Someone New
Someone New
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Charlesbridge Publishing
Annotation: "A great book to help students of all ages understand how they can welcome new members into their classrooms and communi... more
 
Reviews: 7
Catalog Number: #6683369
Format: Paperback
Copyright Date: 2021
Edition Date: 2021 Release Date: 07/06/21
Pages: 1 volume (unpaged)
ISBN: 1-623-54269-3
ISBN 13: 978-1-623-54269-6
Dewey: E
LCCN: 2017028984
Dimensions: 24 cm
Language: English
Reviews:
Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

In I'm New Here (2015), O'Brien told the story of three new immigrants from their perspectives. Here, she tells the same story from the perspectives of the peers who welcome them.Jesse, Jason, and Emma are struggling to connect with their new peers—Maria from Guatemala, Jin from South Korea, and Fatimah from Somalia—who seem so different from them. Jesse, a white boy, sees Maria watching his team play soccer. He wonders if she even knows how to play, thinking, "Our team is already great as it is. I don't want to mess it up." Jason, a black boy, wants to share his comics with Jin, but since Jin can't read or write English, Jason wishes he "had a superpower to help him." Emma, a white girl, tries to explain to Fatimah, who wears hijab, what's happening in class, but Fatimah does not understand. Each student uses a talent of theirs (soccer, writing, and drawing) to connect with their new classmate and make a friend. O'Brien's watercolor-and-digital illustrations again make effective use of white space to positively depict the students who are already "home" moving through discomfort and confusion to welcoming their new classmates. The author includes a note discussing intergroup anxiety, how to overcome it, and strategies for dissolving barriers. Informative and genuine, the book offers much to learn about connecting, expanding understanding, and overcoming differences—a great companion to the previous title. (Picture book. 5-10)

ALA Booklist (Fri Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2017)

This companion to I'm New Here (2015) focuses on the same new-to-the-U.S. children (Maria from Guatemala, Jin from South Korea, and Fatimah from Somalia), but from the perspective of their classmates. Making friends can be difficult if you don't speak English, feel that you don't fit in, or wear different clothing from other children. Though their classmates want to help, they don't know how to approach newcomers. Then Maria bravely asks to play soccer and proves to be skilled at the game. Jin uses his talent for writing stories to connect with another student, and, similarly, Fatimah paints pictures to express herself. Once the ice is broken, friendships follow. O'Brien's watercolor illustrations portray multi-ethnic teachers and students involved in typical primary-grade activities. Most scenes depict the children involved in specific tasks (organizing a soccer game, sitting at the writing table, creating art), and the use of white space as background highlights the kids and their feelings. Satisfyingly, most of the rapprochement is handled without adult intervention; an author's note for adult facilitators is appended.

Horn Book

Guatemalan Maria, Korean Jin, and Somalian Fatimah appeared in I'm New Here. Now the focus is on their American classmates and how everyone benefits from interacting with the new kids. For instance, Jesse gets Maria to play on their soccer team, and she's "unstoppable." Watercolor and digital illustrations depict welcoming, diversely populated classrooms, and the simple text with speech balloons supports young readers. A note further discusses "connecting across differences."

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

In I'm New Here (2015), O'Brien told the story of three new immigrants from their perspectives. Here, she tells the same story from the perspectives of the peers who welcome them.Jesse, Jason, and Emma are struggling to connect with their new peers—Maria from Guatemala, Jin from South Korea, and Fatimah from Somalia—who seem so different from them. Jesse, a white boy, sees Maria watching his team play soccer. He wonders if she even knows how to play, thinking, "Our team is already great as it is. I don't want to mess it up." Jason, a black boy, wants to share his comics with Jin, but since Jin can't read or write English, Jason wishes he "had a superpower to help him." Emma, a white girl, tries to explain to Fatimah, who wears hijab, what's happening in class, but Fatimah does not understand. Each student uses a talent of theirs (soccer, writing, and drawing) to connect with their new classmate and make a friend. O'Brien's watercolor-and-digital illustrations again make effective use of white space to positively depict the students who are already "home" moving through discomfort and confusion to welcoming their new classmates. The author includes a note discussing intergroup anxiety, how to overcome it, and strategies for dissolving barriers. Informative and genuine, the book offers much to learn about connecting, expanding understanding, and overcoming differences—a great companion to the previous title. (Picture book. 5-10)

School Library Journal (Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)

PreS-Gr 2 In this companion to I'm New Here , O'Brien conveys the confusing emotions, and how to conquer them, of those who are already inside a group when someone new arrives. Through three simple tales, readers see the story of how three different children formulate their thoughts and figure out how to welcome three new friends into their class. The text and vocabulary are very simple and sometimes interspersed with dialogue between characters to show exactly how one can be welcoming. The watercolor illustrations assist with the stories beautifully, showing exactly what the students are doing and how that can sometimes inaccurately represent their thoughts and emotions. O'Brien has taken great care in detailing her character's emotions, from nervousness to happiness, through facial expressions, body posture, and shading. Together, text and illustration combine to set a great example of creating connections and welcoming new members into a close-knit community. VERDICT A great book to help students of all ages understand how they can welcome new members into their classrooms and communities. Margaret Kennelly, iSchool at Urbana-Champaign, IL

Reviewing Agencies: - Find Other Reviewed Titles
Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews
ALA Booklist (Fri Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2017)
Horn Book
Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)
National Council For Social Studies Notable Children's Trade
School Library Journal (Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)
Wilson's Children's Catalog
Word Count: 630
Reading Level: 2.2
Interest Level: 1-4
Accelerated Reader: reading level: 2.2 / points: 0.5 / quiz: 197165 / grade: Lower Grades
Lexile: AD470L
There's someone new in my class.

Excerpted from Someone New by Ann Sibley O'Brien
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

"A great book to help students of all ages understand how they can welcome new members into their classrooms and communities." −School Library Journal

In this companion story to I'm New Here, three elementary schoolers--who aren't new--begin to understand and embrace three immigrant students.


Are you new here? Do you know someone new? In I'm New Here and Someone New, young readers explore the immigrant experience through both "windows" and "mirrors." In I'm New Here, readers meet three recent immigrants trying to adjust to a new country and school. In Someone New, the same story is told from the perspective of the students who welcome the newcomers. An honest and heartwarming look at diversity, inclusion, and friendship.


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