Reviews for A New Home

by Tania de Regil

Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A NYC boy moving to Mexico City and a girl in Cuidad de México who's relocating to NYC each describes (in English) what he or she will miss and expresses anxieties about the move. The ink, colored-pencil, watercolor, and gouache illustrations mainly place the boy's and girl's experiences on opposite sides of the spreads, allowing readers to appreciate their shared feelings while acknowledging the differences between the cities. Concurrently published in Spanish as Un nuevo hogar. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.


Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

A boy from New York and a girl from Mexico City reminisce about the things they love in their hometowns prior to moving to each other's respective cities.After the characters are introduced, the narration unfolds in such a way that it represents the experiences of either child. As the story progresses and the images mirror each other in the spreads, the visual narrative depicts the similar experiences both families have without othering either child. De Regil, in her colored pencil, watercolor, and gouache illustrations, moves from the wide snapshots of either city into close experiences. As both stories merge and progress through the same events (attending sporting and cultural events, playing, traveling to their new homes), the narrative furthers the conversation on the similarities between the protagonists. The stories come together in a sweet moment when they cross paths at the airport, hopeful for the possibilities of different adventures in their new homes. De Regil doesn't shy away from the problems both countries and cultures experience, such as homelessness and wealth inequality, yet does not place blame. The backmatter provides information on both the landmarks the children visitsuch as Lincoln Center, Palacio de Bellas Artes, and the Museo Nacional de Antropologaand the cultures and issues that surround them. The boy presents white, and the girl has brown skin.A heartwarming story that depicts the anxiety of moving and leaving the familiarity of one's own culture behind. (Picture book. 3-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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