By Super Kitty

In Someone Like Me, Julissa Arce tells of her experiences growing up as an undocumented immigrant in San Antonio. When her family first moved to America, none of them spoke fluent English, but Julissa learned quickly and eventually graduated high school in the top five percent of her class. During weekdays, she was a normal high schooler, doing homework and going to cheerleading practice, but on the weekends she and her parents would work long days at festivals, selling funnel cakes to support their family. As she got older, Julissa became ever more aware of how limited her future was—colleges rejected her because she didn’t list a social security number in her applications, and she lived in constant fear of deportation. Yet her extraordinary intellect and hard work paid off, and she eventually became first a Wall Street executive, and then the writer, speaker, and activist which she is known as today.

I’ve been wanting to read Someone Like Me for a while, and it didn’t disappoint. It’s far too easy when hearing about the lives of undocumented immigrants to lose sight of the individual stories and personal struggles that countless Dreamers experience, and this book focuses on the humanity of those fighting for citizenship. The writing is engaging, and the story timely and powerful. Julissa Arce describes the many struggles she faced as a young undocumented girl, from her difficulty getting into college (despite her stellar grades) to the way it sometimes felt as though her family was falling apart. The experiences which she recounts are often harrowing, but it’s also a story of courage and hope. I would highly recommend Someone Like Me to readers ages 10 and up, and it’s perfect for parents and kids to discuss, or as a book group selection. And for readers who enjoy memoirs/autobiographies, be sure to check out our reviews on Find Where the Wind Goes, Farewell to Manzanar, and I am Malala.​

By Super Kitty

When Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston was seven, she and her family were forced by the American government to move from their comfortable home in Ocean Park, California, to Manzanar, a half-constructed camp in a mountainous desert region of California. They had committed no crime, but during World War II, a fear of Japanese spies swept the nation, and President Roosevelt signed an Executive Order permitting the relocation of any potential hazards to the country and/or winning the war. The Wakatsukis started off their three and a half years at the camp in half-finished shacks, and the food and conditions were appalling. But things improved, and eventually the camp grew to resemble an ordinary town, with movie theaters, churches, and schools. The camp became home, a place where Japanese heritage was not a curse.

Several years after it was founded, the camp was disbanded, following several court cases fought on the issue. Families which had been forced to move in were now being sent away, a sudden freedom which was no longer a blessing. People had built their lives only to be brought to the internment camps, their belongings hastily sold (or stolen) after they left. And now they were being thrust back into the outside world, with nowhere to start from, faced with widespread American anti-Japanese sentiment. For Jeanne, still a child, Manzanar was where her life truly began. For many, including her parents, it was the beginning of the end. No matter their age, the internees left the camp with scars that never fully healed, and memories, both good and bad, that haunted them for the rest of their lives. 

To be honest, I can’t believe that this part of history isn’t more widely known. Most people haven’t even heard of the Japanese internment camps, or if they have, they don’t truly understand what happened to the people—elders, children, families—who were brought there. Farewell to Manzanar is especially powerful because it’s not just modern-day historical fiction, but the true story of a family’s experience, drawn from the author’s own memories. It’s a great book to discuss, and is an excellent choice for book groups. Thought-provoking and sometimes heartbreaking, I would highly recommend Farewell to Manzanar for readers ages eleven and up.

​And if you’re interested in learning more about World War II, check out our review on Fly Girls! ​

By Super Kitty

Malala Yousafzai is world famous. She has received countless awards and honors, and is the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in world history. Hers is now a household name.

But before all of that, she was an ordinary girl, born and raised in the beautiful Swat Valley in Pakistan, attending school and playing with her younger brothers. Her lifestyle was very different from that of most American children, but her world was a peaceful one, and she was happy.

Then the Taliban came, and her world turned upside down. The Taliban called girls weak and inferior to boys, and said that educating them is a waste of time and money. Suddenly, Malala couldn’t go to school, and she began to realize how much learning meant to her. Her father, a community leader and activist, had always taught her to stand up for what she believed in, and she began to give speeches with him, writing, traveling, and doing anything she could to get her voice heard. She spoke up, and people listened. She gained widespread recognition for her work for women’s rights and education—but it was only when the Taliban tried to assassinate her that she entered the world spotlight.

Powerful, moving, and inspiring, this book completely lived up to my high expectations. Malala’s determination and courage shine through as she writes, exploring the complex politics and history of her native country. Her perspective, as a civilian who survived in a place of countless attacks, threats, battles, and bombs, gives a vivid picture of the bloody conflict that has defined so much of her life, and is deeply honest and human in a way that a news story or government report could never be.

Malala is an amazing speaker and activist, and I loved learning about her. She is inspirational and yet still relatable, and her passion for social justice has made her a symbol of peaceful protest and positive change around the world. This is a story of violence and terrorism, yes, and of the horrors that continue to occur around the world. Yet it is told with hope, voiced by a girl who nearly died for her cause, yet continues to fight—and risk her life—to realize her dreams of education and equality for girls everywhere.
 
Note: I would recommend I am Malala for readers ages 12 and up, since parts of it are upsetting or would be too confusing for younger kids. However, there is also a young reader’s edition available, which Piranha T. read and enjoyed—it’s a story which is important to know, and which version ever you read, you’re sure to be inspired!

By Super Kitty
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In this lively, vivid memoir, Mae Jemison tells of her inspiring journey, from a young girl growing up in the south to an astronaut and becoming the first woman of color in space. Written in an engaging, entertaining style, she recounts her life up until shortly after she resigned from NASA, including her escapades as a child and young adult, her experiences as a doctor in Africa, and, of course, her training and historic spaceflight as an astronaut at NASA.

I’ve been interested in Mae Jemison for a while, and recently ended up doing a school report on her, which led me to this book. I loved it for several reasons. First of all, the author’s way of writing makes you feel like you’re being told all these stories by an older sister or cousin, proud of some things, amused by others, and rolling her eyes at some of her more humorous attempts at various skills and projects. It didn’t feel like the story was being written down to younger readers at all, which I also appreciated.

Find Where the Wind Goes is usually categorized as Young Adult, and I think that readers ages ten and up will likely enjoy it the most. Mae grew up in the south during the 1960s, and while she did not directly experience violence, it was not uncommon at the time in the black community. There were dangers that were a part of her childhood, and while there’s certainly nothing graphic or anything, I think that it’s just one of those books that’s better once you’ve learned about that period in history.
The story is wonderful and often amusing, and the narration feels informal and fun: this is a book I would recommend to fans of not just history or space travel, but also those looking for a story about making friends, taking chances, and following your dreams.  

Note: If you enjoyed this book, I recommend learning more about Mae Jemison’s work after she left NASA—she’s done some really interesting stuff, in science, work for social justice, and more!