This book is amazing! It describes the experiences of an immigrant from Guatemala who becomes a teacher in the US and tells her students about her experiences.

This book has truly left me lost for words. These children are so lucky to have Emily in their lives and I was in complete awe of her.

Remarkable and beautiful! Emily does an amazing job weaving her story into the lives of her students. Her powerful story as an immigrant allows her to bring her students' stories to life for the reader. I found myself in awe of Emily's story and immensely grateful she is now a teacher for students facing similar situations. As an educator, this has helped me to have a better understanding of what some of our students are facing. We are excited to bring this to our staff to build empathy for our immigrant students and develop better practices based on their needs.

Quite a few days late but, A big thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for approving me of a copy of an e-arc of this book!
A great book. I'm left completely wordless.

This book is proof of why representation in the classroom matters. In 'If You Only Knew: Letters from an Immigrant Teacher', Emily Francis recounts her life story to eight of her students to guide them through their own immigrant journeys as they navigate the educational system in the United States. In doing so, she not only lets each of them know how strongly she understands the challenges they’re going through, but she also models for them in a powerful way how they too can share their experiences with courage and dignity.

Each letter is written in a thoughtful manner, making sure she’s not overstepping boundaries while still providing her students with lessons she has learned throughout the many chapters of her life: as the eldest child of five in Guatemala; as an undocumented, unaccompanied minor traveling to the United States; as a newcomer student in New York; and as a teacher in North Carolina, her life-long dream.

Emily’s journey has provided her with such cultural wealth, allowing her to navigate conversations with her students in a way that makes them feel seen, heard, and understood. Through these letters, it is evident how deeply she cares for her students’ well-being as she reminds them that their leadership is because of who they are, not despite it. 'If You Only Knew' truly is a love letter to her younger self, providing her students the support and understanding she craved for so long.

This book provides a blueprint on how the education system can best serve newcomers to be the best version of themselves — a must-read for anyone who cares for immigrant students.

(Reviewed by Carol Bono, Communications Manager and Lead Storyteller at LatinxEd)

As an elementary school librarian and a former ESL teacher, reading Emily’s story and hearing about her grit and perseverance in spite of setbacks is so inspiring and encouraging. It also reminds me that it often takes just ONE supportive person in a student’s life to make all the difference between success and failure. Time and time again throughout her story, there are key moments where a kind person could have had or did have a significant impact, and it is such a critical reminder as an educator that every student matters—every day. What we do and say matters, sometimes far more than we realize, and taking that little bit of extra time to nurture our students can help them find a pathway to success.

I also loved that Emily shared the importance of sharing our own stories, not only through authoring her own book, but also through activities and lessons she highlighted in the book, as well as times that she shared herself—the good and the bad—and was willing to be vulnerable. This humanizes teachers for our students, helps with building trusting relationships so they can learn better, and shows others walking a similar path that success is possible, and that hard things can be achieved, regardless of where or how your story begins.

I am so proud of Emily for sharing her journey, highlighting a narrative of how immigrants are successful, hardworking contributors to our country, and showing the world that ESL teachers give students a treasure by opening the doors to every other subject that is taught through the magic of language learning. She’s an inspiration and I hope that this book is read by as many teachers and students as possible!

This is an incredible story that portrays a teacher's passion, persistence, understanding, and care for her students. She parallels her own unique experiences through to her students' journeys as they navigate their new surroundings in the United States. The author intentionally writes letters to her students depicting empathy and compassion while assimilating to a new culture. The intricate details in the letters provide readers with real-life knowledge of the difficulties and struggle immigrant students endure upon arrival in a new country. It is a must-read for any educator.

If You Only Knew recounts the author's own immigration journey to the US through heartfelt letters to her own immigrant students. While a collection of letters, this book is really a memoir.

Emily Francis, the author spent her childhood helping her mother to make ends meet by selling oranges, while also caring for her younger siblings as a second (and sometimes in reality, only) mother. Her mother's ultimate decision to leave her 5 children alone in Guatemala while she made her way to New York left Emily totally in charge at a time when only letters served as a vehicle of communication. Emily, faced with this enormous responsibility found getting to school almost impossible, and keeping her siblings in line was a challenge.

Finally, Emily and her siblings are able to make the trip to the US through Mexico with a coyote, eventually landing in New York as unaccompanied minors. Through divine intervention they are allowed to stay in the US, and it is at that time that Emily begins to pursue her own education as an ESL student, working her way through a maze as she seeks to fill in the gaps left from her interrupted education in Guatemala. As she makes her way to college, and to a master's degree and fulfills her ambition to become an ESL teacher, we realize how and why Emily is able to relate so strongly to her students. She becomes the teacher that she wished she'd had, the person she wished she could have looked up to.

Emily's story is one of hardships and pain, but it is also one of optimism and hope. She shows us what it means to really be a teacher...to be one's teacher for life, as evidenced by her signature at the end of each letter: Your teacher always. A riveting story that grabs you from the first page, this is a must read for all teachers.
#netgalley

I was moved by Emily Francis’ compassion for her students and her journey to becoming an ESL teacher. As a teacher myself, I know how important and invaluable it is to be able to connect with students in a meaningful way and to get them to trust you and open up to you. It’s clear Emily Francis goes above and beyond as an educator and will do anything for her students.

I think I struggled with the letter format of the book. I wasn’t sure if the objective was to tell about each student’s story or if it was for Emily Francis to tell her own. Both were accomplished, but I almost would have preferred that maybe it was told in anecdote form with chapters about each student rather than to them.

Regardless, her story is one that can reach students in a way that not everyone’s can. I think her book will connect with readers in ways that will be meaningful and stay with them for a long time.

This is a heartfelt book for students who have made the journey into a new country. The book reads much like a Chicken Soup for the Soul book where the author writes letters to her students and within the letters explains her own journey to the US. The letters are inspiring and really give a sense of the struggles immigrants face. It is really intended for upper grade students—-middle school and higher. A quick tug at your heart read.

North Carolina ESL Teacher Emily Francis has written a love letter to her students, past, present, and future. She writes to encourage them to do more, to be more. As she writes to her students, she remembers her own journey. Emily did not have a lot of encouragement from her educators. She has made it her goal to teach, encourage, and love her students. This is a must read for all classroom teachers because we all need to learn from those we teach. Thank you to Seidlitz and NetGalley for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for my review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Seidlitz Education for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Ms Francis, an ESL teacher who arrived in the US as an undocumented immigrant at the age of 15, shares letters to her students that reveal connections to their experiences.

I liked the concept a lot, but it felt like the author had a bit of a savior complex. There was a lot of "I'm doing this because I wish someone had done it for me," which I can understand, but it felt repetitive. I also felt like her students could have really benefitted from hearing these stories directly, instead of writing them indirectly in letter format.

This is a lovely look at an immigrant teacher helping immigrant students. Their stories are unique and beautiful. I liked that our teacher could relate to the students and help them acclimate.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

Thank you, Seidlitz Education, for the advance review copy.

I feel I am really lucky enough to get to read this book. The contents show so much maturity and genuineness in the writing.

Nine short anthologies with thr teacher addressing their well meaning thoughts to their students who are immigrants.

It's such a heartwarming read. Definitely go for it. It's encouraging and hopeful.