Crossed Borders, Changed Lives: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Twenty-First Century Young Adult Immigrant & Refugee Literature seeks scholarly articles by scholars and advanced PhD candidates for publication in a collection on depictions of images of immigrants and refugees by:

• American authors
• Young Adult (YA) novels
• published after 2001 (9/11).

 CONTENT & CONTRIBUTERS:

The collection will address themes such as inclusion / exclusion (racism), equity/ inequity, identity construction, transnationalism / emotional transnationalism, social justice, and empathy.

Perhaps because of the anti-Muslim responses on 9/11/2001 to Trump’s policies against immigrants from South America and Muslim countries (2017-2021), fiction writers have been diligently documenting the immigrant’s experience and creating a wonderful explosion of literature about the immigrant experience. YA novels present stories of immigrants from South America (Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico), the Caribbean (Cuba and Haiti), Africa, Asia (Afghanistan, Korea, China, India, the Philippines, and Vietnam), the Middle East (Bangladesh, Istanbul, with an emphasis on Muslim immigrants); and Europe (Russia). Each author explores the reasons for leaving “Home” (political turmoil, poverty, family) and the youth’s experience adjusting in their new “home” in America. Writers (at least 55 women) have written stories that not only serve as “doors” for immigrant children to enter to see themselves represented, but also “windows” for Americans to experience the joys and sorrows of immigrant experiences and hopefully deepen empathy, reversing the political inhumanity.

Crossed Borders, Changed Lives seeks essays by scholars and advanced doctoral candidates.

Authors’ voices will work in concert with those of scholars. This comingling of the scholarly and the artistic supports my intention of making the collection inclusive, diverse, and equitable.

Abstract: 300-400 words

First set of contributors will be notified by August 1, 2024

Second set of contributors will be notified by: September 1, 2024 if you learned of the CFP from the department chair.

Palgrave/McMillan has approached me and asked me to submit a proposal

that includes names of contributors and abstracts.

If you would like to contribute an essay to the collection, please do so ASAP. 

You may email me, Deborah De Rosa, at derosa@niu.edu

Thank you!

Topics (not exclusive):

• Adjustment to the American landscape
• American hostility towards
• DACA
• Deportation
• Economics
• Equity
• Inclusion/ exclusion/ discrimination
• Language acquisition
• Political, religious, cultural events that prompt departure from birth country
• Preserving / remembering birth culture
• Relationship formations with non-immigrants/Americans or immigrants from another country
• Trauma

Writing / Revisions Time-Line

First draft: October 1, 2024

• Focus on developing content.
• Consider organization

Second Draft between December 1 and December 25, 2024

• Revise/extend content and organization based on feedback
• Revise paragraphing
• Add textual and scholarly evidence where necessary
• I will try to set up an on-line area for peer swap so that at least one other person can review your essay.
• I will read revised essays during break.

Third draft: April 2, 2025

• Revise/based on feedback
• Focus on revising style and documentation
• Peer-review, if wanted

Final, ready for submission: May 15, 2025, or a week after you have finished your semester/grading.

