It’s Time to Feel Seen

When there is commonality between people and experiences, we feel less alone and more equipped. Whether stories are passed down or heard, they leave an imprint on our lives and leave us inspired to tackle the hardships that come our way.

Below is a compiled list of 5 books that include characters and/or authors that go through the immigrant experience. Indulge in the magnificent writing and feel connected as you read through prose that will have you feeling understood.

1. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

A novel filled with poetry on every page but yet, seamlessly shares the struggles and triumphs of being a young girl from the Dominican Republic living in New York.

2. They Call Me Güero by David Bowles

Another novel in verse that explores the truths of not feeling truly identified with one culture. Too American for some people and too Mexican for others.

3. The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur

A collection of poetry that encompasses every hurt, love, and confusion that a child of an immigrant feels.

4. Brown Girls Daphne Palasi Andreades

This book is a collection of short essays that follow a variety of brown girls growing up in the Bronx and finding unity within their differences.

5. Refugee by Alan Gratz

This multi-tiered story follows the lives of three different refugees from three different eras. Their journeys from Germany, Cuba, and Syria are empowering and intertwined in a beautiful manner.