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In the Beautiful Country #2
Land of Broken Promises
Taiwanese immigrant Anna and her family make a shocking discovery that puts their American dreams at risk in this companion to In the Beautiful Country.
After a rocky first year, Anna's family have settled into life in California--their small restaurant is even turning a profit. Then her parents make a shattering discovery: their visas have expired.
Anna's world is quickly overwhelmed by unfamiliar words like "undocumented" and "inequality." She longs to share the towering secret that looms over every aspect of her life with a friend, but her parents strictly forbid her from telling anyone.
As Anna grapples with the complexities of being undocumented, the strain that it places on her family, and the loneliness of keeping it all to herself, she has to wonder--if America is the promised land, why does everything she's hoped for feel like a lie?
After a rocky first year, Anna's family have settled into life in California--their small restaurant is even turning a profit. Then her parents make a shattering discovery: their visas have expired.
Anna's world is quickly overwhelmed by unfamiliar words like "undocumented" and "inequality." She longs to share the towering secret that looms over every aspect of her life with a friend, but her parents strictly forbid her from telling anyone.
As Anna grapples with the complexities of being undocumented, the strain that it places on her family, and the loneliness of keeping it all to herself, she has to wonder--if America is the promised land, why does everything she's hoped for feel like a lie?
240 pages, Hardcover
First published June 6, 2023
9 people are currently reading
2293 people want to read
About the author
Jane Kuo
2 books54 followersJane Kuo is a Chinese and Taiwanese American writer who grew up in Los Angeles. Also, she once borrowed a pencil from Maxine Hong Kingston.
Jane lives in California with her husband and two kids. Her novels, In the Beautiful Country and Land of Broken Promises are based on the events of her childhood.
Jane lives in California with her husband and two kids. Her novels, In the Beautiful Country and Land of Broken Promises are based on the events of her childhood.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
2023
October 15, 2025ANHPI TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books
November 9, 2023
✨ "Sometimes sadness is a part of love."
Jane Kuo has been an auto-read author for me ever since In the Beautiful Country so I went into this blind, not knowing that it's actually a direct sequel! Imagine my delight at meeting Anna again.
This is a wonderful novel-in-verse that I flew through in one sitting. Once again, the young protagonist's voice is authentic and shines through. Although nowhere as emotional as its predecessor, Land of Broken Promises paints an incredibly realistic and heartbreaking picture of the immigrant experience and the sacrifices made in pursuit of the American Dream.
I felt deeply for what Anna and her family have to go through, where so much is at stake, as well as her experiences as someone growing up in an Asian household. No surprise that the author has captured familial relationships + themes of identity, belonging and home with so much nuance and heart, since this book is based on her own life.
Overall, this is a beautiful read that will definitely stay with me. Can't wait for the author's next book, regardless of whether it's a sequel or not!
Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books and Quill Tree Books for the Netgalley ARC.
Jane Kuo has been an auto-read author for me ever since In the Beautiful Country so I went into this blind, not knowing that it's actually a direct sequel! Imagine my delight at meeting Anna again.
This is a wonderful novel-in-verse that I flew through in one sitting. Once again, the young protagonist's voice is authentic and shines through. Although nowhere as emotional as its predecessor, Land of Broken Promises paints an incredibly realistic and heartbreaking picture of the immigrant experience and the sacrifices made in pursuit of the American Dream.
I felt deeply for what Anna and her family have to go through, where so much is at stake, as well as her experiences as someone growing up in an Asian household. No surprise that the author has captured familial relationships + themes of identity, belonging and home with so much nuance and heart, since this book is based on her own life.
Overall, this is a beautiful read that will definitely stay with me. Can't wait for the author's next book, regardless of whether it's a sequel or not!
Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books and Quill Tree Books for the Netgalley ARC.
July 24, 2023
4.5 stars. Thank you to Net Galley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was the second book in a YA series about Anna who is living in Duarte, CA with her father and mother. They all immigrated from Taiwan in the first book which discussed coming to a new country, finding your place and learning a new language and set of customs, all while the parents are trying to run a business that is failing and Anna making friends and comparing the beautiful country to her home land. In this book, Anna has found her way and will be graduating from elementary school. But then it is discovered that they missed some paperwork to renew their I-94s and now are considered undocumented. Anna experiences the shame of this situation and how America doesn't view her as one of it's own. The book was told in verse in very short chapters. Much of it was very touching especially the poem she writes for an assignment to send a response to Emma Lazarus' poem on the Statue of Liberty. Highly recommended and it is not necessary to read the first book as the author provides a summary of what happened in the first book.
