Denied, Detained, Deported: Stories from the Dark Side of American Immigration

by Ann Bausum

With painstaking research, an unerring eye for just the right illustration, and her unique narrative style, award-winning author Ann Bausum makes the history of immigration in America come alive for young people. The story of America has always been shaped by people from all corners of the Earth who came in search of a better life and a brighter future. Immigration remains one of the critical topics in 21st century America, and how our children learn the lessons of the past will shape all our futures.

The patriotic stories of hope that shape most immigration books are supplemented here by the lesser-known stories of those denied, detained, and deported. Ann Bausum’s compelling book presents a revealing series of snapshots from the dark side of immigration history

   •  Immigrants The St. Louis, a ship filled with Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany sought refuge in American ports and was turned away, condemning many of its passengers to ultimately perish in the Holocaust.
   • Immigrants Japanese-Americans were rounded up during World War II and placed in detention centers—regardless of their patriotism—for security reasons.
   • Immigrants Emma Goldman was branded a dangerous extremist and sent back to Russia in 1919, after living 30 years in the United States.


Ann Bausum creates a bridge from the lessons of the past to the present with fascinating analysis of how our past has influenced modern events and current views on immigration.

National Geographic supports K-12 educators with ELA Common Core Resources.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Social Justice, Cultural, Childrens, Politics, Middle Grade

112 pages, Hardcover

First published April 14, 2008

About the author

Ann Bausum writes about history for readers of all ages from her home in southern Wisconsin. Her works often focus on under-told stories from the past, and she frequently explores issues of social justice.

Her newest title, The March Against Fear (National Geographic: 2017), is her third work to examine the civil rights movement in the American South. In the case of these and other books, Bausum strives to bring the nation’s social justice history to life in ways that empower and inspire readers young and old alike. Her previous title, Stonewall (Viking: 2015), is among the first nonfiction books to introduce teens to gay rights history. Previous works have explored voting rights, immigration, and free speech, among other topics.

The almost-forgotten story of Stubby lured Bausum away from social justice history temporarily. She wrote twin titles about the stray dog smuggled to Europe during World War I who returned to a hero’s welcome. Both books were published in 2014 by National Geographic: Sergeant Stubby (for adult readers) and Stubby the War Dog (for children).

In the spring of 2017, the Children’s Book Guild of Washington, D.C., will honor the body of Bausum’s work by presenting her with its venerable Nonfiction Award. This award recognizes the consistent commendation earned by her individual titles through the years. Bausum’s books have appeared consistently on lists of recommended and notable titles and have earned numerous literary awards including a Sibert Honor Award, the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award, the Carter G. Woodson Award (on two occasions), and the SCBWI Golden Kite Award. In 2015, she was named the year’s Notable Wisconsin Children’s Author by the Wisconsin Library Association.

You may follow Bausum on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AnnBausum) and Twitter (@AnnBausum) or visit her online at www.AnnBausum.com

Reviews

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name · Rating 2 out of 5]

I learned nothing

2017 Reading Challenge: about immigrants

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Told in the format of 5 chapters with each giving a biographical depiction of someone facing the bigger problem defined by that chapter, it was detailed & engrossing. Perfect for middle grade readers to learn about immigration throughout US history. And the stories are enough to scare you into thinking long & hard about the present & future as she compares the past to the present.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just like they lie about who Colombus really was and that Rosa Parks wasn't the first to stand up for African American rights, no one talks about the people that were imprisoned, sent away, and turned away when America was supposed to be the welcoming country with Lady Liberty standing at the entrance.

The National Geographic pictures are fantastic and each story is informative.

[Lillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm reading this for a Children's Librarian Workshop.

**

A Juvenile Nonfiction book that gives you the facts about what has happened to American immigrants ~ all from different countries, all sharing the belief that America will give them the ability to come to a new country where they can grow their families and prosper, and also sharing the story that America can also treat them with such cruelty and suspicion that they are forced to leave or become oppressed in their new country.

It is a cycle that occurs every time America has a shortage of jobs, during war, and national security that immigrants are viewed as suspicious, as the anti-American, as the foreigner who has come to overthrow the government.

