{"id":451097353,"title":"I'm New Here","handle":"im-new-here","description":"\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center; padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca title=\"Author\/Illustrator Anne Sibley O'Brien\" href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/pages\/anne-sibley-obrien\"\u003eAnne Sibley O'Brien\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIt can be scary being new in school.\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaria, Jin, and Fatimah are new to their American elementary school. The words that they hear around them and see on the page are confusing. They each long for the language that they know and the friends who understand them. They feel as though they don’t fit in—alone, confused, and sad.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWatching those around them, each new student slowly gains the confidence to engage with their new classmates. They realize that their peers and teachers are supportive, welcoming, and excited to learn what they have to share.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThough Maria, Jin, and Fatimah come from different cultures, they soon find that they share many similarities with students in their new American school. Likewise, their peers have the chance to learn about different cultures and languages and discover some of the many faces of friendship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe use of expressive illustrations, and a succinct main text paired with speech bubbles conveys the feelings of fear and apprehension experienced for immigrant children assimilating to a new place.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"The Ugly Vegetables\" href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/products\/ugly-vegetables\"\u003eThe Ugly Vegetables\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"Uncle Rain Cloud\" href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/products\/uncle-rain-cloud\"\u003eUncle Rain Cloud\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"While You Are Sleeping\" href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/products\/while-you-are-sleeping\"\u003eWhile You Are Sleeping\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eWatch the Trailer\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eAnne Sibley O'Brien presents \u003ci\u003eI'm New Here\u003c\/i\u003e to the Syracuse Citywide Book Club 2021:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/v73rCcxVHK8\" title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eAnne Sibley O'Brien discusses the experience of being new and \u003ci\u003eI'm New Here\u003c\/i\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/u5C8upd7qgo\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eChildren talk about their own experiences:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sziomv9rp5k\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER SPREAD BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"cvr-border-gray\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/im-new-here-spread.jpg?14990356197722472105\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-shape=\"round\" defer async=\"\" type=\"text\/javascript\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnne Sibley O'Brien, author \u0026amp; illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnne Sibley O'Brien knew she wanted to be an artist by the time she was seven. She was raised bilingual and bicultural, living in the cities of Seoul and Taegu, and on the island of Kojedo. Returning to the US at age 19, Annie attended Mount Holyoke College where she majored in studio art. She spent her junior year back in Korea at Ewha Women's University in Seoul, where she studied Korean arts, including oriental painting. During college, she decided that she wanted to pursue a career in children's book illustration. She has illustrated more than twenty-five picture books, including \u003ci\u003eAfter Gandhi\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eA Path of Stars\u003c\/i\u003e, and the Jamaica books by Juanita Havill (Houghton Mifflin) and the Talking Walls books by Margy Burns Knight (Tilsbury). Anne lives on Peaks Island in Maine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca title=\"Author\/Illustrator Anne Sibley O'Brien\" href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/pages\/anne-sibley-obrien\"\u003eRead more \u003c\/a\u003eabout Anne.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year 2016\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2016-2017 Chickadee Award nominee\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNCSS 2016 Notable Social Studies Trade Books list\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/star-fade.gif?18127980511287865543\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReaders walk in the shoes of three students struggling after immigrating to the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReaders meet Maria, from Guatemala, Jin, a South Korean boy, and Fatimah, a Somali girl who wears the hijab. O'Brien fosters empathy by portraying only one challenge each must overcome rather than overwhelming readers with many. Maria struggles with the language. Though back home, \"Our voices flowed like water and flew between us like birds,\" the sounds of English elude her. Clever, phonetically spelled dialogue balloons bring home to readers how foreign English sounds to Maria. For Jin, writing is the trouble; the scribbles of American letters close the door to the wonderful world of stories. Fatimah's challenge is abstract: she cannot find her place in this new classroom. Gradually, each child begins to bridge the gap—soccer, stories and shared words, artwork—and feel like part of a community. O'Brien's watercolor-and-digital illustrations masterfully use perspective, white space, and the contrast between the children \"back home\" and in their new settings to highlight the transition from outsider to friend. Other diverse students fill the classrooms, including a child in a wheelchair. An author's note tells O'Brien's own immigrant story, how difficult the transition is, the reasons families might emigrate, and how readers might help.