January 26, 2023
This is my first Jane Kuo novel, but it won't be my last. She did a phenomenal job of writing this novel in verse, told through her experience as a young undocumented immigrant, living in California. "Anna" is her American name; however, Ai Shi, (in which Ai means love and Shi means poetry), writes of her experience working over the summer at her parents restaurant after learning their immigration status is now undocumented. I enjoyed the true feelings that Ai Shi expressed and how well Kuo wrote about the experiences she faced as an American student and as a Taiwanese immigrant. She wrote in a relatable and personal way that really made me think more about the 1980s in America and what our immigration laws require and enforce on others. This is a fast-paced book that I'll likely read again because there were so many allusions and connections to history that I need to re-read and research some more. Kuo does a phenomenal job at writing this novel in verse for younger readers. I appreciated this book. I wanted to hug this book. I will definitely purchase this book to have on my shelf.
June 8, 2023
This is a sweet follow up to the Beautiful Country. I am a sucker for middle grade books in verse too. My only 'complaint' which falls under a subjective reading taste, is the plots of this one and the previous one are more like slices of life with no discernible story arc and resolution. Which is realistic. Sometimes life is really hard and then bad things happen and then...yeah it continues and bad things could continue to happen.
April 12, 2023
I think I liked this one even more than the previous installment. I don't think there's enough historical middlegrade being published, especially with topics that are still so relevant today. While this is a very quick read due to it being written in verse and it having a low page count, there's still so much packed into this story. I think that would make the story very accessible to younger readers, but I'd highly recommend this to people of any age.
November 23, 2023
Perfectly paired with what my 6th graders are reading right now— they just wrote a literary analysis essay on how the author develops the theme of “struggling to fit in” in Amy Tan’s “Fish Cheeks” and Lensey Namioka’s “The All-American Slurp”. Totally coincidental, but very cool that it was such a timely parallel! Overall, a really great verse novel appropriate for upper elementary/middle grades.
notes-on-unfinished-books
July 31, 2023I read a little over 20 pages. I forgot to stop when I had planned to.
This is a novel in verse about a girl whose family has immigrated from Taiwan and is experiencing financial hardship. It's not a new topic, yet I found Kuo's writing compelling. I loved her strong use of detail to build unique characters and settings. I recently read through a stack of children's books that would all be improved by studying her technique.
This is probably my favorite children's book of 2023 so far, but I'm still waiting to see what Rebecca Stead, Jacqueline Woodson and Kate DiCamillo put out this fall.
PS: I just learned that this book is a sequel, but it didn't feel like one at all. You can definitely read it without reading the first one.
This is a novel in verse about a girl whose family has immigrated from Taiwan and is experiencing financial hardship. It's not a new topic, yet I found Kuo's writing compelling. I loved her strong use of detail to build unique characters and settings. I recently read through a stack of children's books that would all be improved by studying her technique.
This is probably my favorite children's book of 2023 so far, but I'm still waiting to see what Rebecca Stead, Jacqueline Woodson and Kate DiCamillo put out this fall.
PS: I just learned that this book is a sequel, but it didn't feel like one at all. You can definitely read it without reading the first one.
April 20, 2023
They say what you read and who you enter into relationships with will affect who you become in five years.
I stared working in case management 7 years ago—half way through my masters program for global public health nursing. I had my eyes opened to so many things during that time.
Those experiences lead me to @medicalteams and Healthy Women Healthy World. Their book club, that I now help moderate, has had a huge impact on my reading life.
It’s why I was drawn to the ARC of Land of Broken Promises by Jane Kuo which will be released on June 6th. Thank you to @netgalley for it. These are my honest opinions.
This book is loosely based on the authors own experience of being undocumented. It’s told in verse. This book is equal parts beautiful and heartbreaking and hopeful. This character was so real to me. Her situation so recognizable. I could see any child having these same thoughts/reactions/responses. It’s genuinely relatable in that way.
This book is full of significant truths like this:
“But it’s not just one line. There are many separate lines depending on the applicant’s country of origin. And people from certain countries wait much longer. People wait years and years, and still, some never make it.”