This makes me wonder - why aren't we learning from history? Why aren't we looking at how immigrants are being treated? How even first and second generation born Americans are being treated - children of immigrants? When does this hatred end?

**
I highly recommend this book.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Totally cool topic, right? The dark side of American Immigration? Makes the bleeding heart in me just want to sing, right? So, it was a big bummer when I actually read it. This book really pissed me off because it could have been a great book. The research is there. The idea is fresh. It's an important topic-like Howard Zinn is important-right? But, then, I started reading it and its poorly written and confusing. A good editor could have helped solve many of the issues; but as it stands now, the book is way too leading, and the author jumps around historically in some of the vignettes, making it difficult to follow. It's true, I'm not a nonfiction gal to start with-but, poorly written nonfiction makes me nuts.

Not a complete deal-breaker-I still think this book deserves some space on the library shelf--there are much, much worse books out there. Just not sure it hit the home run it could have...

[Linda V · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may have been published in '09 but is obviously just as relevant today. The hot topic of immigration is presented in an approachable manner for student readers. At the back of the book there is a time line of major events in the history of U.S. immigration policy, which succinctly outlines the back and forth of this issue.

[John Machata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative. Helpful. Interesting how many did not like the book.

[Suraj Rajesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: "Denied, Confined, Expelled: Stories from the Clouded Side of American Movement"

Creator: Ann Bausum

Production Date: April 14, 2009

Kind: Educational

The focal message of the book is to diagram and show perusers the hardships looked by foreigners all through U.S. history and the isolation they confronted. The book centers around significant migration developments, for example, the significant influx of Irish outsiders to the U.S. following the war of 1812. The book not just spotlights on the difficulties looked by the outsiders yet how the huge flood of migration influenced the U.S. economy and the general culture of the U.S. Similarly, this book plunges into the negative viewpoints and the hurtful ways we managed workers throughout the years.

The book was written in the late 2000s where the U.S. populace to a great extent contained settlers. As of now, there was a lot of discussion over the quantity of settlers. A large number of these parts of the book clarify how these past movement stories affected the view towards outsiders of our cutting edge time as Ann Bausum draws an examination between migration all through U.S. history and movement that she saw in her lifetime.

The book's greatest selling point is the manner by which it analyzes migration from the past to the movement that she saw in present day society. It relates the past negative perspectives towards foreigners to the perspectives controlled by individuals from the present society. This inside and out correlation between the two isolates it from different books as it portrays the impact that past occasions can have on current society. Ann Busan gives a fair position on movement and its effects.

The writer composed this book in a way that made it straightforward paying little mind to your age. Be that as it may, since this book is mostly focused towards more seasoned perusers, the word decision during some particular occasions makes it difficult to comprehend. Regardless of whether you concur or differ with migration is immaterial as the writer figures out how to keep a nonpartisan point of view that can draw in perusers without endeavoring to change their view.

Generally, the book worked superbly of clarifying the negative ways the U.S. managed movement and the difficulties looked by outsiders just as the effects they had on present day society. The greatest takeaway was the way the creator featured these "obscure" accounts of these past migration waves. A significant number of these accounts are essential as they show exactly how barbarously workers were dealt with.

[Nathan George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: "Denied, Detained, Deported: Stories from the Dark Side of American Immigration"
Author: Ann Bausum
Publication Date: April 14, 2009
Genre: Informational

The central message of the book is to outline and show readers the hardships faced by immigrants throughout U.S. history and the segregation they faced. The book focuses on major immigration movements such as the major wave of Irish immigrants to the U.S. following the war of 1812. The book not only focuses on the challenges faced by the immigrants but how the large wave of immigration affected the U.S. economy and the overall culture of the U.S. Similarily, this book dives into the negative aspects and the harmful ways we dealt with immigrants over the years.

The book was written in the late 2000s where the U.S. population largely comprised of immigrants. At this time, there was much debate over the number of immigrants. Many of these chapters of the book explain how these past immigration stories impacted the view towards immigrants of our modern time as Ann Bausum draws a comparison between immigration throughout U.S. history and immigration that she witnessed in her lifetime.

