Land of Broken Promises by Jane Kuo
ISBN: 0063119048
Genres: Fiction in Verse/Poetry, Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads

Anna is a middle schooler growing up in Southern California in the 1980s. She and her parents are from Taiwan and her parents own a fast-food business. When Anna discovers a cabinet full of mail that her father has ignored – partly because he struggles to read English – the family discovers that they are “illegal.” Their visas have long since expired and they are now officially undocumented. When her parents consult an attorney, they realize they need money for the attorney’s fees so Anna’s mother moves to San Diego for the summer to work in a friend’s bakery under the table to raise the funds. When her best friend’s father loses his job, Anna realizes that she is not alone worrying about her family and eventually finds the courage to confide in her friend. This verse novel is based on the author’s life and while technically a sequel, this reads like a stand-alone novel. This is a tenderly told glimpse of the immigrant experience in America. A good choice for younger readers as the author downplays the harsher realities of the immigrant experience in America. Family is at the center of this story.

Reviewed by Karen Sandlin Silverman, Mt. Ararat Middle School, Topsham