Independent Reading Level: K-2nd
Awards: none

Bright illustrations and joyful storytelling teach about how to welcome someone that is new to the country, & how to see who they are outside of their language barrier.

Amy joins her classmates in welcoming new kid Lin but her efforts don't seem to be working. He can't speak English and she doesn't speak Chinese. She comes up with the idea of inviting Lin and his family to her family's dumpling party, where she reveals a bilingual welcome banner she's made with her grandmother's help. Her thoughtful gestures help break the ice. A nicely revealing point: Amy is of Chinese background but doesn't speak the language. It's a subtle detail that shows a common situation: just because someone is of a certain background doesn't mean they can speak the related language.

Amy tries her hardest to give new student Lin a warm welcome like her teacher asked them to do, but Lin doesn't speak - until after school, when his dad and little sister arrive, and he chatters to them in Chinese. Amy asks her mom if they can invite Lin's family to their house for the dumpling party at their house that night, and asks her pink-haired grandmother to help her make a sign using the characters for "welcome." But when Lin arrives, Amy is too shy to speak in Chinese out loud - exactly how Lin felt speaking English in front of the class. Amy and Lin make dumplings together, and forge a friendship without spoken language. Back matter: "Make your own welcome banner" project idea.

Lively, fun, and empathetic. An excellent book for anytime, but especially the beginning of the school year or when a new student arrives. ( )

Making a new friend takes on a nice and important twist, while keeping kindness and warmth front and center.

There's a new boy in Amy Wu's class, and she can't wait to become friends with him. While he's nice and smiles quite a bit, he never says a word. When Amy hears him talking to his sister in Chinese after school, she realizes what the problem might be. With her parents' help and a bit of guidance from her grandmother, she might find a way to connect with the boy after all.

The plot on this one is pretty straight forward and adds the familiar feeling of uncertainty to make it sit with young listeners/readers. The situation of having a new kid in school and the excitement of meeting them is something many readers can relate to, but it's the nervous reaction of the boy, who tries his best to be friendly...and is..., which makes it touch the heart. Then, the author turns it around, leaving the nervousness to sit on Amy. It's a lovely back and forth, which also shows how easy it is to make new friends once stepping beyond this anticipation.

Of course, this one spins around a child, who can't yet speak English. This is something, which happens more and more often, and even if not every child will have this experience, the message swings broad enough to keep it understandable and relate to other situations. All of the characters are friendly, warm-hearted, and radiate as much positive vibes as the bright illustrations, making this a wholesome read.

Then, there's the weaving in of other cultures to add the last zest. Amy's heritage slides in effortlessly and naturally. The author also makes sure to include the Mandarin when the boy and his sister speak. This is not translated right away, keeping the reader as much in the dark as Amy is. But it is translated at the end during the last notes. There's also a section where Amy tries to pronounce several words, which the reader can attempt as well.

It's a simple and cute read, which works well as a read-aloud or in a more one-to-one situation, too. I received an ARC and found it to be down-to-Earth and a positive read. ( )