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The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
Follows teenagers Natasha and Daniel over the course of a single day in New York City. Natasha's family, undocumented immigrants from Jamaica, faces deportation because of her father's drunk driving arrest. Daniel, under pressure from his South Korean parents, is preparing for an interview for a spot at Yale. When the two strangers meet, Daniel convinces Natasha to join him for the day, changing the course of their lives forever.
Review from School Library Journal:
It is Natasha's last day in New York City, where she has lived for 10 years. Her family, living as undocumented immigrants in a small Brooklyn apartment, are being deported to Jamaica after her father's arrest for drunk driving. Natasha is scouring the city for a chance to stay in the United States legally. She wants the normal teen existence of her peers. Meanwhile, poetic Daniel is on his way to an interview as part of his application process to Yale. He is under great pressure to get in because his parents (who emigrated from South Korea) are adamant that he become a doctor. Events slowly conspire to bring the two leads together. When Daniel and Natasha finally meet, he falls in love immediately and convinces her to join him for the day. They tell their stories in alternating chapters. Additional voices are integrated into the book as characters interact with them. Both relatable and profound, the bittersweet ending conveys a sense of hopefulness that will resonate with teens.
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