We read a variety of books aloud during this unit to learn about the Statue of Liberty, immigration, and the cultures represented in our classroom. Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers not only informs students about the creation and history of the Statue of Liberty but focuses on why her right foot is moving forward and the message it gives about the urgency of embracing immigrants into our country. The Journey by Francesca Sanna is an illustration of an immigrants experiences as  broken family flees from their country under war, to a safer place which is not welcoming. How Many Days To America? by Eve Bunting is a tale about another immigrant family, who makes their way into New York on Thanksgiving Day. Both those stories cover the complexities of talking about involuntary immigration and the difficulties immigrants may face coming to America in a way that is accessible and approachable for young students. 

When covering culture, we also read a plethora of literature covering different people, often immigrants in this unit. The Talking Cloth by Rhonda Mitchell gave insight into the Ghanaian people who are part of the Ashanti culture. It is a story about the Adinkra cloth, a symbol of the main character’s family ties back to Africa, and the connection to her ancestors she feels. Prior to the unit, we had also read books which we used to find the elements of culture within text. Grandfather Counts by Andrea Cheng gives an account of a Chinese grandfather who moved to America and how the relationship between him and his granddaughter became one of communication and sharing of language. The Have a Good Day Cafe by Frances Park is a narrative capturing a Korean family’s struggles to make ends meet in New York City. When they decide to change their menu to center around their cultural dishes, business returns tenfold. Home at Last by Susan Middleton Elya is a story about a mother and her experiences needing to learn English and navigate the American society as a Spanish-speaker. With the help of her daughter, Ana begins to embrace bilingualism and grow a sense of belonging. Having those books in our library prior to this unit was helpful for students to make connections and draw upon prior experience.