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhether readers are new themselves or meeting those who are new, there are lessons to be learned here about perseverance, bravery, and inclusion, and O'Brien's lessons are heartfelt and poetically rendered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe New York Times Book Review\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Anne Sibley O’Brien’s \u003ci\u003eI’m New Here\u003c\/i\u003e, three simultaneous story lines show the efforts of immigrant children named Maria, Jin and Fatimah to fit into their new schools. Their common obstacle is the language they cannot understand. Readers are placed squarely into the characters’ points of view from the first page, with the children’s bewilderment expressed graphically through words emanating from invisible speakers in disembodied comics-style speech balloons, or through oddly spelled English words that the native children utter at recess: “Hedz Up,” “Mai Tern,” “Kum Awn.” Eventually, our newcomers draw on their strengths — Maria excels at soccer, Jin makes comic books, Fatimah is a good artist — to overcome the language barrier and make friends. The stories are all quite simple, but Sibley’s illustrations do a good job of conveying the wall of words a child immigrant must scale in order to fit in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeing the new student in a classroom is difficult enough, but when the child comes from another culture and speaks a different language, it can be extremely stressful and lonely. Three youngsters enter a new school—Maria from Guatemala, Jin from Korea, and Fatimah from Somalia—and each one experiences the feeling of not fitting in. They slowly learn to find ways to assimilate and, in fact, to shine as their inclusion in the classroom enriches the lives of the other children. Maria asks to join a group playing soccer, Jin teaches a fellow student some words written in Korean, and Fatimah gains enough confidence to share her artwork with the group. Brightly hued watercolors on stark white backgrounds show the children’s adjustment to the new situation and their classmates’ ready acceptance. “A Note from the Author” page includes a list of recommended readings on the same subject. VERDICT The title would be useful in sparking a discussion, and the simple text makes it a good choice for beginning readers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShelf Awareness\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis well-conceived, thoughtful picture book traces the first day at a new school for three children with very different experiences of adjusting, linguistically and culturally.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Back home I knew the language,\" says Maria, remembering her days of playing fútbol (American soccer) with her friends. \"Here there are new words. I can't understand them.\" Anne Sibley O'Brien (The Legend of Hong Kil Dong) shows Maria on the sidelines of her new school hearing alien sounds while watching others play (\"wun too\"; \"Mai tern,\" say the thought balloons).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJin is confronted with an entirely new alphabet: \"Back home I could read and write,\" he says. \"I shaped the letters and stacked them like blocks into words.\" As with Maria's example, Sibley O'Brien depicts Jin's experience in his homeland (Korea) on the left, and the scene in his new school on the right, with letters that \"lie on the page like scribbles and scratches.\" Fatimah, wearing a hijab, says, \"Here there are new ways.... I cannot find my place.\" But when her teacher asks the students to make drawings of life in their community, Fatimah volunteers to show her picture and connects with a classmate. Jin also makes a friend, and Maria finds her way through soccer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause Sibley O'Brien spotlights three examples, no child will feel singled out. She paves the way for teachers and parents to share this with children both as a way of preparing a new student, and as a way to welcome a classmate who may share this trio's predicament.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDiscover: An ideal conversation-starter for children in a new school or about to welcome a new classmate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBased on her own experiences living in another country as a young child, Sibley shows the challenges of three new American students as they navigate their first day of school. Maria, from Guatemala, struggles with English, but her love of soccer enables her to make new friends. Writing is difficult for Jin, from South Korea, but he finds that sharing his language with another student helps him unlock his stories. Meanwhile, Fatimah, from Somalia, is having trouble fitting in and is afraid of making mistakes. Encouraged by a classmate, she uses drawing as a way to connect her two cultures. The simplicity of the narrative combined with vibrant watercolor artwork depicting a wide range of diversity results in a powerful message of empathy for the immigrant experience. Additionally, an author's note explains why some families emigrate and how readers can help new Americans transition and provides a link to the I'm Your Neighbor project, which promotes children's literature featuring new arrivals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBayViews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree new students from Guatemala, Korea, and Somalia are introduced to their ethnically diverse classmates in the U.S. by saying \"I am new here.