Bibliography
Thomas, A., Reynolds, J., Yoon, N., & Lu, M. (2018). Hope nation: YA authors share personal moments of inspiration (R. Brock, Ed.). Penguin Books.
Plot Summary
This collection of short stories, personal narratives, and essays from acclaimed young adult authors share themes of hope, resilience, and bravery when facing challenges.
Critical Analysis
Author’s from all walks of life come together to share their own personal stories that relate to hope. Published after the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States, the world was in the midst of upheaval. Nic Stone shared her reaction in her narrative Always, “What the results of the 2016 presidential election said to me personally was You are not safe” (pg 230). The end of her narrative revealed a shared love of Harry Potter and the idea that there are connections we can have with people that are not like ourselves.
The representation within this collection of stories is vast from LGBTQ+, Black, Latinx, Asian, Muslim, etc. Each person shares an experience where their background has helped shaped who they are or their reactions to an event in their life. Atia Abawi, for example, dreamed of becoming a foreign correspondent but was deterred when her AP Journalism teacher stomped on her dream. She adjusted her major in college for a new dream but eventually found her way to becoming the foreign correspondent she always dreamed of.
Nicole Yoon, a Jamaican American (black), writes about her marriage to a Korean American man. She notes the racism they face from his family because of the color of his skin. “Aside from his parents, there are some other challenges to being an interracial couple… When I put a jar of kimchi into my grocery cart at our favorite Korean grocery store, Korean people stare. When he picks up a can of ackee at the Jamaican store, Jamaican people stare. We get the occasional snide remark from both sides. When we have oysters at our favorite date-night spot, white people stare. One of our white friends jokingly says that this is because my husband and I are two different kinds of nonwhite” (100-101).
Each story is uniquely told in the author’s voice. The stories can be read individually or the reader can binge on the hope conveyed in each experience.
Hope Nation emphasizes the idea that we have a diverse nation with a plethora of cultures and experiences. When the world looms undaunting, we can come together to provide hope and courage with the power of words and stories.
Review Excerpt(s)
A 2019 Texas Topaz Reading List Selection
A Junior Library Guild Selection
"This amazing outpouring of strength and honesty offers inspirational personal accounts for every reader who wonders what to do when everything seems impossible." --Booklist
Connections
-Activities
Use the novel as a mentor text for students to develop their own stories of hope, resilience, or acceptance.
Many of the stories reference the election of the forty-fifth president of the United States. How did the election and some of the events that happened after his election influence some of the selections provided?
We by David Levithan
Nobody Remembers the Names of People Who Build Walls by Jeff Zentner
Always by Nic Stone
Research different rebellions - Tiananmen Square, May 1968 student revolt in France, Kent State, etc. - and how they affected history.
Before starting the book, have students write their own definitions of the term “hope”. After reading the book, students can look at their initial definition and revise as needed. Display the definitions in the hallway or library.
Using Always by Nic Stone, have students track the bolded words. What significance do the bolded words have?
Watch some of Atai Abawi’s television reports before reading her story. Have students discuss their thoughts on her reporting skills. Share some of her accolades. Then share her narrative.
How did Mr. W impact Abawi’s life plan?
Explain the importance of family for Atai Abawi.
Choose two selections from the novel. Have students make connections across texts.
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