BEHIND THE MOUNTAINS
by Edwidge Dandicat
Orchard Books
ISBN: 0439372992
Ages 11-15
176 pages

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Celiane, her brother Moy, and her mother Aline live in the beautiful mountains on the island of Haiti. Although they are poor and have a simple existence, they are for the most part a happy family, except for one thing: Celiane's father Victor is not with them. He is in New York City trying to raise enough money to bring them to America to join him. Having the family broken up is hard for everyone, yet at the same time, the thought of leaving Haiti is difficult. Celiane feels torn between the love of her homeland and those who live there, and the love she has for her father.

The pain that political strife can bring to the innocent is especially sharp and clear in this story, as Celiane's family is personally touched by the violence that rocked Port-au-Prince during the presidential elections in 2000. Reading about such a state of affairs is a grim reminder of how people in other parts of the world have to live their lives day after day.

Edwidge Dandicat has succeeded in telling Celiane's story in such a way that it is fresh and poignant, bittersweet and heartwarming. Drawing on her personal memories and from material she gathered on her recent trips back to Haiti, Dandicat has written a memorable book that provides readers with a picture of a culture that is vibrant, warm and colorful. She lets us see for ourselves the world of a people who struggle to find peace and stability in their daily lives.

FLIGHT TO FREEDOM
by Ana Veciana-Suarez
Orchard Books
ISBN: 0439381991
Ages 11-15
176 pages

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Imagine having to stand in a line for hours just to buy some soap and then not getting any because the store has run out. Imagine being separated from your family and friends for weeks on end by the government so that you can work on a farm picking tobacco leaves all day long. Imagine what it would feel like if your brother had to join the army when he was just sixteen and you didn't know where he was or how he was doing.

These are things that Yara and her family have to deal with on the island of Cuba in the 1960s. Life is hard, so much so in fact that Yara's parents decide that they are going to take advantage of what is being called the Freedom Flights. They plan on taking a few of their possessions and moving to Miami for a short period of time until the political situation in Cuba improves.

Written in the form of a diary, we are able to experience Yara's exile with her. Ana Veciana-Suarez has written this book in such a way that we feel as if we are a part of Yara's life, that we are by her side when she, for example, struggles during her first day in an American school. She cannot understand English and has no idea where she's supposed to go or what she's supposed to do. Yara discovers that there are so many things to learn in this new country --- what Thanksgiving is, how Americans celebrate Christmas, what a slumber party is, and what a grilled cheese sandwich tastes like.

As with so many others before and after her, Yara is caught between two worlds. "Do you stop loving your homeland if you live somewhere else…?" she asks herself. Her mother and sisters work hard to adapt to this new country while her father insists on returning to Cuba. He actively participates in organizations that want to overthrow the communist government in Cuba. For Yara, politics is confusing and causes all sorts of problems for the common people.

Veciana-Suarez succeeds in reminding us that America is still a refuge for people fleeing from oppression and conflict. She shows us with great understanding and sensitivity how difficult it is to learn how to live in a new place, with new people and new ways of life.

FINDING MY HAT
by John Son
Orchard Books
ISBN: 0439435382
Ages 11-15
192 pages

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Jin-Han begins his story with his first memory, when at age two he loses his hat to a sudden gust of wind. While he never finds that particular hat, his search for his "hat"--his identity--coincides with his family's search for their place in America. Struggles in Korea, losses during the Korean War, and the decision to leave behind loved ones to create a better future in a new, foreign place are all a part of Jin-Han's wise, funny story. But at the heart of this insightful novel is his coming of age and a growing awareness of others' perceptions of him.

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