I highly recommend this book. I plan to buy it and the one that comes before it, In the Beautiful Country. These are the stories I want my children to read. I want these stories to deeply affect the people they are becoming. I want them to be people of welcome with profoundly compassionate hearts.
I stared working in case management 7 years ago—half way through my masters program for global public health nursing. I had my eyes opened to so many things during that time.
Those experiences lead me to @medicalteams and Healthy Women Healthy World. Their book club, that I now help moderate, has had a huge impact on my reading life.
It’s why I was drawn to the ARC of Land of Broken Promises by Jane Kuo which will be released on June 6th. Thank you to @netgalley for it. These are my honest opinions.
This book is loosely based on the authors own experience of being undocumented. It’s told in verse. This book is equal parts beautiful and heartbreaking and hopeful. This character was so real to me. Her situation so recognizable. I could see any child having these same thoughts/reactions/responses. It’s genuinely relatable in that way.
This book is full of significant truths like this:
“But it’s not just one line. There are many separate lines depending on the applicant’s country of origin. And people from certain countries wait much longer. People wait years and years, and still, some never make it.”
I highly recommend this book. I plan to buy it and the one that comes before it, In the Beautiful Country. These are the stories I want my children to read. I want these stories to deeply affect the people they are becoming. I want them to be people of welcome with profoundly compassionate hearts.
August 17, 2023
Listened to the audiobook because it was currently the shortest on my TBR. Glad I did. This was a beautifully written middle-grade novel. Written in verse, so it reminds me a bit of Inside Out And Back Again. Similar subjects too, but instead the family grapples with the complexities of being undocumented immigrants. Give this one a listen. It's enlightening and beautiful.
Thank you LibroFM for the ARC!
Thank you LibroFM for the ARC!
September 5, 2023
A perfect sequel to In The Beautiful Country. I absolutely loved how the author drew from her own immigrant experience to tell this story. I truly find so much of this story relatable - my immigrant story was very different from this one but the feelings, and the struggles, I have definitely shared.
If you are ever curious about what it is like to be an immigrant, to struggle to find an identity in a new country, with a new language and culture, these are a great read!
If you are ever curious about what it is like to be an immigrant, to struggle to find an identity in a new country, with a new language and culture, these are a great read!
August 18, 2023
Such a wonderful and powerful story. Beautifully written! I will definitely order this book for my middle school library.
August 21, 2023
4.5 rounded up to 5
Beautiful love letter to life, family and words…
Beautiful love letter to life, family and words…
March 10, 2023
As the sequel to ‘In the Beautiful Country’, Ai Shi, known as Anna to her peers, has been living in America for a year now. She’s been navigating her new life as a Taiwanese immigrant. School is trickier than she anticipated, her family’s store is requiring more of her time and energy, and she is missing her family in Taiwan. Ai Shi is craving the life of a normal teenager: trips to the beach, summer camp, becoming a lawyer. Just when she thought all that was becoming a reality, her family comes across expired immigration paperwork and all her dreams are crushed. Instead of a summer filled with ice cream and sunburn, Ai Shi is required to work the restaurant every day to save enough money to pay the immigration lawyer.
This beautiful novel can be summed up in a single quote “I’m telling you this because I want you to know that immigration stories are complicated.” Anna’s authenticity paired with Kuo’s effortless writing style make this an easy-to-read book for 5th-8th graders!
It was a privilege to read this wonderful novel in verse as an ARC through NetGalley. ‘Land of Broken Promises’ will be released on May 9, 2023. It is a clear addition to any middle grade classroom library!
This beautiful novel can be summed up in a single quote “I’m telling you this because I want you to know that immigration stories are complicated.” Anna’s authenticity paired with Kuo’s effortless writing style make this an easy-to-read book for 5th-8th graders!
It was a privilege to read this wonderful novel in verse as an ARC through NetGalley. ‘Land of Broken Promises’ will be released on May 9, 2023. It is a clear addition to any middle grade classroom library!
October 27, 2023
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This sequel was fine, but I liked the first one much more. It started to lose me towards the middle even though it was a relatively short book due to the verse format. I didn’t feel as connected to the writing this time, but it was still enjoyable.
This sequel was fine, but I liked the first one much more. It started to lose me towards the middle even though it was a relatively short book due to the verse format. I didn’t feel as connected to the writing this time, but it was still enjoyable.
