Walls and Welcome Mats: Immigration and the American Dream

by Lars Krogstad Ortiz

Overview

Since the founding of the United States, immigrants have made important contributions to the history and culture of the country.

Yet immigration has always been a topic that stirs up strong passions. Throughout history, immigrants have faced anger, fear, and violence.

The United States houses more immigrants than any other country in the world. Over forty million people living in the United States were born in another country. They are doctors, technology experts, construction workers, and teachers as well as parents, friends, and neighbors. So why do immigrants continue to face prejudice and even violence at the hands of other Americans?

Walls and Welcome Mats: Immigration and the American Dream examines the ways immigration has shaped America and how the backlash against it has shaped the conversation around migrants and refugees. Author Lars Ortiz explores the history of immigration in the United States from before the country was born to present-day debates surrounding the southern US-Mexico border wall. This in-depth account of American immigration reveals the faces behind the issue, the past and present challenges faced by immigrants, and the optimism that leads people to seek a better future in a new land.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781728423999
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	02/07/2023
Pages:	120
Sales rank:	661,721
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	13 - 14 Years

About the Author

Lars Krogstad Ortiz was raised by a family of musicians who met while playing in the Xalapa Symphony Orchestra in Mexico. After his family settled in Minneapolis, Lars went on to study political science and music at the University of Minnesota.

His passion for serving the Latinx community led him to become an English teacher in Denver Public Schools, where he specialized in the instruction of English language learners. After returning to Minnesota he was principal cellist of the Civic Orchestra of Minneapolis, as well as a founding member of Lux String Quartet. With Lux, he helped run a chamber music camp for kids and he worked with both Minnesota Public Radio and Schubert Club to promote music education in schools.

After years of performing in concert halls and school auditoriums, he finds joy in his studio teaching budding cellists of all ages. Lars continues to pursue his passions of music, teaching, and writing while splitting his time between his homes in Minneapolis and Puebla, Mexico.

Editorial Reviews

"Highly readable, well-designed nonfiction with an appeal to the reader to consider their own stance."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

07/01/2023

Gr 7 Up—This comprehensive introduction to the history of immigration in the United States starts with a full chapter outlining the history of the founding years with compelling primary documents. The next chapter is organized by the major national, ethnic, and religious waves of immigration from every continent, from the 1800s to the present. Text inserts include detailed explanations of key concepts, such as refugees, the American Dream, and Japanese American internment; several profiles of revered immigrants in politics, the arts, and sciences; and very recent Pew Research infographics. Well-recounted chapters on the long history of backlash against immigrants include under-taught history, such as the 1850s Know Nothing Party movement and the multiple federal acts to limit, stop, open, or control immigration across centuries. Myths regarding undocumented migrants are debunked, and a fresh perspective is offered that perhaps people who are xenophobic are actually metathesiophobic, or fear change. There is a clear explanation of the ever-shifting DACA program, and balanced sections on areas of debate, such as the effectiveness of sanctuary cities and ICE workplace raids. The Trump-era backlash is also recounted in a chronological, systematic way, and included is an explanation for the vast amounts of misinformation on the subject since, "Immigration is an issue that stirs emotions and political passions." Highly readable, well-designed nonfiction with an appeal to the reader to consider their own stance: wall or welcome? VERDICT An excellent trade book for classrooms moving towards teaching with text sets and a perfect update for all library collections.—Sara Lissa Paulson

School Library Journal

2022-11-29
A fact-based look at both historical and modern arrivals in what is now the United States, including European colonization, profiles of notable immigrants, and an overview of current events.

Ortiz approaches the complex history and issues surrounding migration with a scholarly but accessible and compassionate tone, beginning with humanity’s early fossil records. Readers explore early Colonists’ travel to North America and the reasons behind it. The book continues, covering modern immigration, how authorities define legal versus illegal immigration, and how someone becomes a U.S. citizen. The text aptly supplements readers’ basic history knowledge with often overlooked aspects of America’s past, including the effects on and of Indigenous peoples, contributions immigrants have made to American industry and culture, and the backlash immigrants often face. The plight and power of new arrivals are not soft-pedaled: Readers are given facts on topics such as slavery, the Chinese Exclusion Act, the impact of the Mexican-American War, and the xenophobia faced by people of many different origins. Nativism and its impact on modern immigration policy, as well as the fallout of Covid-19, are also explored along with common immigration debates and myths. Readers are encouraged to explore their own families’ immigration stories, no matter how far back they go. A combination of real-life examples, critical historical context, and engaging graphics and data presentation makes this a solid choice.

An inviting, thorough, and accessible introduction to an important and perpetually relevant topic. (glossary, source notes, bibliography, further reading, index, photo credits) (Nonfiction. 13-18)

Kirkus Reviews