\" The brief story (with a few dialogue balloons) describes their struggles learning English, but each child has a talent (such as drawing) that helps in bridging the gap. Although the objective of the story is purposeful, it will be relevant in many classrooms and would make a useful read-aloud on the first day of school. The deeply saturated watercolor artwork on white backgrounds elaborates on the text, showing what each child is thinking and adding details. For example, one classmate uses a wheelchair. An author's note is included that teachers and parents may find helpful in answering questions. Overall, this is a solid story on language differences and their effect on children's classroom experiences.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/im-new-here-cvr.jpg?12443685219958548186\" style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/im-new-here-hires.zip?14793282804955709161\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/im-new-here-someone-new-activity-kits.pdf?v=1653335202\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Activity\/Discussion Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHardcover\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-58089-612-2\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaperback\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-58089-613-9\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eE-book \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-60734-776-7 EPUB\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-60734-775-0 PDF\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 5-8\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e8 \u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\/\u003csub\u003e2\u003c\/sub\u003e x 9 \u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\/\u003csub\u003e2\u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCorrelated to Common Core State Standards:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEnglish Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Literature. Grade 1. Standards 1-4, 6, 7, 10\u003cbr\u003eEnglish Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Literature. Grade 2. Standards 1, 3, 5, 7, 10\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e[\/TABS]\u003c\/div\u003e","published_at":"2015-04-08T14:02:00-04:00","created_at":"2015-04-08T13:11:58-04:00","vendor":"Charlesbridge","type":"Children's Book","tags":["Browse by Age_Ages 3-6","Browse by Age_Ages 6-10","Browse by Fiction\/Nonfiction_Fiction","Browse by Format_Picture Book","Browse by Language_English","Browse by Subject_Diversity","Browse by Subject_Life Lessons \u0026 Skills","Browse by Subject_School Days","Browse by Subject_Social Studies\/Cultures","friendship","girl","immigration","tolerance"],"price":799,"price_min":799,"price_max":1695,"available":true,"price_varies":true,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":1181436889,"title":"Hardcover","option1":"Hardcover","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"96122","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"I'm New Here - Hardcover","public_title":"Hardcover","options":["Hardcover"],"price":1695,"weight":445,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_quantity":10,"inventory_management":"shopify","inventory_policy":"continue","barcode":"978-1-58089-612-2","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":12239765110863,"title":"Paperback","option1":"Paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"96139","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"I'm New Here - Paperback","public_title":"Paperback","options":["Paperback"],"price":799,"weight":445,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_quantity":10,"inventory_management":"shopify","inventory_policy":"continue","barcode":"9781580896139","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/im-new-here-cover.jpg?v=1586796521"],"featured_image":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/im-new-here-cover.jpg?v=1586796521","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":"I'm New Here book cover","id":2474251452495,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.898,"height":668,"width":600,"src":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/im-new-here-cover.jpg?v=1586796521"},"aspect_ratio":0.898,"height":668,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/im-new-here-cover.jpg?v=1586796521","width":600}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center; padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca title=\"Author\/Illustrator Anne Sibley O'Brien\" href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/pages\/anne-sibley-obrien\"\u003eAnne Sibley O'Brien\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIt can be scary being new in school.\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaria, Jin, and Fatimah are new to their American elementary school. The words that they hear around them and see on the page are confusing. They each long for the language that they know and the friends who understand them. They feel as though they don’t fit in—alone, confused, and sad.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWatching those around them, each new student slowly gains the confidence to engage with their new classmates. They realize that their peers and teachers are supportive, welcoming, and excited to learn what they have to share.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThough Maria, Jin, and Fatimah come from different cultures, they soon find that they share many similarities with students in their new American school. Likewise, their peers have the chance to learn about different cultures and languages and discover some of the many faces of friendship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe use of expressive illustrations, and a succinct main text paired with speech bubbles conveys the feelings of fear and apprehension experienced for immigrant children assimilating to a new place.