January 26, 2024
Anna feels like she's the only one in her 6th grade class sorry that the school year is coming to an end. Her friends and classmates are all looking forward to vacations and free time, but though Anna dreams of days at the beach and free time too, all she has before her is spending every day at her parents' restaurant helping out. Especially after they discovered they missed an immigration check in and are now in America illegally and need a lawyer. Now Anna's mom is going off to work another job, and her Ba is relying on her to help run the restaurant. Her 6th grade English teacher has encouraged her to try out for the Debate Team in 7th grade, and the entry prompt is "What America means to me"... What can she write when all their dreams about America seem to be shattering?
This picks up closely following where the first book left off, and is further based on Jane Kuo's childhood (though it is autobiographical fiction and parts are made up). She shares briefly in the back about being undocumented for several years until some immigration laws changed in the US. Whether then or now, this puts a human and sympathetic face on what can lead to people being undocumented in a country. It also shows what an uphill climb many immigrants can face, and how much especially the 1st generation in a family may give up for the promise of a better future for their children.
Notes on content:
Language: No swearing, one racial slur is mentioned
Sexual content: None
Violence: None
Ethnic diversity: Anna and her family are Taiwanese, she has some Chinese American and white American friends
GBLTQ+ content: None
Other: Racism is mentioned, Anna feels guilty about being undocumented and lying to friends and others about it
This picks up closely following where the first book left off, and is further based on Jane Kuo's childhood (though it is autobiographical fiction and parts are made up). She shares briefly in the back about being undocumented for several years until some immigration laws changed in the US. Whether then or now, this puts a human and sympathetic face on what can lead to people being undocumented in a country. It also shows what an uphill climb many immigrants can face, and how much especially the 1st generation in a family may give up for the promise of a better future for their children.
Notes on content:
Language: No swearing, one racial slur is mentioned
Sexual content: None
Violence: None
Ethnic diversity: Anna and her family are Taiwanese, she has some Chinese American and white American friends
GBLTQ+ content: None
Other: Racism is mentioned, Anna feels guilty about being undocumented and lying to friends and others about it
May 30, 2023
I did not realize Land of Broken Promises was a sequel/companion piece to Jane Kuo’s In the Beautiful Country, which follows Anna and her parents as they move to the United States from Taiwan.
The good news is that Land of Broken Promises stands alone. I never once had any questions about characters or plot. And now that Kuo has another book, I can’t wait to read it.
Written in verse, Land of Broken Promises is a beautiful mix of detail and sparsity. Kuo balances the two, providing needed structure in some places and room for imagination in others.
Though set in the 1980s, Land of Broken Promises gives young readers a broad introduction to immigration and citizenship and the very real struggles surrounding them. And at the center of everything is Anna, a girl who just wants to live like her classmates.
Land of Broken Promises is a heartfelt novel loosely based on the author’s real-life experiences. I highly recommend it.
The good news is that Land of Broken Promises stands alone. I never once had any questions about characters or plot. And now that Kuo has another book, I can’t wait to read it.
Written in verse, Land of Broken Promises is a beautiful mix of detail and sparsity. Kuo balances the two, providing needed structure in some places and room for imagination in others.
Though set in the 1980s, Land of Broken Promises gives young readers a broad introduction to immigration and citizenship and the very real struggles surrounding them. And at the center of everything is Anna, a girl who just wants to live like her classmates.
Land of Broken Promises is a heartfelt novel loosely based on the author’s real-life experiences. I highly recommend it.
February 24, 2023
Land of Broken Promises is a beautiful book told in prose that discusses the challenges that face an immigrant family in finding their identity between their birth country and their current country. Kuo has a creative writing style that clearly connects even non-immigrants to the feelings that come with feeling displaced in one's home. I would highly recommend this for readers of all ages.
June 23, 2023
My little sister and I reviewed this book.
A girl faces many hardships with the fact of being an undocumented immigrant.
California, Anna, a twelve-year-old Taiwanese Chinese girl, and her family are starting to settle down. But Anna sometimes feels different from others because she was born in Taiwan and not America. One day, before school ended, her family discovered that their visa expired, and they were now undocumented immigrants. What is Anna’s family’s next move? And what will this mean for Anna’s life in America?
