Ink Knows No Borders: Poems of the Immigrant and Refugee Experience - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1609809076 ISBN 13: 9781609809072

Publisher: Triangle Square, 2019

Synopsis

Contributors to Ink Knows No Borders:

ELIZABETH ACEVEDO | SAMIRA AHMED | KAVEH AKBAR | EAVAN BOLAND | CHEN CHEN | SAFIA ELHILLO | MARTÍN ESPADA | CARLOS ANDRÉS GÓMEZ | JOSEPH O. LEGASPI | ADA LIMÓN | EMTITHAL MAHMOUD | BAO PHI | ALBERTO RÍOS | ERIKA L. SÁNCHEZ | GARY SOTO | CHRYSANTHEMUM TRAN | OCEAN VUONG | JAVIER ZAMORA . . . and many others.

This collection of sixty-four poems by poets who come from all over the world shares the experience of first- and second-generation young adult immigrants and refugees. Whether it’s cultural and language differences, homesickness, social exclusion, racism, stereotyping, or questions of identity, the Dreamers, immigrants, and refugee poets included here encourage readers to honor their roots as well as explore new paths, offering empathy and hope. Many of the struggles described are faced by young people everywhere: isolation, self-doubt, confusion, and emotional dislocation. But also joy, discovery, safety, and family. This is a hopeful, beautiful, and meaningful book for any reader.

About this title

About the Author

Poet, nonfiction writer and teacher Patrice Vecchione has edited several highly acclaimed anthologies for young adults including (from Henry Holt) Truth & Lies, which was named one of the best children's books by School Library Journal, Revenge & Forgiveness, and Faith & Doubt, named a best book of the year for young adults by the American Library Association. She's the author of Writing and the Spiritual Life (McGraw-Hill) and Step into Nature: Nurturing Imagination and Spirit in Everyday Life (Beyond Words/Atria), as well as two collections of poetry. For many years, Patrice has taught poetry and creative writing to young people (often working with migrant children) through her program, "The Heart of the Word: Poetry and the Imagination." She is also a columnist for her local daily paper, The Monterey Herald, and has published essays on children and poetry for several outlets including the California Library Association Journal. patricevecchione.com.

Alyssa Raymond is a freelance editor of adult and YA fiction and nonfiction. She hails from Massachusetts and Colorado, where she taught writing and rhetoric at the University of Colorado at Boulder and was a veteran bookseller at her favorite independent bookstore, the Boulder Book Store.

Reviews

Gr 8 Up-Editors Vecchione and Raymond have produced a sobering and impressive reflection of the trials and tribulations experienced by first- and second- generation immigrants and refugees. Common themes include isolation, language difficulties, arduous journeys, and familial connections. Standout selections include "My Grandmother Washes Her Feet in the Bathroom at Sears," in which the poet's grandmother ritually washes her feet in preparation for prayer, as other shoppers look askance, and "Portrait of Isako in Wartime," which evokes the Japanese American internment camps. Young adult readers will likely recognize several contributors, including Elizabeth Acevedo, Samira Ahmed, and Gary Soto. Contributors represent a range of ethnicities and cultures, including Somali, Chamoru (Guam), Irish, Mexican, and Vietnamese, as well as LGBTQIA+ experiences. Some selections include images of violence and swearing. VERDICT Although it might require some effort to get this collection in the hands of young readers, this would be a worthwhile addition to a high school English class or library.-Jennifer Schultz Angoli, Fauquier County Public Library, Warrenton, VA

Edition details

• Publisher: Triangle Square
• Publication date: 2019
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1609809076
• ISBN 13: 9781609809072
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 208
• Editor: Vecchione Patrice, Raymond Alyssa