I could not get into this. It felt very long, predictable, and slow to me. Maybe the pandemic experience is still too recent to make reading about it tolerable.

I think children interested in reading about the pandemic experiences of others may like it. But I think it's not half as good as Front Desk. ( )

"New from Here" by Kelly Yang is a powerful and relatable story about a young immigrant girl named Mia, who struggles to adjust to her new life in the United States. The book highlights important themes such as the challenges of fitting in, the importance of family, and the value of perseverance and hard work. Having "New from Here" in a classroom can help students develop empathy and understanding towards those who come from different cultural backgrounds and can also inspire discussions on topics such as identity, resilience, and cultural diversity. ( )

Recommended Ages: Gr. 4-7

Plot Summary: Knox and his family are living in Hong Kong when Covid-19 starts showing up next door in China. They've lived through SARS, so they know to keep to themselves and wear masks. But when Covid-19 is spreading more and more, Knox's parents make the difficult decision to separate the family. Mom and the kids will be moving to California and Dad will stay in their Hong Kong apartment. They get one of the last flights out of Hong Kong and thankfully make it through US Customs with the American passports. As soon as they got to California, they chose to quarantine. When the kids started school, it was the first time that Knox made a friend and that he enjoyed school because of his teacher. But Knox also learned that he has ADHD. Knox is scared of this diagnosis and his mom isn't talking about it. He tries to research a bit on his own but it's scary so he stops. Will Knox come to terms with his ADHD? Will they keep themselves safe from Covid-19? Most importantly, how can they raise money to buy a plane ticket to get their Dad to join them in California?

Setting: Hong Kong, 2020

Characters:
Knox Wei-Evans - 10 yo, 5th grade,
Bowen Wei-Evans - 12 yo,
Lea Wei-Evans - 6 yo, 1st grade,
Mom -
Dad - bad cook
Cody - family dog, stayed with Dad
Lao Lao and Lao Ye - grandparents who live in Beijing, the reason they speak in Mandarin not Cantonese
Auntie Jackie - Dad's sister, lives in California, good cook, has two kids: Maggie (6 yo) and Noah

Recurring Themes: racism, Covid-19, supply and demand, ADHD, separation from parent, family

Controversial Issues:
pg 12 - "I saw the words F-bomb China people"

Personal Thoughts: The pandemic is still a little too fresh in my mind to enjoy this book. It made me uncomfortable reading about it so soon! But that means it was well written. I did feel like there were a few times it was a bit preachy or didactic, but overall, I enjoyed the story. It helped that I heard the author speak while I was in the middle of reading it. It is a very long book.

Genre: realistic fiction

Pacing: medium-slow
Characters: well-developed, mostly family so not too many
Frame:
Storyline:

Activity: ( )

New From Here will appeal to our 6th graders, as Kelly Yang is quite popular. She writes positive books that have good messages about treating all people with kindness and respect.

In this novel, Knox and his two siblings live in Hong Kong when the coronavirus begins. His mom and siblings leave Hong Kong to come to their home on the west coast of the United States. They would rather live in the U.S. where they think they'll be safer, believing the U.S. will handle the pandemic best. They are American citizens and own a home they usually live in during the summers. Dad needs to stay behind with his job. He handles the "parenting" jobs a bit better than mom, so it'll be interesting to see what life is like without dad.

The kids love living in their U. S. home. No more masks and they are back to school. Homeschooling in Hong Kong had been difficult. Here in the U. S. Knox encounters a teacher who takes time to help him. He actually enjoys school and begins to understand his ADHD. Bowen's school doesn't meet his educational goals. He plans on being successful and believes succeeding at school will give him a future boost. Knox tries Bowen's patience a lot. He doesn't understand why Knox doesn't stop and think first. Lea, the youngest, has always had a lot of friends and also struggles to meet new ones here. Mom tells them to say they're new, but she doesn't want them to say they're from Hong Kong because of the virus's origins.

Mom is oblivious. She never has a clue and does not learn from the past. She will let the kids do something and then be upset when she finds out what happened. For example, they decide to have a garage sale. She tells them to sell anything old, but NEVER goes through anything to make sure they don't throw anything she wants to keep away. She is looking for a new job, but she could take time to oversee what the kids are doing. Of course, they sell stuff they should not. She gets angry. Frankly, she's partly to blame.

The kids learn to work together throughout the novel and to help others. It's very pollyanna and a bit didactic. Nonetheless, it's a good message. The novel doesn't shy away from the way Asians were treated during the pandemic and shows how hurtful it feels to be bullied by uninformed people. ( )

As covid-19 begins to spread in Hong Kong, Knox and his mother, brother and sister move to his grandmother's old house in California where they will be safe, while Dad stays back in Hong Kong for work. As early covid news percolates in the background, Knox and his family are dealing with the many changes wrought by their move: new schools, Mom looking for a job, racist encounters, missing Dad and their dog, and sibling tensions. The kids have impulsive plans to fly their Dad out to them. They host a garage sale to raise air fare and inadvertently lose Mom's ruby earrings. They set up a LinkedIn account for Dad and apply for jobs on his behalf. They help a Chinese restaurant with meal delivery while wearing dinosaur costumes as covid protection. Their efforts are earnest if not entirely thought through. In the end it's the love behind their actions that keeps the family going during a challenging time. Have to admit I experienced a little PTSD knowing the true covid future the family would face! ( )