Where Are You From?

From School Library Journal PreS-Gr 2–In a world full of microaggressions, Argentine-American author Méndez and South Korean-American illustrator Kim team up to offer an affirming answer for a young brown-skinned girl constantly being asked "Where are you from?" After her reply, "I'm from here, from today, same as everyone else," is contested with a "No, where are you really from?," she takes her internalized confusion to her abuelo, because "he knows everything, and like me, he looks like he doesn't belong." He tells her that she comes from the pampas, the gaucho, mountains, blue oceans, hurricanes, and dark storms. He doesn't shy away from hard truths and tells her that she comes from "this land where our ancestors built a home for all, even when they were in chains because of the color of their skin." Each answer takes them into sweeping double-page landscapes of watercolor and ink that add enough context to understand new vocabulary and texture to fill each space. But when she insists where am I really from, he points to his heart and says, "from my love and the love of all of those before us." A great read-aloud with simple yet evocative language, this picture book will validate many young children's experience, and for others will lend itself well to starting conversations around race and racial aggressions. VERDICT A much-needed title that is a first purchase for libraries and classrooms.—Danielle Jones, Multnomah County Library, OR A powerful story about a simple question— WHERE ARE YOU FROM? When a young girl is asked where she’s from—where she’s really from—she’s no longer as sure as she was. She decides to turn to her dear abuelo for some help with this ever-persistent question. But he doesn’t quite give her the answer she expects. Yamile Saied Méndez’s lyrical text and Jaime Kim’s stunning illustrations celebrate the importance of family, love, and home through embracing one’s rich heritage and culture. Yamilexa0(pronounced sha-MEE-lay) Saied Méndezxa0has been a builder, maker, organizer, cheerleader, writer, driver, cook, learner, mentor, referee, personalxa0assistant, psychic, stylist, designer, investigator, healer, counselor, gardener, translator,xa0memory keeper, and above all, an asker of questions. She’s a graduate of the Vermont College of Fine Arts and a founding member of Las Musas collective. Visit her at www.yamilesmendez.com. Jaime Kim was born and raised in South Korea before moving to the United States when she was eighteen. Although she was a timid child who was afraid of just about everything, she discovered a sense of serenity in drawing. As a grown-up, Jaime has finally stopped being afraid of everything but has kept on drawing and painting. She works with gouache and acrylics to create nostalgic and dreamlike illustrations, inspired by childhood memories of her family, as well as movies, art, and the outside world. Her debut picture book, Take Heart, My Child by Ainsley Earhardt, was a #1 New York Times bestseller. Jaime is also the illustrator of Kate DiCamillo’s La La La . Visit her at www.jaimekim.com. Read more