First Generation: 36 Trailblazing Immigrants and Refugees Who Make America Great

by Sandra Neil Wallace, Rich Wallace (Contributor), Agata Nowicka (Contributor)

Celebrate the genius, diversity, and grit of immigrants and refugees in this boldly illustrated guide to 36 American trailblazers. The men and women in this book represent nations from Somalia to Germany, from Syria to China, from Mexico to Sweden, and more. They are people like Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, international singing sensation Celia Cruz, star basketball player Dikembe Mutombo, world-renowned physicist Albert Einstein, and influential journalist Jorge Ramos. And they are all immigrants or refugees to the United States of America. Their courage, their achievements, and their determination to change the world have helped make our country a stronger place. Perhaps after reading their stories, you will be inspired to make the world a better place, too.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, History, Middle Grade, Cultural, Picture Books, Childrens

96 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 4, 2018

About the author

Sandra Neil Wallace had a lengthy career as a news anchor and ESPN sportscaster. She succeeded in breaking a gender barrier by becoming the first female to anchor an NHL broadcast. Her books have been named to state and national awards lists, including Bank Street College’s Best Children’s Book of the Year, ALA-YALSA Quick Picks, and Booklist’s Top 10 Sports Books for Youth. She lives in New Hampshire and Maine with her husband, author Rich Wallace. To learn more about her, visit sandraneilwallace.com.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's exhilarating to read about people who have triumphed over the odds. These immigrants and refugees have crossed cultural boundaries and realized their dreams through their passion for what they believe in. They have assimilated into American life while also maintaining their own cultural identity. My favorite quotes:
"You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give" ~ Kahlil Gibran.
"Labels are for clothing. Labels are not for people" ~ Martina Navratilova.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful snapshots of a variety of first-generation Americans who have enriched our country with their passion, ideas, intelligence, and gifts. There are links in the back of the book to further reading on all of the subjects. This book has a nice blend of modern and historical figures. Of the 36, I think I could confidently say I was familiar with 12. I’m very happy to have made the acquaintance of the other 24 through this book.

[Isabel Schmieta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book that everyone should take the time to read.

Not only do you learn about these amazing people as immigrants, but also these amazing people for the things they have accomplished. So many of their accomplishments I knew of but didn't know an immigrant was behind them. It goes to show how important immigrants are to our communities. Without them, our lives would not be the same. We would not be able to enjoy Chobani yogurt, the National Parks Program, or even be able to search something on Google.

This book should be in the hands of all Americans, for those who want a deeper appreciation for our immigrant community, and for those who stand to learn a hefty lesson with their negative views of immigrants in America.

[Kevin Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible book! Very important for our youth to learn of these incredible journeys.

[Patricia Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Generation is a must-have for classrooms. An inspirational anthology of 36 immigrant and refugee stories reveals that with hard work and passion one can do anything. After reading the novel Refugee with my class, students read about real-life immigrants and refugees from science to sports, from politics to performers, and from old to young. First Generation has deepened student’s understanding of the courage, determination, sacrifice, and passion of 36 immigrants and refugees and the positive impact they have made on our world.
First Generation brings awareness of the contributions that Madeleine Albright, Martina Navratilova, Razia Jan, Yo-Yo Ma, Sergey Brin, John Muir and thirty others have made.
I especially like the format of the book. It is designed with a one-page biography facing a page with a beautiful illustration of the person, a quote, and a textbox with two or three interesting facts. The author's note, bibliography and resources are also helpful.
It is important to hear their stories and I highly recommend First Generation for all classroom and home libraries.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Whether you're first generation, tenth generation, or indigenous to this country, we hope the heroes in this book inspire you to blaze a trail yourself, and that they remind all Americans that our country's greatest strengths are its inclusiveness and diversity." -Sandra Neil Wallace & Rich Wallace, authors

This book had some great information about some immigrants I had heard of (Albert Einstein, Yo-Yo Ma, and Madeline Albright to name a few) as well as information about many immigrants I had never heard of before. This was an easy way for me to learn more about immigrants who have made our country and world better. One thing I was hoping this book would include was the dates these people lived. Some of these people I wasn't sure if they were still alive or not. It would have been nice to have that information included so I didn't have to spend time wondering.

