about the book
“My family came here from far away… because they dreamed of more.”
What does it take to make a life in a new country? Are immigrants’ dreams that same as everyone else’s?
Explore the lives of twenty-first century immigrants through these thought-provoking photographs.
about the author
John Coy was born in Minneapolis into a family of teachers—his mother and father, both grandmothers, and an uncle all taught school. The oldest of four children, John says one of his best memories was sitting next to his dad in the front seat of the car late at night during the family’s long car trips. It was a chance to get his dad all to himself—and the conversations were great.
John earned a Bachelor of Arts from St. John’s University and a Master of Arts in Human Development from St. Mary’s College. He has taught classes in children’s literature at the University of Minnesota and does several workshops each year. John also is a writer-in-residence in elementary schools. He lives with his wife, a publisher, and their daughter along the Mississippi River in Minneapolis.
Taking inspiration from the car trips with his dad, John wrote his first book. After researching the types of books that were not out there, he decided to concentrate on writing specifically for young male adults. It combines the three things he really loves—reading, writing, and sports.
Sources:
Author website
Author biography : Wikipedia
Author interview : As the Eraser Burns
Book trailer: Their Great Gift
Also by John Coy:
Game Changer : John McLendon and the Secret Game. Carolrhoda. 2015
Hoop Genius : How a Desperate Teacher and a Rowdy Gym Class Invented Basdetball. Carolrhoda. 2013.
Vroomaloom Zoom. Nodin Press. 2010.
Around the World. Lee & Low Books. 2005.
Two Old Potatoes and Me. Alfred A. Knopf. 2003.
read more!
Game Changer : John McLendon and the Secret Game by John Coy
A secret basketball game played in 1944 in North Carolina changed the sport forever. The game, set up by coach John McLendon, was between the North Carolina College of Negroes’ basketball team and the all-white team from Duke University Medical School. But why was it so secret?
The Journey by Francesca Sanna
The war changed everything, especially when it took my father. There was so much chaos that the rest of us had to leave our home and travel to somewhere foreign. It was the only way to keep hope in our lives. The journey wasn’t easy.
We Came to America by Faith Ringgold
Celebrate the United States’ diverse heritage by learning about the people who came here as immigrants as well as those who were already here before the first explorers and those who were forced to come here. Learn how our differences have shaped—and are still shaping—our country.