Where Are You From? by Yamile Saied Mendez Illustrated by Jamie Kim

 

Title: Where Are You From?

Author: Yamile Saied Mendez

Illustrator: Jamie Kim

Genre: Fiction, Realistic Fiction, multi-cultural

Major Awards: 2019 Nerdies Fiction Book Award

Ages: 4-8 Years old

Summary:

This story is about a girl who goes to school and her peers, her friends and her teachers asked her where she was from. The girl's answer was simple. She said she was from here and today. So, they asked the girl the question again. The girl did not understand their question, so she began to wonder too. The girl, then goes to her grandfather, and she asked her grandfather where she was from. The girl believed that her grandfather had the answer for her, since she believed that her grandfather knew everything, and he like her, as well did not look like he belonged from here. So, the girl's grandfather began to describe his land without giving her a name of a place. He also, began describing the place of which her ancestors were from. The girl was anxiously waiting for a specific place, so she asked the question again where she really was from. In the end, the girl's grandfather did not tell the girl a specific place. Instead, he told her she was from all the places from where all of her ancestors where from. 

Book Evaluation:

1) I would recommend this book to my students because this would be a perfect introduction to start getting to know my students. My students would have the opportunity to share where they are from and where their families are from. I believe many of my students would be able to identify with the girl, since I would be teaching to a Bilingual class. 

2) I would recommend this book for the grade level from Pre-kinder to eight years old.

3) I would use this book in the unit of History or Language Arts. I would explain to them that everyone was born from a different culture, and that was what makes them unique. I would then talk to them about the different kind of culture that they represent. Then, I would  explain to them what ancestors are.