This book is very informative for readers of all ages!

[TammyJo Eckhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of 36 short (1 page) essays about 36 migrants who became Americans and who contributed in some way to the promotion of civil rights or the betterment of the nature or the world. The selection is evenly split between male and female. Of these, only Albert Einstein was someone's whose essay read as a repeat of what I already knew. Even people I did know, I learned more about in this pages. The cartoons of them are well done, I think they show energy and character. Each person has a highlighted section of new information that could have easily in a lesser book been to just repeat facts.It was fun and quick to read, easily accessible to anyone from grade school on up.

While I would disagree with using "First generation" to describe someone who migrants to a nation, I will accept that it is one valid definition of the term. My unease at this usage and a single few well-known figure I felt I already knew enough about, isn't enough to deduct a star in this review.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone has a story to tell. Everyone's story has value. By hearing the stories of others we learn. When we learn we grow toward being the best we can be. We know all of this to be true.


We need to remember the person we pass walking down a street, pushing a grocery store cart, sitting at a table in a library, or sitting or standing with us, waiting in a line, has a story we might need or want to hear. If we listen to their story or read their story, it further validates them and us as human beings of worth. First Generation: 36 Trailblazing Immigrants And Refugees Who Make America Great (Little. Brown And Company, September 4, 2018) written by Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace with illustrations by Agata Nowicka is captivating and illuminating at every page turn.


My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...

[Margaret Boling · Rating 5 out of 5]

6/20/2019 ~ A must have book for any elementary (and possibly any school) library. Each two page spread has a brief biography and an illustration of someone who has immigrated to the U.S. and made a significant contribution. The subjects of the mini-biographies cover a range of time periods, genders, religions, ethnicities, and careers. Finally, additional resources for each biographee are included as back matter. This book is perfect to read straight through, but also works for browsing.

Two wishes: That an actual photo be included, and that each spread include an "index card" of key facts: years of birth (& possibly death), country of origin, language, & career.

Note: I received a copy of this book through a Twitter give-away from the author. Thank you.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Generation by Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace is a fabulous non-ficition choice for parents and kids looking for interesting bedtime tales that provide a quick introduction to inspiring people. The one-page biographies of immigrants and refugees who have contributed to American society in the 20th and 21st Century will intrigue readers ages 9 - 14. There is a helpful selected bibliography in the back of the book that would be a perfect jumpstart to a biography report needed for school. The authors have chosen a wide array of fascinating people to highlight who have come to the U.S. from across the world.

[Bethany M. Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher to facilitate this review. All opinions, as always, are my own.

In this book, both author and illustrator are immigrants and want to encourage all young readers to follow in these 36 trailblazing heroes’ footsteps.
The immigrants and refugees selected are athletes, activists, and torch bearers whose determination have made the US and the world a better place.

Included are a few of my favorites:
Muslim model Halima Aden, Afro-Cuban singer Celia Cruz, Comgresswoman from Hawaii Mazie Hirono, ands so many more. A perfect addition to an inclusive non-fiction middle grade library.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is filled with the stories of 36 amazing immigrants and refugees who have made great advances in their fields. From sports to science to the Secretary of State, there are short stories letting you know where the individual came from and their journey to the United States. We all have family that were at one time or another immigrants or refugees, it’s important to hear everyone’s story. This book allows you to open your mind and heart to 36 outstanding men and women who’ve persevered through the most difficult times and have risen above it all to be the best!

[Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Within these 36 stories of immigrants who have "made America great," there is quite a variety of contributions made to the cultural landscape of the United States. Some of the included people will be easily recognizable by most readers, like Einstein and Tesla, but others are more obscure (at least for me), like a comedian, the creator of Chobani, and a proponent of pay protections for nannies and other home-care providers. I think even readers who are inexperienced with nonfiction will like this collection as the stories are bite-sized at only a single page each.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspirational! It includes a few people I knew of before, but this little book includes many people I had not heard of.....all of whom have accomplished great things after coming to the United States. Their perseverance, accomplishments and generosity, are both sobering and inspiring. Though shelved in the children's section of my local public library, this is a great book for all ages! The illustrator is an immigrant, and one of the authors is the daughter of refugees and an immigrant herself. Highly recommended.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Centering on first-generation immigrants to the United States who have made America great, this concise and certainly not comprehensive list (but a great smattering of them!) is a celebration of ingenuity, creativity, and grit.