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"The Ugly Vegetables\" href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/products\/ugly-vegetables\"\u003eThe Ugly Vegetables\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"Uncle Rain Cloud\" href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/products\/uncle-rain-cloud\"\u003eUncle Rain Cloud\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca title=\"While You Are Sleeping\" href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/products\/while-you-are-sleeping\"\u003eWhile You Are Sleeping\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eWatch the Trailer\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eAnne Sibley O'Brien presents \u003ci\u003eI'm New Here\u003c\/i\u003e to the Syracuse Citywide Book Club 2021:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/v73rCcxVHK8\" title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eAnne Sibley O'Brien discusses the experience of being new and \u003ci\u003eI'm New Here\u003c\/i\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/u5C8upd7qgo\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eChildren talk about their own experiences:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sziomv9rp5k\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER SPREAD BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"cvr-border-gray\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/im-new-here-spread.jpg?14990356197722472105\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-shape=\"round\" defer async=\"\" type=\"text\/javascript\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnne Sibley O'Brien, author \u0026amp; illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnne Sibley O'Brien knew she wanted to be an artist by the time she was seven. She was raised bilingual and bicultural, living in the cities of Seoul and Taegu, and on the island of Kojedo. Returning to the US at age 19, Annie attended Mount Holyoke College where she majored in studio art. She spent her junior year back in Korea at Ewha Women's University in Seoul, where she studied Korean arts, including oriental painting. During college, she decided that she wanted to pursue a career in children's book illustration. She has illustrated more than twenty-five picture books, including \u003ci\u003eAfter Gandhi\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eA Path of Stars\u003c\/i\u003e, and the Jamaica books by Juanita Havill (Houghton Mifflin) and the Talking Walls books by Margy Burns Knight (Tilsbury). Anne lives on Peaks Island in Maine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca title=\"Author\/Illustrator Anne Sibley O'Brien\" href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/pages\/anne-sibley-obrien\"\u003eRead more \u003c\/a\u003eabout Anne.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year 2016\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2016-2017 Chickadee Award nominee\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNCSS 2016 Notable Social Studies Trade Books list\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/star-fade.gif?18127980511287865543\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReaders walk in the shoes of three students struggling after immigrating to the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReaders meet Maria, from Guatemala, Jin, a South Korean boy, and Fatimah, a Somali girl who wears the hijab. O'Brien fosters empathy by portraying only one challenge each must overcome rather than overwhelming readers with many. Maria struggles with the language. Though back home, \"Our voices flowed like water and flew between us like birds,\" the sounds of English elude her. Clever, phonetically spelled dialogue balloons bring home to readers how foreign English sounds to Maria. For Jin, writing is the trouble; the scribbles of American letters close the door to the wonderful world of stories. Fatimah's challenge is abstract: she cannot find her place in this new classroom. Gradually, each child begins to bridge the gap—soccer, stories and shared words, artwork—and feel like part of a community. O'Brien's watercolor-and-digital illustrations masterfully use perspective, white space, and the contrast between the children \"back home\" and in their new settings to highlight the transition from outsider to friend. Other diverse students fill the classrooms, including a child in a wheelchair. An author's note tells O'Brien's own immigrant story, how difficult the transition is, the reasons families might emigrate, and how readers might help.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhether readers are new themselves or meeting those who are new, there are lessons to be learned here about perseverance, bravery, and inclusion, and O'Brien's lessons are heartfelt and poetically rendered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe New York Times Book Review\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Anne Sibley O’Brien’s \u003ci\u003eI’m New Here\u003c\/i\u003e, three simultaneous story lines show the efforts of immigrant children named Maria, Jin and Fatimah to fit into their new schools. Their common obstacle is the language they cannot understand. Readers are placed squarely into the characters’ points of view from the first page, with the children’s bewilderment expressed graphically through words emanating from invisible speakers in disembodied comics-style speech balloons, or through oddly spelled English words that the native children utter at recess: “Hedz Up,” “Mai Tern,” “Kum Awn.” Eventually, our newcomers draw on their strengths — Maria excels at soccer, Jin makes comic books, Fatimah is a good artist — to overcome the language barrier and make friends. The stories are all quite simple, but Sibley’s illustrations do a good job of conveying the wall of words a child immigrant must scale in order to fit in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeing the new student in a classroom is difficult enough, but when the child comes from another culture and speaks a different language, it can be extremely stressful and lonely. Three youngsters enter a new school—Maria from Guatemala, Jin from Korea, and Fatimah from Somalia—and each one experiences the feeling of not fitting in. They slowly learn to find ways to assimilate and, in fact, to shine as their inclusion in the classroom enriches the lives of the other children. Maria asks to join a group playing soccer, Jin teaches a fellow student some words written in Korean, and Fatimah gains enough confidence to share her artwork with the group. Brightly hued watercolors on stark white backgrounds show the children’s adjustment to the new situation and their classmates’ ready acceptance. “A Note from the Author” page includes a list of recommended readings on the same subject. VERDICT The title would be useful in sparking a discussion, and the simple text makes it a good choice for beginning readers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShelf Awareness\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis well-conceived, thoughtful picture book traces the first day at a new school for three children with very different experiences of adjusting, linguistically and culturally.