It means the world that stories like this exist throughout children’s literature these days, and Islandborn is a book that tells the tale so wonderfully. This is the story of an immigrant who moved here as a baby, or maybe even a child born in the States, who is surrounded by talk of “home” and of the “old days” all their life. This is the story of how that can be alienating and painful and how learning more about where and who you’re made of can bring you strength and joy untold. The illustrations are vibrant and lovely, each page full of story and tiny, beautiful details.
Islandborn by Junot Díaz, (List Price: $17.99, Dial Books, 9780735229860, March 2018)
Reviewed by Cristina Russell, Books & Books in Coral Gables, Florida