Starting Over in Sunset Park

An Afro-Dominican child with brown skin and colorful bobbles in her braided hair takes her first plane ride, moving from the Dominican Republic to New York City with her mother. Upon arrival, the two stay with an aunt and cousins in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, until they can find an apartment of their own. As Mama gets a job making holiday decorations, the child works hard in school, eventually finding community. In a first-person perspective, Pelaez and McGee sketch vivid portraits of the family’s culture, incorporating defined Spanish: “I missed mi abuela (my grandmother) and her house.” Detailed, marker-bright illustrations by Diaz effectively employ comics-style panels and speech bubbles, successfully reflecting one child’s gradual journey of adaptation. Ages 6–8. [em](Mar.) [/em]