I'm in the Mitali Perkins' session. She asked about parents. grandparents born outside of the US. Lots of us!! All four of my grandparents were born in Finland.

All of what she talks about will be available to you at her site with a /YALSA. She has a great web site: http://www.mitaliperkins.com/ She blogs too. :-) I was doing a quick look in B&N and found a new title that comes out in January: Secret Keeper http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Secret-Keeper/Mitali-Perkins/e/9780385733403/?itm=10 about a Indian teen whose father leaves for work in America and her writes about her feelings in a diary. Some will recognize her book Monsoon Summer http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Secret-Keeper/Mitali-Perkins/e/9780385733403/?itm=10 about a California born Indian teen who spends the summer in India. I now have a signed copy. :-)

She is hilarious! If you ever get a chance to hear her speak - do so! Great family pictures of herself and her family. Very close to her family - her Dad Googles where she is and she calls them every night. But, the topics she addresses are hardly funny. She showed us
A Girl Like Me - movie by a 17 year old girl addressing how dark skinned girls feel about their appearance. The comments about skin bleaching cream make you cringe. A real eyeopener in the frankness of the children's and teen's responses.