Laly’s thoughts: This sad book shows that not everyone can have a perfect life. I felt terrible for the girl, Anna (her English name), and all she had to endure. If I were in her position, I would be mad at her dad for his careless mistake that could have been easily avoided if he wasn’t so lazy. I felt terrible for her and her family for thinking they would have a better life in America, but things only worsened. Ultimately, this book is meaningful and written in beautiful yet sad poems.
Paige’s thoughts: Land of Broken Promises is a sequel to In the Beautiful Country, but you don’t have to read the first novel to understand the story.
This beautiful book-in-verse went very well with the story’s theme. I learned much about immigrant visas and what happened when they expired. Anna, BTW, is based on Mrs. Kuo but with a few twists.
Anna is a very thoughtful and well-read girl. Her parents are hardworking, and her friend, Tiffany, is your average American girl. Anna would be a great lawyer someday, just as she hoped.
It’s a powerful book about the immigration experience. I could relate to having immigrant parents since my parents are Belgian immigrants.
One more thing, I am in love with this beautiful cover by @juliaskuo
Give this book to anyone who needs a story to inspire them to keep going.
A girl faces many hardships with the fact of being an undocumented immigrant.
California, Anna, a twelve-year-old Taiwanese Chinese girl, and her family are starting to settle down. But Anna sometimes feels different from others because she was born in Taiwan and not America. One day, before school ended, her family discovered that their visa expired, and they were now undocumented immigrants. What is Anna’s family’s next move? And what will this mean for Anna’s life in America?
Laly’s thoughts: This sad book shows that not everyone can have a perfect life. I felt terrible for the girl, Anna (her English name), and all she had to endure. If I were in her position, I would be mad at her dad for his careless mistake that could have been easily avoided if he wasn’t so lazy. I felt terrible for her and her family for thinking they would have a better life in America, but things only worsened. Ultimately, this book is meaningful and written in beautiful yet sad poems.
Paige’s thoughts: Land of Broken Promises is a sequel to In the Beautiful Country, but you don’t have to read the first novel to understand the story.
This beautiful book-in-verse went very well with the story’s theme. I learned much about immigrant visas and what happened when they expired. Anna, BTW, is based on Mrs. Kuo but with a few twists.
Anna is a very thoughtful and well-read girl. Her parents are hardworking, and her friend, Tiffany, is your average American girl. Anna would be a great lawyer someday, just as she hoped.
It’s a powerful book about the immigration experience. I could relate to having immigrant parents since my parents are Belgian immigrants.
One more thing, I am in love with this beautiful cover by @juliaskuo
Give this book to anyone who needs a story to inspire them to keep going.
Read
June 18, 2023LAND OF BROKEN PROMISES continues Anna's story as told in IN THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY by Jane Kuo. Anna and her parents are still working hard to create a successful restaurant. Their hard work is about to be threatened by circumstances that could ruin everything.
It is almost summer and Anna is wondering how she will spend her free time. All her classmates are talking about fun vacations or interesting summer camps they will be attending. Anna is pretty sure she'll just be working in the restaurant.
When Anna's mother finds a stash of papers in a cabinet in the kitchen, terrible news is revealed. The family's immigration papers and visas have expired. Anna and her parents are illegally in America and have been for over a year. A lawyer is located that might be able to help them, but it will cost $3000. How are they going to come up with that amount?
Author Jane Kuo takes readers back into the life of Anna. Just when she thought maybe things were improving, this immigration trouble threatens to end it all. Although LAND OF BROKEN PROMISES is set in the 1980s, it covers a topic all too familiar today. Written in verse, Anna's story is relatable to any middle grade reader feeling life is often out of their control.
It is almost summer and Anna is wondering how she will spend her free time. All her classmates are talking about fun vacations or interesting summer camps they will be attending. Anna is pretty sure she'll just be working in the restaurant.
When Anna's mother finds a stash of papers in a cabinet in the kitchen, terrible news is revealed. The family's immigration papers and visas have expired. Anna and her parents are illegally in America and have been for over a year. A lawyer is located that might be able to help them, but it will cost $3000. How are they going to come up with that amount?
Author Jane Kuo takes readers back into the life of Anna. Just when she thought maybe things were improving, this immigration trouble threatens to end it all. Although LAND OF BROKEN PROMISES is set in the 1980s, it covers a topic all too familiar today. Written in verse, Anna's story is relatable to any middle grade reader feeling life is often out of their control.
