda
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD AND STONEWALL BOOK AWARD * From acclaimed author Malinda Lo comes a gripping, tender coming-of-age novel exploring identity, queerness, and historical upheaval set in San Francisco's Chinatown during the 1950s. ...
Messy roots : a graphic memoir of a Wuhanese American
Gao, Laura
Paper Book
"Messy Roots is a laugh-out-loud, heartfelt, and deeply engaging story of their journey to find themself--as an American, as the daughter of Chinese immigrants, as a queer person, and as a Wuhanese American in the middle of a pandemic."--Malaka Gharib, author of I Was Their American...
Not Here to Be Liked
Quach, Michelle
Paper Book
Featured title in Shake Up Your Shelves, a campaign to promote inclusive texts in curriculum, library collections, and bookstores
The poet X
Acevedo, Elizabeth
Paper Book
* Extensive promotion at School & Library conferences, including lead book placement and substantial distribution of ARCs * Special Standalone Advertising and author feature pitches in leading school & library media such as School Library Journal, Booklist  *...
The queens of New York
Shen, E. L.
Paper Book
From acclaimed author E. L. Shen comes a sun-drenched, cinematic YA novel about three Asian American girls, their unbreakable bond, and one life-changing summer, perfect for fans of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Best friends Jia Lee, Ariel Kim, and Everett Hoang are inseparable....
The sun is also a star
Yoon, Nicola
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST * NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE * An all-encompassing, whirlwind romance that's "beautifully crafted" (People) and "full of intelligence, understanding and hope" (Los Angeles Times) ONE OF THE...
This place is still beautiful
Tian, Xixi
Paper Book
Big Mouth ARE mailing to a curated list of influential librarians and educators Teens' Top 10/YALSA ARE mailing to 15 teen reading groups across the country Advertising in key school & library media, such as School Library Journal, The Horn Book and Booklist ...
Yo no soy tu perfecta hija mexicana
Sánchez, Erika L.
Paper Book
Finalista del National Book Award! Bestseller del New York Times! TIMES 2020, los 100 mejores libros juveniles de todos los tiempos Julia no es la hija mexicana perfecta. Ese era el rol de su hermana Olga. Olga no fue a la universidad, se quedó en casa...

Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.