Recent YA texts about Immigrants & Refugees

1. Auch, M. J. Ashes of Roses. 2015 (Immigrant, Ireland)
2. Brosgol, Vera. Anya’s Ghost. 2014 (Immigrant; Russia, graphic novel; YA novel)
3. Ahmed, Samira. Love, Hate, and Other Filters. 2018.  (American born, Indian, “arranged” Muslim marriage’ bigotry)
4. Chao, Gloria.  American Panda. 2018 (Taiwan)
5. De la Cruz, Melissa. Something in Between. 2017 (Filipino immigrant, undocumented immigrants b/c visas expired, YA novel)
6. Gilbert, Kelly Loy. Picture Us in the Light, 2018.  2nd generation immigrant; China (?))
7. Hidier, Tanuja. Born Confused. 2014 (Immigrant;  YA novel; the first ever South Asian American coming-of-age story)
8. Honeyman, Kay. The Fire Horse Girl. 2013 (Immigration, China, Angel Island)
9. TENTATIVELY ASSIGNED Keller, Tae.  When You Trap a Tiger. 2020 (Korea, healing; takes place in America; grandmother’s history) https://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/when-you-trap-a-tiger/
10. Lai, Thanhha. Inside Out and Back Again. 2013 (Vietnam to Alabama; refugee; YA novel, but Amazon says 8-12 years
11. Lai, Thanhha. Butterfly Yellow. 2020 (Vietnam to Texas; refugee; YA novel)
12. Lee, Lori M. Forest of Souls. 2020 (Asian, fantasy, YA novel)
13. Menon, Sandhya. When Dimple Met Rishi. 2018 (Indian American, romance, YA novel)
14. Na, An. A Step from Heaven. 2016 (Immigrant; Korea to CA; difficulty of adjusting, racism, etc.; YA novel)
15. Na, An. Wait for Me. (Immigrant; YA novel)
16. Perkins, Mitali. Monsoon Summer. 2007 (Immigrant; Adoption; India; YA novel)
17. Perkins, Mitali. You Bring the Distant Near. 2017 (Immigrant; India; lost culture; YA novel)
18. Senzai, N. H. Shooting Kabul. 2011  (Immigrant; Afghanistan; YA novel but Amazon says age 12)
19. Shinn, Sharon. Gateway. 2009 (Immigrant; Chinese, adoption, magic; YA novel)
20. Yang, Gene. American Born Chinese. 2008 (Chinese-American; graphic novel; YA novel)
21. Yang, Kelly. Parachutes. 2020  (Chinese attending school in USA; YA)
22. Yoon, David. Frankly in Love. 2019(Korean American in US, crossing racial boundaries w/in heterosexual relationship; sister has married an African American too; Asian; love; ) https://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/booklists/?bookId=8240&booklistId=2
23. Yoon, Nicola.  The Sun Is Also a Star 2016.  (Korean, Mexican, deportation, love, https://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/booklists/?bookId=8994&booklistId=2
24. Cooney, Caroline. Diamonds in the Shadow. 2009 (Immigrant/ Refugee; arrive from Africa to America (CT) due to politics; YA novel
25. Farish, Terry. The Good Braider. 2014 (Immigrant, Sudan, Maine, YA novel)
26. Padian, Maria. Out of Nowhere 2015. (Somali refugees, Maine)
27. Paul. The Orange Houses. 2009 (Immigrant & Hearing Impaired; YA novel; 3 characters; Fatima Espérer is the 16-year-old refugee who fled the violence and poverty of her unspecified African country; set in New York.)
28. Abdel-Fattah, Randa. The Lines We Cross. 2017 (Anti-immigrant, Muslim refugee, Afghanistan, YA novel); https://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/booklists/?bookId=7166&booklistId=2
29. TENTATIVELY ASSIGNED: Budhos, Marina. Ask Me No Questions. 2007 (Immigrant; Bangladesh; living in NY on expired visas, then 9/11; father detained; Muslim, YA novel)
30. Carleson, J. C.  The Tyrant’s Daughter. 2014. (Middle east, politics, exile;)
31. Karim, Sheba. Skunk Girl. 2009 (Pakistani / Muslim in NY; https://www.shebakarim.com/skunk-girl; See Nielsen article on Muslims p, 126
32. Lum, Melato. Ayesha Dean. The Istanbul Intrigue. 2020 (Relevant? Mystery; Australia to Istanbul, Teen/Muslim)
33. Saedi, Sara. Americanized: Rebel without a Green Card. 2018 (undocumented, deportation, Iran)
34. Stratton, Allan. Borderline. 2012 (Immigrant; Muslim, FBI; YA novel)
35. Acevado, Elizabeth. When You Land. 2020 (Immigration, Dominican Republic; father has 2 wives / families; dies in plane crash; family realizes the secret; daughters meet; DR child leaves for America.)
36. Chambers, Veronica. The Go Between. 2017. (Mexico City, LA, fall from wealth)
37. Danticat, Edwidge. Behind the Mountains. 2004 (immigration, Haiti, Brooklyn)
38. Engle, Margarita. Jazz Owls 2018  (Mexican American, historical fiction; https://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/booklists/?bookId=1614&booklistId=2)
39. Feline, M. Sindy. Touching Snow. 2011 (Immigrant; move from Haiti to NY; child abuse; YA novel)
40. TENTATIVELY ASSIGNED Flores- Galbis, Enrique. 90 Miles to Havana. 2012 (Immigrant; 2 brothers sent from Cuba to Miami via the Pedro Pan operation; YA novel; Amazon says 9-12 years old)
41. Joseph, Lynn. Flowers in the Sky. 2013. (Immigrant, Dominican Republic, NY)
42. Moreno, Nina. Don’t Date Rosa Santos. 2019. (Cuba, https://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/dont-date-rosa-santos/
43. TENTATIVELY ASSIGNED Osa, Nancy. Cuba 15. 2005 (learning about her culture; Cuba; YA novel)
44. Placide, Jaira. Fresh Girl. 2002 (Born in US, sent to Haiti to live w/ grandmother; rape; YA novel)
45. Vaught, Susan. Stormwitch. 2005 (Immigrant moved from Haiti from Mississippi to live with Grandmother; culture/magic, YA novel)
46. Yoon, Nicola. The Sun Is Also a Star. 2016 (deportation, NYC, Jamaica)
47. Zoboi, Ibi. American Street.2017(Immigrant, Haiti, mother detained)
48. Agosin, Marjorie. I Lived on Butterfly Hill. 2014 (Immigrant; Chile political unrest; parents go into hiding; send daughter to America (Maine), YA novel (maybe middle grade?)
49. Andreu, Maria E. Love in English. 2021 (immigrant, Argentina to NY)
50. Arce, Julissa. Someone Like Me: How One Undocumented Girl Fought for her American Dream. 2018. (YA, Mexico, undocumented immigrant)
51. Buss, Fran. Journey of the Sparrows. 2002 (Immigrant; El Salvador YA novel, but Amazon says 8-12)
52. De la Pena, Matt. Mexican White Boy. 2010  (Immigrant; YA novel)
53. Fullerton, Alma. Libertad. 2008 (Immigrant; Guatemala, YA novel)
54. Grande, Reyna. The Distance between Us. 2012 (Mexico young reader’s version)
55. Hijuelos, Oscar. Dark Dude. 2009 (Immigrant; Latino, YA novel)
56. Jaramillo, Ann. La Linea. 2008 (Immigrant; Mexico, YA novel)
57. Marquardt, Marie.  The Radius of Us. 2017. (Latino gang violence in Central America & US)
58. Mikaelsen, Ben. Red Midnight. 2003 (Immigrant; Guatemala; YA novel; Amazon says age 8-12)
59. Restrepo, Bettina. Illegal. 2019 (Immigrant;  Mexico; YA novel)
60. Sanchez, Erica. I Am Not Your Perfect American Daughter. 2017. (Mexico)
61. ASSIGNED: Sanchez, Jenny. We Are Not from Here, 2020.
62. Schafer, Steve. The Border. 2017 (Mexico)
63. Stork, Francisco. Disappeared. 2017 (Immigrant; Mexico; YA novel)\
64. Vasquez Gilliland, Raquel. Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything (YA immigration, ice, Mexico)