The Newest Americans [5 volumes] (Middle School Reference)

This set introduces 32 immigrant groups who are changing the face of America today. The immigration patterns of the groups are examined within the historical context of their respective countries, and the challenges they face in adapting to a new life are explored in detail.

From its earliest days, America has symbolized freedom and opportunity for millions of people around the world. They are still arriving today, some optimistic about carving niches in a new homeland, others fleeing war and persecution in their native countries. But as immigrants settle in communities across America, many find that maintaining cultural traditions and values is difficult in the face learning a new language and working in unfamiliar settings. This set introduces 35 immigrant groups who are changing the face of America today. Their immigration patterns are examined within the historical context of their respective countries. Historical, social, political, and cultural information is included in extensive profiles of every group, along with key topics concerning specific groups and immigrants in general.

Volume 1: A-D

• Afghans

• Cambodians

• Chinese

• Colombians

• Cubans

• Dominicans

Volume 2: E-H

• Ecuadoreans

• Ethiopians

• Filipino

• Ghanaians

• Guatemalans

• Guyanese

• Haitians

Volume 3: I-L

• Indians

• Iranians

• Iraqis

• Jamaicans

• Kenyans

• Koreans

• Laotians

Volume 4: M-P

• Mexicans

• Nicaraguans

• Nigerians

• Pakistanis

• Poles

• Puerto Ricans

Volume 5: R-V

• Russians

• Salvadorans

• Serbs and Montenegrons

• Somalis

• South Africans

• Sudanese

• Taiwanese

• Vietnamese

Set Features:

• 720 pages in 5 volumes

• 7 x 10

• 2-color interior

• 250 Photographs

• 65 Maps (country of origin and where group settled in U.S.)

• 100 Charts and Graphs

• Sidebars and Fact boxes

• Kid-friendly recipes

• Glossary

• Pronunciation key

• Source list (books, Web sites, etc.)

• Index

Curriculum Themes:

• Reasons for immigration to United States

• Patterns of immigration

• Adaptation to new culture

• Holidays, Religions, Cuisines

Reading Level: 6th-8th Grades

Grade 6-9-These volumes present thorough and accessible information about 34 immigrant groups from Afghanistan to Vietnam that have come to the U.S. under the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. Each book opens with the same 12-page overview of the nation's immigration patterns and laws, and then moves to alphabetically arranged chapters about six or seven groups. Each entry provides a short overview of the subject's country of origin and the reasons why people have chosen to leave. A "Life in America" section describes how that specific community has adapted. Additional sections describe holidays and festivals, contributions to the arts, food (including a recipe), and famous people. Sidebars provide information about religion, customs, and individuals. Numerous maps, graphs, and charts supplement the text; average-quality, black-and-white photos are found throughout the set. Each volume has its own extensive index and a bibliography listing Web sites, articles, and books. A good choice for contemporary immigration assignments.
Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, MO
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

This set looks at 34 national groups that, according to the U.S. Bureau of Immigration, represent the largest number of immigrants to the U.S. since 1965. An introduction (reprinted in each volume) provides historical background; a time line of pertinent legislation; definitions of refugees, asylees, illegal immigrants, and naturalized citizens; and a discussion of American attitudes toward immigration. Following this introductory material are individual chapters arranged alphabetically according to parent nation. Chapters average 18 pages and follow a common format. Roughly half the material is devoted to each country's political, historical, and cultural foundations; remaining portions deal with immigrants' new lives in America and coping with changing social, family, work, school, religious, and dietary norms. Several special features, such as biographical "spotlights," boxed inserts, and full-page treatments on religions--Islam, Buddhism, etc.--appear throughout, as do occasional black-and-white photos, charts, and graphs. Volume-specific bibliographies (including print and electronic sources), glossaries, and indexes are also included.

Eleven of the 34 groups originate in the Western hemisphere, 10 in Asia, 7 in Africa, and 3 apiece in Europe and the Middle East. There are no surprises--anyone who follows world events could identify many of these populations. Nor is there anything particularly compelling about the background information, which reiterates standard material found in basic social studies references. What is unique are the individualized studies of assimilation attempts into mainstream American culture and the particular difficulties each group faces. Cultural differences regarding basic social functions such as body language, invitations, eating habits, eye contact, and giving and receiving compliments are explained, as are resulting sources of friction or perceived rudeness.

This is more accessible than recent adult offerings (American Immigrant Cultures: Builders of a Nation [Macmillan, 1997]; Encyclopedia of American Immigration [Sharpe, 2001]) and narrower in scope but much more detailed than American Immigration: A Student Companion (Oxford, 2001). The Newest Americans will be helpful as schools expand their curricula to reflect a global perspective and add units on character development and citizenship. Recommended for school and public libraries serving students in grades 6 through 12. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved