Americanized; Rebel Without a Green Card by Sara Saedi

Sara Saedi's funny and sometimes poignant memoir takes us through her life growing up in the bay area of California. Emigrating from Iran to America with her family when she was just two years old, Sara recounts her struggles and follies balancing her life as a teenage girl, who has whole heartedly adapted to American culture, with her traditional Persian extended and immediate family. She doesn't hold back, letting us in on her puberty, crushes, drug use, devotion to family and the fear of deportation, growing up as an undocumented immigrant.  She provides plenty of background information without judgement to provide context to her life and what is happening to her.  The introduction that provides historical background on the fall of the shah in Iran is one of the best I've read. 

Excellent to use in classrooms to open discussion on immigration, "illegal" aliens, Dreamers, and what their American experience is. 

Mark's Book Picks Score: Non-Fiction

Dewey: 921 • Reading Level: 7.5 • Interest Level: 9-12 • AR Points: 11 • Lexile Level: 1030 • Publisher: Random House • Pages: 291 • Copyright: 2019 • ISBN: 978-1-524-71782-7 • Available in Perma-Bound Binding