I'm an Immigrant Too!

by Mem Fox, Ronojoy Ghosh (Illustrator)

Overview

From beloved Australian author Mem Fox comes a timely picture book about how all of our lives are enriched by the vibrant cultural diversity immigrants bring to their new communities.

What journeys we have travelled,
from countries near and far!
Together now, we live in peace,
beneath the Southern Star.

Inspired by the plight of immigrants around the world, Mem Fox was moved to write this lyrical and rhyming exploration of the myriad ways immigrants have enriched her home country of Australia. Young readers everywhere will see themselves—and their friends and neighbors—in this powerful and moving picture book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781534436022
Publisher:	Beach Lane Books
Publication date:	10/23/2018
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.80(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Mem Fox is an educator and international literacy expert, and her many acclaimed picture books for young children include Yoo-Hoo, Ladybug!; Hello Baby!; Baby Bedtime; I’m an Immigrant Too; the bestselling modern classics Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes and Time for Bed; and, for adults, Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever. She lives in Adelaide, Australia. Visit her at MemFox.com.

Ronojoy Ghosh has been an art director in the advertising industry for the past eighteen years, which has included stints in India, Indonesia, Singapore, and New Zealand. He currently lives in Australia with his wife and son. His first children’s picture book Ollie and the Wind was shortlisted for Book of the Year by the Children’s Book Council of Australia in 2016. His second book No Place Like Home, a story about a grumpy polar bear, is available in Australia. Ghosh is also the illustrator of Mem Fox’s I’m an Immigrant Too. His books have been translated into German, Chinese, Spanish, and Korean.

Editorial Reviews

08/20/2018
This celebration of immigration, titled I’m an Australian in its country of origin, offers American readers a fresh perspective on both Australia, the home country of Fox (Time for Bed), and on issues of citizenship and diversity that are dominating the news. “I’m Australian! How about you?” asks a child in the first spread. The answers start with Australian-born parents (“My mum was born in Sydney,/ my dad in Ballarat”) but soon introduce readers to kids whose parents left countries around the world to find refuge, hope, and a sense of belonging in their adopted home. Crisp, full-bleed spreads by Ghosh (Ollie and the Wind) seem to focus on the present, pointedly juxtaposing the characters’ dramatic backstories. As father and son wait at the bus stop, the narration explains, “Syria was where I lived,/ but then we had to flee./ Our family’s now in Brisbane,/ and we’re as safe as safe can be.” Referring to war and refugees’ desperate flights in sing-song, rhyming lines may feel jarring. Still, there is also something deeply heartening about a book that asserts, “We open doors to strangers,” and ends with such a hopeful, unifying image: “Together now, we live in peace,/ beneath the Southern star.” Ages up to 8. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

09/01/2018
PreS-Gr 1—This picture book begins with a young boy and girl posing the question; "I'm Australian! How about you?" What follows is a rhyming and colorful spread of various children explaining their origins and family roots. "My dad grew up in Darwin,/my mum in Humpty Doo./Our mob's been here forever—/now we share the place with you." Each child's tale is accompanied by a lovely graphic-style illustration by Ghosh, depicting the various landscapes of Australia or simply children playing in a pool or waiting by a bus stop. Fox touches on current immigrants, such as those from Syria and Afghanistan, and the violence they have escaped in an age-appropriate manner. The conclusion of the book is less chipper with a young girl holding a bird cage, standing next to a large, concrete wall with the text; "Sadly, I'm a refugee—/I'm not Australian yet./But if your country lets me in,/I'd love to be a vet." There is also a map at the beginning of the story showing where everyone "hailed from" and the end of the book displays another map showing where they now live in Australia. VERDICT While immigration is certainly a major news item today, the cities and regions in Australia may be too far removed for the majority of American children to relate to. An optional purchase.—Amy Nolan, St. Joseph Public Library, MI

School Library Journal