Review by Booklist Review
You're either super-excited for the first day of school or you dread it. This story's protagonist is solidly in the thrilled category, despite being new. The sheer possibilities of this fresh start light her up. "New is exciting . . . New is imagining how many friends I'll meet." But once at school, newness quickly begins to feel unsettling, "strange and uncomfortable," "different," and "lonely." Her openness leads her to another lonesome kid on the playground, though, and the power of play helps the pair transcend barriers like language. Digital artwork effectively shifts between a cheery full-color palette and more muted sepia tones that convey the child's sense of isolation and worry. Framed but unhung photos alongside a rolled carpet underscore the family's recent move, which illustrative clues suggest was from Manila to the U.S. A deeply personal and optimistic look at all the hope that newness holds, and a gentle addition to both first-day-of-school collections and immigration conversations.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Mata's introspective solo picture book debut centers new-kid-at-school experiences while imagining many possibilities for the word new. An unnamed narrator kicks off the word's variations, explaining that "even as Mama helps me dress in hand-me-down clothes, and as Tatay packs my favorite lunch in recycled containers.... I am new." Walking to school, "new is exciting," reminiscent of freshly sharpened pencils and "the thrill of my first autumn breeze." Close observations and anticipations are rendered in full color, until arrival at school establishes a shift to desaturated hues. There, at last, a new pal returns bright moments to the telling; though the two speak different languages, their initial encounters blossom into friendship and "joy--a joy that knows no boundaries." The protagonist cues as of Filipino heritage; background characters are portrayed with various abilities and skin tones. Ages 4--8. (May)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A young Filipino immigrant adjusts to life in the United States. The unnamed narrator excitedly gets ready for the first day of school. The child may be wearing hand-me-downs, and Taytay (Dad) packs the youngster a lunch in "recycled containers," but even so, "I am new." Walking to school with Taytay, the protagonist observes, "New is exciting. It's sharpened pencils and blank notebooks in my backpack" and "imagining how many friends I'll meet." Approaching the building, however, the narrator begins to feel unsure. The charming cartoon illustrations, rendered in softly blended textures and a playful, vibrant palette, are sapped of color as the youngster realizes that "new can also feel far away from home." The child is the only spot of brightness on the now-muted page. Homing in on well-chosen concrete details, Mata cleverly demonstrates how newness can be a double-edged sword: New is "not knowing all the rules yet and standing up when I hear my name…New is the first time I notice my eyes and when I discover I have an accent." "New can feel lonely," the child laments. But color is deftly integrated back into the illustrations as the child meets a brown-skinned, curly-haired, Spanish-speaking classmate. Despite the language barrier, the experience is a reminder that "new can also be inviting," and the book comes to a satisfying close as the friends find "a joy that knows no boundaries." A loving and gentle guide for those navigating the strange and unfamiliar.(Picture book. 5-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