The book's biggest selling point is how it compares immigration from the past to the immigration that she witnessed in modern society. It relates the past negative views towards immigrants to the views possessed by members of today's society. This in-depth comparison between the two separates it from other books as it describes the influence that past events can have on modern society. Ann Busan provides an unbiased stance on immigration and its impacts.

The author wrote this book in a manner that made it easy to understand regardless of your age. However, since this book is mainly targeted towards older readers, the word choice during some specific instances makes it hard to understand. Whether or not you agree or disagree with immigration is irrelevant as the author manages to keep a neutral standpoint that can attract readers without attempting to change their view.

Overall, the book did a good job of explaining the negative ways the U.S. dealt with immigration and the challenges faced by immigrants as well as the impacts they had on modern society. The biggest takeaway was how the author highlighted these "unknown" stories of these past immigration waves. Many of these stories are memorable as they display just how cruelly immigrants were treated.

[Isaiah Branch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ann Bausum, an author widely recognized for her books on US history, crafted "Denied, Detained, Deported: Stories from the Dark Side of American Immigration" as a thought-provoking, insightful book about the hidden horrors of American immigration and the forms that it has taken throughout our country's history behind the scenes.

Published on April 14th, 2009, "Denied, Detained, Deported" is a collection of nonfictional stories that portray real-life cases of discrimination and rejection in five unique chapters; Excluded, Deported, Denied, Detained, and Exploited. All of these tell crushing yet eye-opening short stories of people who experienced a variety of shocking rejections, from the denial of German immigrant's entry into the US to the confinement of Japanese Americans within a small concentration camp in Wyoming. They all share a common theme; denial of their freedom.

The book's central 'selling point,' what makes it really stand out from other novels, is how it ties every story back to a poem called "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus, which portrays the US as a safe haven for weary souls and a place of restoration and rehabilitation from haunting pasts. However, Ann Bausum uses these stories to convince the reader otherwise; that the statue of liberty has lost its symbolic meaning and that the US is not as accepting of others as it first seemed.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is fascinated by US history or is interested in learning about how immigrants have been treated in the past because of how effectively and realistically it displays the personal lives of the characters and reveals details that aren't widely known. I must caution readers, however, to remember that these stories really happened and should not be taken lightly. Even though this book targets a younger audience, there are some darker subjects covered and some of the stories could be very emotional or depressing to certain readers.

Despite all of that, this book is definitely worth the read. My biggest takeaway is that our country was not as benevolent as they seemed. I am now more sympathetic towards the nationalities that had to suffer through these events and I believe that I now have a more accurate understanding of our country as a whole and how they choose to operate when problems arise that I will continue to reflect on many months from now.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly researched examination of the U.S.'s complicated immigration policies over the years along with personal stories of the dark side of immigration. Although the U.S. has opened its doors and has been a refuge of freedom and hope for millions all over the world, during times of uncertainty, fear, and war, the policies became restrictive, prejudicial, and cruel. Bausum's research is impeccable. I appreciated that she clearly outlays the complexities and mixed history
(positive & negative) of the U.S.'s ever changing and evolving immigration policies. She asks as many provocative questions as she answers. Are there ever any truly definitive answers? This is a timely and thought provoking read.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

The decision to focus on five stories/groups of people was a smart one. It humanized folks from all backgrounds and gave an accessible broad overview of how immigration policies have ebbed and flowed to benefit some and disadvantage others. I liked how specific and precise the information provided was, and while it was certainly pro-immigrant in its message, it often gave the US the benefit of the doubt by accounting for various fears and unknowns of the time (as compared to what we know now). This would be essential in any middle or high school collection and would make an excellent pleasure read for lots of kids on a super important, timely topic.

[Mark Nenadov · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was OK. I didn't find it particularly well written. This book is intended for children, and gives some important historical context in regard to immigration. It is by no means an in-depth treatment, though.

That said, I feel most North Americans who are civically engaged should have a basic familiarity with these incidents both so we don't repeat the history and so they can have a deeper understanding of the rhetoric and realities around this crucial topic. Perhaps for some this would be a digestible introduction and thus serve a purpose.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

We all have these ideas that when our people came here we were "good" immigrants. Why can't people today immigrate legally? Learn the language? Etc.