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Back home I knew the language,\" says Maria, remembering her days of playing fútbol (American soccer) with her friends. \"Here there are new words. I can't understand them.\" Anne Sibley O'Brien (The Legend of Hong Kil Dong) shows Maria on the sidelines of her new school hearing alien sounds while watching others play (\"wun too\"; \"Mai tern,\" say the thought balloons).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJin is confronted with an entirely new alphabet: \"Back home I could read and write,\" he says. \"I shaped the letters and stacked them like blocks into words.\" As with Maria's example, Sibley O'Brien depicts Jin's experience in his homeland (Korea) on the left, and the scene in his new school on the right, with letters that \"lie on the page like scribbles and scratches.\" Fatimah, wearing a hijab, says, \"Here there are new ways.... I cannot find my place.\" But when her teacher asks the students to make drawings of life in their community, Fatimah volunteers to show her picture and connects with a classmate. Jin also makes a friend, and Maria finds her way through soccer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause Sibley O'Brien spotlights three examples, no child will feel singled out. She paves the way for teachers and parents to share this with children both as a way of preparing a new student, and as a way to welcome a classmate who may share this trio's predicament.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDiscover: An ideal conversation-starter for children in a new school or about to welcome a new classmate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBased on her own experiences living in another country as a young child, Sibley shows the challenges of three new American students as they navigate their first day of school. Maria, from Guatemala, struggles with English, but her love of soccer enables her to make new friends. Writing is difficult for Jin, from South Korea, but he finds that sharing his language with another student helps him unlock his stories. Meanwhile, Fatimah, from Somalia, is having trouble fitting in and is afraid of making mistakes. Encouraged by a classmate, she uses drawing as a way to connect her two cultures. The simplicity of the narrative combined with vibrant watercolor artwork depicting a wide range of diversity results in a powerful message of empathy for the immigrant experience. Additionally, an author's note explains why some families emigrate and how readers can help new Americans transition and provides a link to the I'm Your Neighbor project, which promotes children's literature featuring new arrivals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBayViews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree new students from Guatemala, Korea, and Somalia are introduced to their ethnically diverse classmates in the U.S. by saying \"I am new here.\" The brief story (with a few dialogue balloons) describes their struggles learning English, but each child has a talent (such as drawing) that helps in bridging the gap. Although the objective of the story is purposeful, it will be relevant in many classrooms and would make a useful read-aloud on the first day of school. The deeply saturated watercolor artwork on white backgrounds elaborates on the text, showing what each child is thinking and adding details. For example, one classmate uses a wheelchair. An author's note is included that teachers and parents may find helpful in answering questions. Overall, this is a solid story on language differences and their effect on children's classroom experiences.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/im-new-here-cvr.jpg?12443685219958548186\" style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/im-new-here-hires.zip?14793282804955709161\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/im-new-here-someone-new-activity-kits.pdf?v=1653335202\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Activity\/Discussion Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHardcover\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-58089-612-2\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaperback\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-58089-613-9\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eE-book \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-60734-776-7 EPUB\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-60734-775-0 PDF\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 5-8\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e8 \u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\/\u003csub\u003e2\u003c\/sub\u003e x 9 \u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\/\u003csub\u003e2\u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCorrelated to Common Core State Standards:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEnglish Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Literature. Grade 1. Standards 1-4, 6, 7, 10\u003cbr\u003eEnglish Language Arts-Literacy. Reading Literature. Grade 2. Standards 1, 3, 5, 7, 10\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e[\/TABS]\u003c\/div\u003e"}