Here I Am

Starred review from September 30, 2013
In a nearly wordless picture book, Kim and Sanchez examine the difficulties, adjustments, and eventual triumphs that accompany one boy's transition from an unspecified Asian nation to New York City with his family. The book's very wordlessness highlights the boy's unfamiliarity with Englishâsigns on storefronts read as gibberish; a teacher neatly writes "bla bla bla" on the chalkboardâand Sanchez's palette veers from the dull tans and grays of the airport to the shocking blue and yellow lights of the city at night with a page turn. The boy is initially despondent, cranky, lonely, and boredâhis only comfort is a red seed he carries, a memento of home. When that seed finds its way into the pocket of a girl skipping rope outside the boy's brownstone, he's finally drawn into the city, learning to embrace street food, friendly pigeons, and the smells wafting from a corner cafe. For children who have moved to an unfamiliar country or town, it's a sensitive reminder that they are not alone; for others, it'll be an eye-opening window into what those kids are going through. Ages 5â10. Illustrator's agent: Teresa Kietlinski, Prospect Agency.

November 1, 2013

Gr 3-5-In this visually impactful wordless book, Kim tells the story of a young boy who immigrates with his family to a new country. Scared and uncomfortable, the child keeps a seed from his homeland as solace in the midst of the unfamiliar surroundings, classmates, and language. When he loses it, the youngster goes out to explore and finds new wonders, from the neighborhood pretzel stand to making friends to discovering the rewards of planting old seeds in new soil. Sanchez's engaging mixed-media illustrations are expressive and effectively utilize white space. The innovative page layout and design significantly incorporate graphic-novel elements to tell the story, using panels of differing sizes, line color, and width, and superimposing panels on a larger background image. Kim and Sanchez have created a unique picture book that explores important themes relevant to many young readers, including immigration and adjusting to a new home.-Ted McCoy, Oakland Public Library, CA

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from August 15, 2013
Beautiful, evocative pictures tell the story of a boy who comes from an Asian land to a big U.S. city. Images in this virtually wordless, slender graphic novel range from dreamlike curlicues to bold, dark cityscapes and emotional vignettes. The boy looks out of the window of a plane, great sadness in his body language. He and his father, mother and baby sister go through a crowded airport and a noisy and bewildering city to a small apartment. He finds the subway and the streets confusing, and he does not understand anything at school. The boy cherishes a red seed he has evidently brought from home. By accident, he drops it out the apartment window and then goes on a frantic search for it, finding new and interesting places along the way. He discovers he loves big, salted pretzels and shares some with the pigeons. When a girl with bouncy braids and beads in her hair climbs a tree and hangs upside down, the red seed falls out of her pocket. She and the boy plant it together, and as the seasons pass, friendship, seed and baby sister grow. An author's note describes the storyteller's voyage at age 4 from Korea to Washington, D.C. Sanchez has captured a kaleidoscope of emotion and powerful sensations in a way children will grasp completely. It's The Arrival for younger readers. (Graphic novel. 5-10)

COPYRIGHT(2013) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2013
This wordless graphic novelstyle picture book, told through detailed, mixed-media panel illustrations, explores one boy's life after he and his family immigrate to America. The first panel shows the sad little guy looking with trepidation out the airplane window at the skyscrapers of his new city. Arriving at the airport, he's greeted by signs he can't read (illustrations show random letters and numbers), with shades of grays and browns reflecting his misery and trepidation. The only bright spot is a small red seed, carefully carried from home, in his pocket. Once ensconced in his new home, the boy lives an isolated life, refusing every opportunity to interact with the outside worlduntil one day, he accidentally drops the red seed out of his brownstone window. A little girl picks it up, and his search for her finally draws him out of his loneliness, leading him into an exploration of his new neighborhood and to his first friendship. Newcomers to any country, and the adults who work with immigrant children and their families, will find a lot to talk about here. (An appended author's note describes Kim's own experiences when she moved with her family from Korea to the United States as a child.) Read this alongside Aliki's Marianthe's Story (rev. 9/98) or pair it with Shaun Tan's The Arrival (rev. 11/07) for older children. robin l. smith

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2014
This wordless graphic novelstyle picture book, told through detailed, mixed-media panel illustrations, explores one boy's life after immigrating to America. One day he drops a seed (a keepsake from home) out of his window. A girl picks it up, and his search for her draws him out of his loneliness. Newcomers to any country will find a lot to talk about here.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)