The fact is, immigrants have always been looked at with suspicion and sometimes disdain. The five stories in this book are a reminder of that.

[Dorothy Caimano · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brief history of America's attitude toward immigrants, varying from decade to decade. The author gives an overview of the changes, back and forth, throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for middle school level students

[Erikka · Rating 3 out of 5]

An informative look at the darker side of American immigration and a great book to share with children who ask questions about our frankly Draconian immigration methods today.

[Kyra L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice intro read to the history of immigration in the United States.

[Laura Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairly biased account, but good to see those who have struggled with US immigration policy. Makes you think.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great jumping off point. This is a great overview to get one thinking about the racism in our country

[VEBAMAHu · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a really good book, this book open my eyes about the situation in the united estates of america because there is an abuse of power all time and this is a bad sitation and the government don't do anything to fix it.

[Barb Middleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Immigration policies have not always represented the ideals of freedom and this nonfiction text shows the cycle of prejudice, fears, and exploitation that have been directed at marginalized immigrants in American history. The text is only an introduction and focuses on major immigration policies and attitudes that affected Chinese, Russians, Jewish, Japanese, and Mexican immigrants negatively. Grade 5 students study immigration and this is a good text for research and a look at laws that have not reflected the rights guaranteed in the Constitution. The author's message is to learn from the past and stop the cycle of exclusion and exploitation that is directed at those looking for freedom and a better life.

The primary resources and photos enhance the text and the timeline, resource guide, and bibliography help the reader continue research using other sources. While the Russian, Jewish, and Japanese section follows particular families or people and their struggles with anti-immigration laws, the Chinese and Mexican sections are more factual and not as interesting. The personal touch adds some emotion to the fates and shows how difficult it was for them to overcome the injustices inflicted by the government. I thought that African Americans and Native Americans might get a section of their own or be added with some of the other laws that affected them as well, but they follow the laws moreso than ethnic groups. Arab Americans are briefly mentioned and the current immigration mess with Mexico is not covered at all as the book is five years old and written before the influx of thousands of Mexican children illegally crossing the border.

This morning the paper had information on a migrant crisis in Indonesia where hundreds of Rohingya and Bangladeshi are fleeing their countries from religious persecution. The Syrian Civil War has displaced millions of people. Immigration is a global problem and not just unique to the United States. The arguments are similar with people from the existing countries feeling threatened by loss of jobs, food shortages, and other economic factors. Racism and national security are tied up in the conflict as well. This book doesn't give the cons to immigration for the most part. It recognizes it in the Introduction, but doesn't support it throughout the text. The main focus is for immigration as a right to freedom in the constitution and a study of immigration policies that are short-sighted and cruel versus humane.

This text could be coupled with picture and fiction books to enhance the message of laws that are unjust. The book, "Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez & Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation," by Duncan Tonatiuh shows how a Mexican family used the courts to get unjust immigration laws changed. The fiction chapter book, "Esperanza Rising," by Pam Munoz Ryan, shows the difficulties and poverty that migrant works experience in the U.S. "Barbed Wire Baseball," by Marissa Moss, shows the Japanese community building a baseball stadium at a internment camp to give them hope during a grim time. The fiction book, "A Diamond in the Desert," by Kathryn Fitzmaurice describes life in a Japanese internment camp. "The Harmonica," by Tony Johnston is a picture book on the Holocaust. The fiction book, "Number the Stars," is one of many Holocaust fiction books. Patricia Polacco is my go-to author for Russian culture in picture books. A fiction book is "Breaking Stalin's Nose," by Eugene Yelchin on Communist Russia. Further information on the Russian revolution is in the excellent book, "The Romanov Family," by Candace Fleming. Chinese picture book, "Coolies," covers the migration during the 1800s and a fiction book on it is "The Iron Dragon Never Sleeps," by Stephen Krensky.