The illustration of each of the trailblazers is a perfect addition to the biographical content and the few factoids at the end are just a little cherry on top. It's truly a celebration in the best way (and I loved to read about the New Yorker who created the Chobani company with all of his great deeds and yogurt).

[JoyAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. I loved reading it. It really made me want to learn more about the people. I kept finding myself taking research breaks to learn more about those people. The illustrations were gorgeous and clearly thought out to fit each person and their career/passion. It has a great range of people (past, present, genders, races, religions, etc.). I highly recommend it for upper elementary through junior high for libraries, classrooms, research starters, etc.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting anthology that provides information on "36 Trailblazing Immigrants and Refugees" who have hit the mark in making America a better place, in this world. Some people are easily recognizable (Einstein, Madeleine Albright, Martina Navratilova, Carlos Santana, etc.), while others were people I had never heard of or knew very little about.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this as a book club with my 5th graders. Quick read. Lots of different people, in lots of different fields, with lots of different stories. There are so many different directions I could take this book with my students. So many places to talk about. A good introduction on people doing great things.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous book about a variety of immigrants and refugees who made lasting contributions to our world. I like how each set of pages is one person. There is a fabulous bibliography for further research. I can see using this in reading to teach summary; in writing to teach informational writing, it covers the gamut.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this collection of short articles that share the accomplishments of both immigrants and refugees who have indeed shaped our country. This is a must for classroom and school libraries, especially those with student researchers who want to learn about more than the typical American figures.

[Ryanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was honestly sooooo inspirational. It shows how successful people can be and how immigrants have done pretty amazing things. This book also showed that with hard work and passion, one can do literally anything!!!! I also loved the pictures and the overall layout of the book!!!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how a big middle finger towards Trump has even seeped into the world of children's literature. Anything that gives a middle finger to him is 5-star worthy. However, this collection of short bios is excellently done.

[Aleap · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, a fantastic collection. I merely wish there had been a consistent sidebar or framed text for each entry that included basic biographical information such as DOB, place of birth (often included in the text), etc.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0
A wonderful reminder about the strength of the human spirit and the unlimited opportunities that are before many of us on a daily basis. Read this if you want to be inspired by a diverse variety of people and stories.

[Tnb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book. It is a much needed book right here and right now. Some of the selections are a little unclear but some of the people who were featured I wish I had heard of before. It is excellent that such authors exist create books like this one.

[Michele Knott · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I love the title. Nothing tongue in cheek at all here :)
Co-writers Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace have put together a collection of stories about immigrants who come from all walks of life - some athletes, others from academia, from fashion to technology - all of these immigrants have improved the American experience. I liked that there were many new to me names here. So many anthologies celebrate names that are well-known, this book helped me learn about many people who have done some really great things for America who did not have their start in this country.
I thought at first that I would quickly go through the book, reading a few of the bios, but the stories are so well written, each one drew me in. I wanted to know more about these people's accomplishments, even when it was in a field outside of my comfort zone (hello anything to do with math....).
With backmatter that gives additional sources about each person featured, it's a great jumping off point to learn more information about these amazing people.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very nice mix of profiles. Includes people from many nationalities, many religions, and many professions. Both well-known people like Albert Einstein, and many more people who are not as widely recognized. Really showcases the diversity of people who come to the United States.

[Gabriel Weaver · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had stunning portraits.

I enjoyed the context provided for each individual.

I was somewhat confused by the "fun facts" section -- some were fun facts, but some didn't seem so fun. It was an odd feature of the book.

[Sobia A Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great introduction to some amazing people in America who came from around the world for a better life. And what a life these people lead. From the first female Sec of State to the founder of Chobani to scientists to artists and authors. Was really happy and proud many Muslims made the list.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you look at America through the lens of its immigrants, America IS great. None of this again BS.