March 10, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital copy of this book.
I really enjoyed In The Beautiful Country so I was thrilled to see this book was coming out! Anna is a remarkable character, a young immigrant living in southern California in the 1980s, having recently moved from Taiwan. This novel in verse chronicles Anna's life as she adjusts and thrives in school, and focuses on her summer plans, which involve working at the family store. When other kids are going to camp or hanging out and relaxing, Anna is having to help her parents out.
Anna is a very relatable character. She doesn't see things the way her immigrant parents do, nor does she always agree with her best friend Tiffany. She has a lot of questions and she longs to be a writer even though her parents want her to be a doctor or a lawyer. She learns in this book that their temporary visa has expired, so she and her parents are here illegally. Her family is courageous as they pursue a life in America.
I enjoyed this story very much, and appreciated this excellent book by Jane Kuo. I hope other readers will root for Anna the way I did!
I really enjoyed In The Beautiful Country so I was thrilled to see this book was coming out! Anna is a remarkable character, a young immigrant living in southern California in the 1980s, having recently moved from Taiwan. This novel in verse chronicles Anna's life as she adjusts and thrives in school, and focuses on her summer plans, which involve working at the family store. When other kids are going to camp or hanging out and relaxing, Anna is having to help her parents out.
Anna is a very relatable character. She doesn't see things the way her immigrant parents do, nor does she always agree with her best friend Tiffany. She has a lot of questions and she longs to be a writer even though her parents want her to be a doctor or a lawyer. She learns in this book that their temporary visa has expired, so she and her parents are here illegally. Her family is courageous as they pursue a life in America.
I enjoyed this story very much, and appreciated this excellent book by Jane Kuo. I hope other readers will root for Anna the way I did!
June 12, 2023
In this follow-up to In the Beautiful Country, Anna's family continues to adjust to their new home. Anna's found a friend and she enjoys school. Her classmates all seem to have fun summer plans while she's expected to spend her summer working at her family's restaurant/store, which she is not looking forward to, although the money she will earn will be welcome. But the discovery that the visa allowing them to stay in the country has expired and they are now in the country illegally throws the whole family into upheaval. Her mother takes a job in another city hoping to earn money to hire a lawyer to help and Anna is left to wonder if dreaming about the future is even worth the effort. The free verse beautifully conveys Anna's feelings as she struggles to come to terms with her changed circumstances and her inability to confide in anyone. In addition, the free verse makes the book a quick and easy read that inspires compassion for Anna's struggles. As in the first book, the author shares a story of ups and downs, hope and despair that her characters experience. I especially enjoyed the scenes with Anna and her father as he shares with her his hopes for her and encourages her to keep dreaming despite their difficult circumstances. Based on her own experiences as a young immigrant in the 1980s, the story provides young readers with a glimpse into life as an immigrant and some of the challenges that come with it. While the ending felt a bit abrupt, I'm still hoping for additional stories about Anna as she works to achieve her dreams and develops her love for the written word.
April 25, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for Advanced Reader Copy!
This was such a lovely read! Land of Broken Promises is a novel completely written in poem verses. Although it was a quick read (at least for an adult), the book was packed with heart and beautiful imagery. I had no idea going into this read that this is actually a sequel, but that didn't hinder my reading experience. It can definitely stand on its own. I think the book wonderfully handles complex topics such as immigration, citizenship, and identity for younger audiences. It really goes into the experiences of those who recently immigrated to the United States and the trials and tribulations of obtaining legal status and its ripple effects on other aspects of life. Despite the book being set in the 1980s, it still echoes the experiences that immigrants deal with today in the 21st century. Land of Broken Promises also talks about something that I feel is rarely discussed both adult books and children's books-- this complex duality of the United States being both a dream for so many and seen as this promised land full of opportunity and yet a nightmare of broken systems and hardship. I commend Jane Kuo for writing such a heart-wrenchingly magnificent book that will teach generations to be bold and brave despite the odds being stacked against them.
