Remix: Conversations with Immigrant Teenagers

by Marina Budhos

Marina Budhos, whose parents came from two different immigrant streams, always listens for the story within the story. Here, in fourteen intimate conversations and many short interviews, teenagers from all over the world reveal their most personal struggles and triumphs. Remix features Muslim girls from traditional families and Guyanese boys who know every hot new club, Hmong athletes, Russians in Disneyland, Central Americans sustained by community and tempted by gangs, Koreans facing extreme pressures to succeed, and many others. Filled with insights about American teenage culture and moving stories about the special challenges immigrants face, Remix shows all the voices of the new America.

Genres: Nonfiction

158 pages, Paperback

First published October 5, 1999

About the author

Marina Budhos is an author of award-winning fiction and nonfiction. Her most recent novel is We Are All We Have, about Rania, a teenage asylum seeker, whose life is suddenly shattered and she goes on the road, in search of sanctuary, and family truths. Previously she published The Long Ride, Watched, which received an Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature YA Honor and a The Walter Award Honor. Her other novels include Tell Us We're Home, a 2017 Essex County YA Pick and Ask Me No Questions, recipient of a James Cook Teen Book Award, The Professor of Light, House of Waiting, and a nonfiction book, Remix: Conversations with Immigrant Teenagers. With her husband Marc Aronson, she co-authored Eyes of the World: Robert Capa & Gerda Taro & The Invention of Modern Photojournalism and Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom & Science, a 2010 Los Angeles Times Book Award Finalist. Budhos has been a Fulbright Scholar to India, received there Fellowships from the New Jersey Council on the Arts and is a professor emerita at William Paterson University.

Reviews

[Deyanira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you enjoy reading books about immigrants and their struggles in America? This is a great book about teens dealing with hardships while trying to assimilate to America. I really enjoyed reading this book because the stories were told by teenagers. Hearing stories by others teens can really help others to connect. I also enjoyed reading the outcomes of the choices the teens made. Most of the teens made big mistakes and tried to fix them. A story that stuck out to me the most was Hector's he was an immigrant from Guatemala. He made a choice that was really rough. "I had no choice. I stay here, I'll be a dead man."- Hector. I recommend this book to any teenager.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got teary-eyed as I read some of the stories that are in this book. Deeply personal and touching, they certainly show how difficult immigration can be and how different is it for different people from various cultures. I highly recommend this to educators as well as anyone interested in learning more about immigration to the U.S.

[Maren Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moving stories of immigrant teens finding their place in America.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty cool perspective of teens trying to make it in America as first generation immigrants.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and seeing the different stories! However, I wish we got more from the teenagers being interviewed and didn’t just read the author explaining the interview/person. I wanted to hear more from the teenagers perspective and their voices

[Hannah Grippo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book along time ago, but am reading it again for my students so that we may talk about our fellow citizens in a way that leads away from hate. Wow. It was heavy reading the voices of different newly American teenagers. I'm always interested in learning about people who've been refugees, but this book taught me a lot about my own home as well, the one I share with them, the one that will always be more diverse than we imagine it to be. Budhos shows that they are often stereotyped and belittled, but as they make their way here, we should find them broken and admirable and full of chance, and look forward to the changes they will make to the country. Budhos collected her research and their point of views awesomely. I hope more people read this book and get a better understanding what it means to be an immigrant and an American.