[MissDziura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ann Bausman’s examination of the dark side of immigration begins with a powerful juxtaposition of Emma Lazarus’ 1883 poem The New Colossus, and Naomi Shihab Nye’s 2008 poem Statue of Liberty Dreams of Emma Lazarus, Awakens with Tears on her Cheeks. On the left side is a stoic, clear picture of the Statue of Liberty next to Lazarus’ poem, whereas the right side is Nye’s poem next to the blurry, backside of the Statue which is a photographic illustration of how these poems address the same issues but in contradictory ways. It definitely pulls the reader into a text with no happy endings. There is a plentiful amount of authority within this text beginning with an afterword and including a time line, resource guide, bibliography, resource notes, citations, and an index. Bausman’s text includes so many bits of historical information that most likely will be unknown to readers, which is unfortunate because the mistreatment of certain groups is something that students of history should be aware of. In a review done by The School Library Journal, a nice summation of the focus of this text is made;
This book is not intended to cover the entire topic of immigration, but instead focuses solely on instances in which the United States appears to have made mistakes. The author even takes time to explore possible negative consequences of making the "better" decision, acknowledging that it's impossible to know what unforeseen outcomes would have resulted.
All of the photographs and illustrations fit in perfectly with the section they are found in, and add depth to the surrounding information. The intended audience of this book is students in grades 5 and higher, and it is appropriate for this group. Each “story” could be taken separately and effectively used in a unit just on immigration or as additional accounts of other historical periods such as the Gold Rush, the Red Scare, and the Holocaust. For example, Herb Karliner’s account of being a passenger on the St. Louis is rich enough, but when Bausman tells of the struggle Herb’s family faced as Jews in Germany the reader receives additional background about the historical time period. Another way that Bausman makes this text appropriate is by connecting the end of some of the sections with present day issues, starting with the two poems in the beginning. After the first chapter which chronicled the struggles of Chinese immigrants, she writes “substitute Latino for Chinese, substitute 2008 for 1908, and old cries echo through current events” (p. 22-23), which allows the readers to connect the history with what happens today. Each section exhibits literary artistry by telling a complete story of an individual, family and group and the writing is done in such a way as to leave “cliffhangers” at the end of certain pages to keep a reader reading. The use of literary devices prevents the text from being dry, and creates an urgency to continue each story. Finally the attractiveness of the text is seen first with the powerful cover showing people of different ages, gender, and ethnicities under the title words, and it continues throughout each page. On the left side of each chapter beginning is a full page picture and a well-chosen quote that frontloads what is about to come for the reader. I highly recommended this text.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my opinion, Ann Bausum's book "Denied, Detained, Deported: Stories From the Dark Side of American Immigration", a Carter G. Woodson Book Award Secondary Winner, should be required reading for all those involved in determining the future of U.S. immigration policy. In her book, she outlines how the "forces as diverse as economics, racism, national security, and patriotism have shaped immigration history." (p. 11)She also states that,"Arguments for and against immigration tend to repeat in cycles. By studying the past, we may be better able to judge when immigration policy is wise instead of short-sighted, humane instead of cruel, beneficial instead of harmful. By remembering--- and learning from--- yesterday's mistakes, we may avoid creating tragic history tomorrow." (p.11)
Bausum's extensive bibliography and resource guide (which includes internet sites as well as books)and her notes show her thorough research and are proof of the authority and accuracy of her book. She provides an extensive timeline of interesting and important details in the history of U.S. immigration from 1788 to 2007. Other features that add to the historical accuracy are photographs and illustrations/reproductions with captions. The photographs in particular lend an artistry as well as a humanity and an immediacy to the text that draws the reader in: these are real stories about actual people. The book is well-organized and well-written, though in an expository style with occasional quotations interspersed, often in captions. The photographs are what make the book attractive and appealing. It is my opinion that parts of this book could be read with intermediate elementary students, but the intended audience is middle or high school.
Bausum opens the book by contrasting Emma Lazarus's famous poem about the Statue of Liberty and what she represents to immigrants with Naomi Shihab Nye's more contemporary poem commenting on the actual state of immigration: she has been transformed from "welcome chief" to "bouncer at the big club". I think the image of immigration in America has been about how open the door has been but has not included when and to whom is has been closed. I knew that most immigrant groups faced prejudice initially, but I was shocked to learn about the degree of prejudice Asians, particularly the Chinese, had to endure. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 severely restricted Chinese immigration; the Chinese were subject to excess taxes and vigilante violence; and,they were not allowed to become citizens until 1943!
"Denied, Detained, Deported" is full of history we all need to know. This history has shaped our identity as a nation, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. The chapter on the exploitation of Mexican labor is especially timely as we confront the dilemma of illegal immigration and its many related issues today.