This was such a lovely read! Land of Broken Promises is a novel completely written in poem verses. Although it was a quick read (at least for an adult), the book was packed with heart and beautiful imagery. I had no idea going into this read that this is actually a sequel, but that didn't hinder my reading experience. It can definitely stand on its own. I think the book wonderfully handles complex topics such as immigration, citizenship, and identity for younger audiences. It really goes into the experiences of those who recently immigrated to the United States and the trials and tribulations of obtaining legal status and its ripple effects on other aspects of life. Despite the book being set in the 1980s, it still echoes the experiences that immigrants deal with today in the 21st century. Land of Broken Promises also talks about something that I feel is rarely discussed both adult books and children's books-- this complex duality of the United States being both a dream for so many and seen as this promised land full of opportunity and yet a nightmare of broken systems and hardship. I commend Jane Kuo for writing such a heart-wrenchingly magnificent book that will teach generations to be bold and brave despite the odds being stacked against them.
April 12, 2023
I absolutely loved In the Beautiful Country, so when I saw Kuo had written a sequel, I had to get my hands on it.
This book continues the story of Anna, a recent immigrant to the United States. It is a novel in prose, so it can be a quick read but it can be heavy because of the subject matter. Anna is continuing her journey to find her place in this new country and just as she is finding some stability, shocking news shatters her fragile stability. She must now struggle with not only being an immigrant, but also undocumented.
Kuo gives Anna such an authentic voice as she lives through an authentic immigrant experience. My own grandparents immigrated here from Mexico and my mom's stories were very similar to Anna's. The highs and lows of finding your place in a new country are captured so well, along with the loneliness and fear that comes as well.
Thank you Netgalley for access to the e-ARC.
This book continues the story of Anna, a recent immigrant to the United States. It is a novel in prose, so it can be a quick read but it can be heavy because of the subject matter. Anna is continuing her journey to find her place in this new country and just as she is finding some stability, shocking news shatters her fragile stability. She must now struggle with not only being an immigrant, but also undocumented.
Kuo gives Anna such an authentic voice as she lives through an authentic immigrant experience. My own grandparents immigrated here from Mexico and my mom's stories were very similar to Anna's. The highs and lows of finding your place in a new country are captured so well, along with the loneliness and fear that comes as well.
Thank you Netgalley for access to the e-ARC.
May 17, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for the advanced copy of this book. Initially, I didn’t realize this was a companion text to Kuo’s previous book, In the Beautiful Country. You do not have to read them together, but I feel it adds more to Ai Shi’s (Anna’s) story if you have read the first book. I felt more connected to Anna and her family situation having read In the Beautiful Country. I think it’s also beneficial to see how Anna grows/develops overtime.
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Having read both of them, I definitely felt the first book was more emotional. This book is marketed to be about Anna’s family immigration status, but I didn’t feel like that was the central focus of this book. While it played a significant role in the choices Anna’s family is forced to make, I felt the major themes in this book were around the sacrifices of immigrant families, Anna’s desire to be a “normal” teenager, her struggles with communicating her needs/wants with her parents, and the challenges Anna faces as she attempts to maintain her important friendships despite being unable to be her authentic self.
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As with the first book, this is written in a way that is very accessible. We need more authentic stories about the immigrant experience to serve as both mirrors and windows for our young readers. I look forward to reading more of Kuo’s work, whether she continues with Anna’s story or not.
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Check out what I'm reading next on Instagram @LeahsLitReview!
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Having read both of them, I definitely felt the first book was more emotional. This book is marketed to be about Anna’s family immigration status, but I didn’t feel like that was the central focus of this book. While it played a significant role in the choices Anna’s family is forced to make, I felt the major themes in this book were around the sacrifices of immigrant families, Anna’s desire to be a “normal” teenager, her struggles with communicating her needs/wants with her parents, and the challenges Anna faces as she attempts to maintain her important friendships despite being unable to be her authentic self.
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As with the first book, this is written in a way that is very accessible. We need more authentic stories about the immigrant experience to serve as both mirrors and windows for our young readers. I look forward to reading more of Kuo’s work, whether she continues with Anna’s story or not.
•
Check out what I'm reading next on Instagram @LeahsLitReview!
March 27, 2023
A beautiful sequel to Jane Kuo's In the Beautiful Country. During the stressful months of their restaurant struggling to stay open during repeated acts of vandalism, Anna's dad reacts to the stress by shoving all the mail in English that he can't read into a cupboard above the fridge. When Anna and her mother find it, they are too late to renew their visas. They are now undocumented. They need a lawyer, and lawyers cost money they don't have. So Anna agrees to work all summer at the restaurant while her mother works for another family further down the California coast.
