California
Great Reads from Great Places
"Land of the Cranes" by Aida Salazar
Age: 8-12 years
“Land of the Cranes” (Scholastic) is a story-in-verse of a daughter of Mexican immigrants who learns to hold on to hope and love even in the darkest of places: a family detention center for migrants and refugees. Despite the cruel and inhumane conditions in the camp, nine-year-old Betita finds heart in her own poetry and in the community she and her mother find there. Though it is a work of fiction, “Land of the Cranes” is based on the real fears and lived experiences of migrant families and children all over California.
Aida Salazar is an award-winning author and arts activist whose writing explores issues of identity and social justice. Born in Mexico, she grew up in a family of seven children in Southeast Los Angeles and currently lives and works in Oakland.
California Center for the Book
California Library Association
Learn more about this state's 2021 Great Reads from Great Places book selection in this video.