Land of the Cranes, written by Aida Salazar, reviewed by Katy Golden

Summary:  Betita is a nine-year-old girl in Los Angeles who loves to write poems and draw pictures - until her father is deported and she and her pregnant mother are detained in a family detention camp. Among her fellow asylum seekers, Betita meets cruel guards, unfeeling administration, and desperately seeks to get her poems and story told - and her family reunited in their home. Told through pictures and poems, Betita's story is difficult to read but ultimately hopeful.

Straight Talk for Librarians:  Betita's story is hard to read, but an important view into detainment centers and the difficulties faced by detainees. A beautiful collection of poems and pictures that tells a timely story about issues and fears faced by immigrants in the United States every day. Hand to readers who won't flinch from cruelty and are prepared to read the harsh reality and frustrations of immigration policy.