This is an achingly gorgeous sequel full of beautiful stanzas like this:
...the stages of grief are random/like a steel ball ricocheting/in a pinball machine. The ball slams/from denial to bargaining to anger./Ding! Ding! Ding! No rhyme or reason,/only velocity/ and rage."
This is an achingly gorgeous sequel full of beautiful stanzas like this:
...the stages of grief are random/like a steel ball ricocheting/in a pinball machine. The ball slams/from denial to bargaining to anger./Ding! Ding! Ding! No rhyme or reason,/only velocity/ and rage."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2023
Ai Shi (Anna), an immigrant from Taiwan longs to be a normal American girl. She wants to hang out with friends, go to the beach, and attend summer camp. But she can’t. She needs to help her parents in the family restaurant. And to make matters worse, she and her family discover their visa ran out and they are now undocumented. Told in verse, Anna’s story chronicles the heartache and loneliness of a young girl trying to navigate through the difficult middle school years with the added burden of constant fear of not being wanted in her adopted country. Based somewhat on the author’s own experience, this is an important yet quick read chronicling the immigrant experience in America. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 12, 2023
First of all, I loved the simple and readable format of this book. It will attract reluctant readers and draw them in and that's always a bonus (says this librarian). The story is potent enough that an adult will feel fully engaged and not want to put the book down until the end. And younger readers will be able to identify with the characters and it will be an eye opener for them on the kinds of issues their classmates may be facing. I'd recommend that teachers keep a copy of this on their classroom shelf. It would also be a great candidate for a book club, either with young readers or a parent-child book club. There's plenty to unpack here.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. I think it is a real winner!
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. I think it is a real winner!
August 26, 2025
"The parade of thoughts
as I sit on a wooden pew at church.
God is love.
God hates sin.
Being illegal is breaking the law.
Breaking the law is a sin.
I am a sinner.
Does God hate me?"
Twelve-year-old Anna and her parents have made a life for themselves in America. Their fast-food business is doing well, and Anna is thriving at school. It hasn't been easy, but things are getting better ... until things get worse. Going through old mail, they find a notice about their immigration papers that puts everything in jeopardy. America was a land of promise, but promises can be broken.
I think I liked this book even more than the first one (IN THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY). Anna is a great character and I really enjoyed the bond with her parents, her love of the written word (both English and Chinese), and her big dreams.
So many relevant themes in this book -- it felt jarring to see all the same anti-immigration arguments in a book set decades ago.
It's probably good to read the books in order, but not strictly necessary.
"We wait
and while we wait,
we live."
as I sit on a wooden pew at church.
God is love.
God hates sin.
Being illegal is breaking the law.
Breaking the law is a sin.
I am a sinner.
Does God hate me?"
Twelve-year-old Anna and her parents have made a life for themselves in America. Their fast-food business is doing well, and Anna is thriving at school. It hasn't been easy, but things are getting better ... until things get worse. Going through old mail, they find a notice about their immigration papers that puts everything in jeopardy. America was a land of promise, but promises can be broken.
I think I liked this book even more than the first one (IN THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY). Anna is a great character and I really enjoyed the bond with her parents, her love of the written word (both English and Chinese), and her big dreams.
So many relevant themes in this book -- it felt jarring to see all the same anti-immigration arguments in a book set decades ago.
It's probably good to read the books in order, but not strictly necessary.
"We wait
and while we wait,
we live."
September 30, 2023
This is the sequel to "In the Beautiful Country" which I loved, so I was eagerly awaiting this one. I liked this one too, but not as much as the first one. I also kind of forgot the details of the first book. It would be a better reading experience to read the two back-to-back.
It's a story of an immigrant experience - a girl moving from Asia to LA and growing up in the 1980s. And this second book continues the story.
The prose/style is like the book "Inside Out and Back Again" - which tells the story of a girl who is an immigrant in the 1970s from Vietnam.
If I was a teacher , I would make both these books required reading.
It's a story of an immigrant experience - a girl moving from Asia to LA and growing up in the 1980s. And this second book continues the story.
The prose/style is like the book "Inside Out and Back Again" - which tells the story of a girl who is an immigrant in the 1970s from Vietnam.
If I was a teacher , I would make both these books required reading.
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