By Duncan Tonatiuh

Published by Harry N. Abrams

Reading age: 6-9 years

This amazing story teaches us about the hardships and struggle of immigration.  Pancho and his family are eagerly awaiting the return of Papa Rabbit. When he doesn't return as scheduled, Pancho packs a bag of food and heads out to find him. He meets a coyote along the way and finds out that not everyone is willing to help for free. 

This award-winning book presents the the struggle and hardships families face when trying to secure a better life by illegally crossing borders.  

Resources: 

Read aloud

Educator's Guide

Naomi Soledad León Outlaw lives with her brother Owen and their great-grandmother at Avocado Acres Trailer Rancho in California. Naomi is kind of shy and is always worrying about something, along with being constantly teased for the silliest last name ever. After abandoning them seven years ago, Naomi and Owen's mother returns to their Gram's trailer, stirring up all sorts of drama and challenges for Naomi. Gram, Naomi, and Owen journey to Mexico in search of Naomi and her brother's long-lost father. Will they find him? Will Naomi learn what happiness means for her amongst her challenging family dynamic?

Becoming Naomi León is a great coming-of-age story about navigating tough family dynamics and learning about yourself. It would be a good book to use for small group readings or to read over a period of time. It provides an opportunity to talk about character development and dynamic characters. 

This book is recommended for ages 9-12. 

Resources:

• Scholastic Lesson Plan

• Chapter-by-Chapter Read-Aloud (with pages)

• LibrarySparks: Library Lesson Plan