How did your reading go this month? Did you read something that paid tribute to Filipino American heritage? Share in the comments. In October we celebrated the arrival of the first Filipinos to the continental United States by reading books that explore the culture, history, and art of Filipino Americans.

This title dives into the lives of four generations of Filipino American boys as they work through a segment of time in their teenage years. Starting in Watsonsville in 1930: Francisco has just left the Philippines and has landed in California trying to earn a living in the fields. Flash to Stockton in 1965: Emil splits his time between school and working night shifts at his aunt’s restaurant. His father Francisco is barely home, spending his time instead as a labor organizer traveling the country. Emil has no desire to follow in his father’s footsteps. Jump to Denver, 1983: Chris is beyond tired of dealing with his overbearing father Emil. When a missed ‘ancestral history’ assignment gets Chris kicked off the football team, he finds himself spending days in the library learning more about his Filipino history. His attempts to discuss this with Emil are brushed off as unimportant. Now to Philadelphia 2020: Enzo’s anxiety is off the charts when his grandfather Emil moves in with them after a global pandemic breaks out. Tensions run high between Chris and Emil leaving Enzo to try to bridge the gap through long family walks with his grandfather’s dog.

Everything We Never Had is beautifully written. Each Maghabol boy has a complex father-son relationship that the author describes in such detail that readers are easily able to see how these relationships impact each subsequent generation. Each boy confronts personal and familial expectations in their own way, but Filipino American culture winds through each of their intricate stories.

Next month, we will be reading about Native American Heritage Month. We will be honoring the ancestry, heritage, and traditions of Native Americans and their contributions to American history by reading a story about or by indigenous people.

In addition to following the Online Reading Challenge here on our Info Cafe blog, you can join our Online Reading Challenge group on Goodreads and discuss your reads!