Land of Broken Promises

About the Book:

Title: Land of Broken Promises
Author: Jane Kuo
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Release Date: June 6th, 2023
Genre: Children’s Fiction

After a rocky first year, Anna’s family have settled into life in California—their small restaurant is even turning a profit. Then her parents make a shattering discovery: their visas have expired.

Anna’s world is quickly overwhelmed by unfamiliar words like “undocumented” and “inequality.” She longs to share the towering secret that looms over every aspect of her life with a friend, but her parents strictly forbid her from telling anyone.

As Anna grapples with the complexities of being undocumented, the strain that it places on her family, and the loneliness of keeping it all to herself, she has to wonder—if America is the promised land, why does everything she’s hoped for feel like a lie?

Perfect for fans of Kelly Yang, Reem Faruqi, and Jasmine Warga, this middle grade novel in verse, inspired by the author’s own experiences, focuses on themes of legal documentation, identity, and language’s ability to divide and unite. 

Book Review:

When I saw this book, I immediately knew I had to review it! I loved the first one, and it gave me all the feels. It was such a real and heartbreaking story about the immigrant’s life. The author had written from her own experience, so you can feel the authenticity. I am not a huge fan of books written in verse form, but I loved this one.

We get to see more of Anna’s new life in America. She is finally settling in when she’s rocked by the news that her family are considered undocumented immigrants. Their visa had expired without their knowledge, so now Anna has to grapple with what being “undocumented” means and if America is truly the Land of Promise.

So this was such a fascinating read! It’s not hard to understand even though it’s in poetry form, but it’s just about life. I love how there’s no easier answers or solutions. We don’t necessarily get an HEA which is hard but also good. I think it’ll show kids how much things have changed over the years, and the struggles other people are still facing. The struggle to survive really.

Even though there’s not technically an HEA, Anna learns the power of her words. She learns how she can create something that moves people and makes change. I loved watching her grow into herself, and I love how she’s a very flawed character. She wants to earn money for working in the restaurant, and she sometimes resents the Asianness in her. But at the same time, she’s such a strong, real heroine who I think a lot of people will connect too.

I would 100% recommend this book! It is such a beautiful read perfect for any middle grade reader. It deals with some tough issues about immigration and America with grace.

Highlights:

Strong family unit

Power of words

Realistic immigrant experience

Traditional values celebrated

Asian representation

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.