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by Patti Kim
Sonia Sánchez, illustrator
Picture Window Books
Press Release: Newly arrived from their faraway homeland, a boy and his family enter into the lights, noise, and traffic of a busy America city. The language is unfamiliar. Food, habits, games, and gestures are puzzling. The boy clings tightly to his special keepsake from home and wonders how he will find his way. How will he once again become the happy, confident kid he used to be? Walk in his shoes as he takes the first tentative steps toward discovering joy in his new world.
Opening: A young boy looks out the plane window as the plane lands at JFK Airport. Walking to customs, unable to read the jumbled looking signs, the boy is full of conflicting emotions that range from scared to excited.
About the Story: A map in the book indicates the young boy and his family have landed in New York City. He finds the signs unreadable and his image on the shiny floor fascinating. The city is large, noisy, crowded, and full of numerous tall buildings, which look scary. He does not look happy with his new apartment home. His only comfort comes from a red seed he brought from his homeland.
While looking out his window, lonely and bored, the young boy accidentally drops his red seed. It lands on a young girl passing by. She picks up the red seed and jump ropes away. The boy tries yelling out his window, but the girl does not understand him. Racing down the apartment stairs the boy continues to yell for the girl. He wanders the streets after the young girl. The corner grocer waves and the young boy waves back. Passing a bakery, the delicious smell of fresh baked rolls tickles his nose.
Wandering through Central Park, the young boy seems happy and he smiles. As he continues to stroll through the park, he finds the little girl hanging from a tree branch. Together, they bury the red seed from the boy’s homeland and over time, a young tree sprouts. The day finally arrives when the young boy realizes, “I am here.”
What I Thought: The above is longer than normal, so I will try to make this section short. I love the book. There is no text. The entire story is told through illustration and then the author tells her own story, similar to the young boy’s, after the illustrations end. The book is gorgeous in and out. The front cover is the same with the dust jacket off. The back jacket texts are snippets of reviews, but take it off, and there is a short synopsis.
How do you make a new
country feel like a home?
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An old keepsake . . .
a new friend . . .
and a little time.
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Walk in one boy’s shoes
as he takes the first
tentative steps toward
discovering joy
in his new world.
Arranged to look like a graphic novel, the illustrations easily tell the young boy’s story. There are numerous ways Here I am can be useful. It can possibly ease some of the fears and worries new immigrant children must have. Schools can use the story to teach diversity and the need to make new students, immigrant and those from other districts, feel welcome, while reminding teachers of the initial language difficulties new immigrants may be facing. Counselors can read Here I am with new students to help them open up about their own struggles.
Parents can use Here I am for any of the reasons above. They can share a moment with their child looking at this richly detailed story of an immigrant boy’s first years in America. That “immigrant” could be any new child at school or even a family member. We all have immigrants somewhere in our family lineage. I think kids will adore Here I am, for its story and its beauty. However, the most powerful aspect of Here I Am is that any child, anywhere in the world, no matter where they are from or where they are going, can read this book by himself or herself. Powerful pictures do not need translation.
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Here I Am
by Patti Kim bio blog linkedin twitter
Sonia Sánchez, illustrator website blog facebook twitter
Picture Window Books website facebook twitter
Released September 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-62370-036-2
40 pages
Age 5 to 10 (and up)
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© 2014 by Picture Window Books, used with permission
Picture Window Books is an imprint of Capstone Publishing
Test copyright © 2013 by Patti Kim
Illustrations copyright © 2013 by Sonia Sánchez
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Kids Lit Review 
I really like the idea behind this book. The fact that there are no words makes the book easy to understand, no matter what language the reader speaks.
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Yeah, I thought that was cool too. 2 kids a half world away can read the book and understand the same story – or, they could make up their own story. Double cool! 😀
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I’m always telling my Mom Person “here I am!” We needed this book yesterday! We were in a 3rd grade class talking about immigrants and communities and traditions. Most of the kids in the class are from Mexico and know the ideas but not the words very well. Wow! Did we have an interesting discussion! This book with such lovely pictures would have been great!!
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Yep, and each kid could have told their story using the illustrations as help. I like that any child, regardless of language can understand the story. Or make it their own.
I love your first comment. Made me laugh and laugh. Still laughing now thinking about it. Keep telling your Mom Person where you are, Rhythm. She should always know this to keep you safe. 😀
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I’ve got that book on my wish list now! I try to keep the Mom Person in sight – especially after my recent wandering fiasco. (that’s a fun word!) She was quite distressed. I need to take better care of her.
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I understand how she felt when not knowing where you were and not finding you. My beloved kitty somehow got outside and was gone for three days, probably wandering the cemetery behind my then home. I checked over there every day but couldn’t find him. Then he came home, several pounds lighter, but no worse. Talk about a joyous day! 😀 ❗
So you stay close to your mom and make sure she always knows where you are–and make sure you always know where she is. That would make my day. 😀
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I like these types of graphic novels. I think I would really like this book. 🙂
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Did you review this one? Yes, I think you would like this one. Picking up on what Rnewman said, you could write your own story, of course, you didn’t move all that far, or immigrant to anywhere, but that should be no reason to stop you. You moved, that is all that should count. On my desk, Monday morning sharp! 😆
How is reading for Ren going? I forgot to check the counter.
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This sounds like a wonderful book. In some ways, the fact that it doesn’t have words makes it easier for a child who might be in a similar situation to appreciate it because they can add their own words to the images. Great review!
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Great idea. Wish I would of thought of that. I think any kid can understand this regardless of the language he speaks, but to be able to write your own story to go with the illustrations is just WOW! Want to do a guest review? 😀
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Sue, I’d love to do a review. Can it be a book of my own choosing? And is there a set deadline? Does it have to be an uber-recent book? Because I had a book in mind.
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That would be great. Your name doesn’t link to a website, so you’ll need to use the contact form to let me know what book you have in mind. Then we can set it up. 🙂
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Sounds beautiful.I do enjoy wordless books very much. Thank you for sharing.
~Christine M/Cool Mom for
S&K Gang
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There is an all-illustration picture book that you must look at. Search for FLOOD on the far right sidebar, Home page. That is one emotional wordless drama. I think you’ll love it.
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Will do! Thanks. 🙂
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Wordless books are difficult for me. I don’t usually have the patience to look for the story. This one looks pretty simple. The illustrations are not overdone with distractions. I love this from the back cover, “An old keepsake . . .a new friend….and a little time.” So true.
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The author bases this on her life during the time she immigrated on a Christmas day. By reading her short autobiography you’ll understand the story. I just wish I knew that before I went through the story the first time. 🙂
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