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< Picture Books Library
Categories: Comfort Objects, Courage, Moving House

Here I Am

A hopeful story about making a new country feel like home, told through illustrations.
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Here I am

Author: Patti Kim
Illustrator: Sonia Sánchez
Publisher: Curious Fox

A boy moves from South Korea to New York. At first he feels isolated, upset and homesick. The illustrations communicate a frightening and confusing time for him. The boy keeps a seed as a precious keepsake of South Korea, and uses it to imagine he is back there.

One day the boy drops the seed from his window and it is picked up by a little girl. The boy follows the girl through the neighbourhood to get it back, on the way happening upon some exciting and joyful parts of his new home. There is so much to enjoy that he eventually forgets all about the seed.

He happens upon the girl in the park and they plant the seed together. Illustrations show how the boy and girl remain friends in the future. The final image is of the boy stood peacefully on a bridge in the park, creating an uplifting and hopeful end to the story.

This story is told entirely through Sonia Sánchez’s beautiful illustrations and is based on author Patti Kim’s personal experience of moving to the USA when she was a child.

Additionally, the use of only images to tell the story makes this book accessible to children and young people who may not yet be able to read the language. It also enables the book to be used with children and young people with a range of home languages.

The messages we found in this book:

Acknowledgement:

  • The book acknowledges that moving to a new country can be confusing, scary and intimidating.
  • The letter from the author at the end normalises the negative feelings that may be experienced when moving in the context of encouraging the child to experience their new country.

Hope & Inspiration:

  • This story demonstrates hope visually by adding brighter colours into the pictures as the boy experiences more of his new home.
  • Although the boy starts the story feeling upset, by the end he has made a friend and appears to be settling into his new home well.
  • The letter from the author at the end of the book details the author’s lived experience of immigration which has a positive, hopeful message.
  • There is a metaphorical message of hope within the planting of the seed.
Review by: Cleo Allan

Categories: Comfort Objects, Courage, Moving House
Tags: friends, loneliness, migration, transition



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What is a Parachute Book?

A challenging experience can make a young child feel as if they are in emotional free fall. As a parent, you can’t stop them falling, but you can offer them a softer landing:
a Parachute Book.

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The information provided on the Little Parachutes website is not a substitute for professional care by a qualified practitioner, and is not intended to provide medical advice. If you are concerned about the health and wellbeing of yourself or children in your care, you should always consult an appropriate healthcare professional.