[Rachel Grover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect for research on immigration, this nonfiction book brings three specific stories of immigrants' not so great experiences with coming to America. Beautifully told, their stories include the context of national events at the time. Not convinced my middle school students would pick this up, but book talking may help. Would be a good addition to a HS library, I think. Already seems outdated with a copyright date of 2009. Unsure about purchase for my library.

[Ranulfo C · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read "Denied, Detained, and Deported", by Ann Bausum. When i saw the book, the title attracted me right away because to me those words mean something that happens today in real life. Also, I saw that there was picures of different kind of people and I wanted to know what kind were they and why are they were they in the cover. Another thing that attracted me is that it is from National Geography so I knew this was going to give me facts and I would learn from the past about immigration.
Immigration is the real topic about this book. It talks about how different kinds of groups of people were not accepted here in America, such as the Chinese, and they either had to work hard for a low pay or they would get deported back to their own place. The author is trying to show how in the past life was hard for anyone if they were not born in America. If you like to know about immigration and understand why this topic today is big, this book is good to read so you can learn a little background on immigration.
This book overall was pretty good, like now I have a better idea on how life for someone who wasn't born in America was like. Also, I like how it talked about different groups of people not only focusing on one because I know how the different groups were treated. What I didn't like was that they didnt really talk about laws on immigration. But finally, I enjoyed reading the book and I gained knowledge.

[Daniel P · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the Non-Fiction book, Denied, detained, deported by Ana Bausum I realized that from immigrators’ perspective, America treated them horribly. The story takes place in America around World War II. It seems like the dream of America is the opposite of what you actually get in America. There are 5 separate stories told 3rd person from somebodies diary like Josef Joseph a Jewish man who was denied from entering America. In the stories all of them show that America should have been more open to immigrators but the timing was off. America was industrialized enough to have so many people.

There was nothing negative about this book. The positives were that there wasn't too much information to remember and it was told from the perspective of the immigrators. Like when Josef Joseph came on a boat heading to St. Louis but was denied even during the Holocaust. When I was flying in to a different country, customs took a long time. I couldn't even image how long somebody would’ve had to wait at Ellis Island. There weren’t any weaknesses in this book. The strengths were that it was told from the diaries from immigrators and there wasn't too much information to remember. I would recommend this book to one of my friends if he had to read a Non-Fiction book or they wanted to learn about US history.

[Mrs. Trimble · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book features five separate immigration stories that took place in the United States. The first story is about the Anti-Chinese sentiment that ran rampant through the U.S. during the late 1800’s. The three middle stories are specific to actual people: German-Jew Herb Karliner, Japanese-American Mary Matsuda, and Labor-activist Emma Goldman. The last story is about Mexican migrant workers and how sometimes they are welcome in the U.S. and sometimes they are not. The stories help the reader reflect on past mistakes made by the American people and our government. It also helps the reader contemplate the parallels between then and now and future opportunities / challenges in our country. The stories were very well-written and the reader can’t help but feel empathy and compassion for the victims. Pages 96 through 101 feature a timeline of landmark immigration rulings and events. Page 102 is a Resource Guide of books, films/videos and online resources for the reader to delve into further on this issue further.

[Kelsey Hoban · Rating 2 out of 5]

Denied, Detained, Deported is an informative and interesting book about immigrants and their stories from history. This book is full of different stories from multiple different immigrants and their different stories that have happened to them throughout their lives. THis book helps shed light on a very important topic that still arises today in politics. It brings us closer to the mistakes of the past and helps us not repeat those mistakes again. This books purpose was to inform those about immigrants and what they have been through trying to get into this country. I thought its as very interesting and scary at times. It was hard to read but I also couldn't put it down. I do not think this is a very good book for any younger classroom other than high school. I don't think it is a topic that most younger students will understand or want to learn about. Although the book was full of great and wonderful stories it isn't appropriate for the younger ears.