New From Here by Kelly Yang
People look at you and see a white kid. They look at me, and they see…a virus carrier.
With the onset of COVID 19, the Wei-Evans family faces a major upheaval. Mom and her three children abruptly leave home and family in Hong Kong and return to California, hoping to avoid exposure to the virus sweeping throughout Asian. Dad will remain working in Hong Kong with the family dog to keep him company.
| Life in California is not what they expected. Protective masks, hand sanitizer, and social distancing are the norm. Groceries and household goods, especially toilet paper, are in short supply. After a period of in person instruction, schools initiate virtual classrooms. Mom loses her job. Money is tight. The family’s story is told through the eyes of ten-year-old Knox, whose ADHD heightens his impulsivity, restlessness, and difficulty concentrating. Viewing the pandemic through his eyes gives the story a unique perspective. Knox has his own way of seeing the world, which at times can be a bonus but in some situations is a problem. He knows his race, culture, and medical condition mark him as different from his classmates. What would be a small slip-up for other kids, spirals into a major disaster for Knox. What’s gotten into that kid? I look down. The pain is almost unbearable. It’s a question I’ve been asking myself my whole life. |  |
Knox’s narrative exudes with his frustrations along with his sense humor and an appreciation for the absurd. A dinosaur costume is an example of his unconventional and clever way of looking at a situation.
The children miss their father. It is particularly hard for Knox, as dad was the one who always had his son's back. The kids decide that the best way to reunite the family is to raise enough money to pay for dad's airfare to California. They sell unwanted items in a garage sale. Unfortunately, an item that they consider "unwanted" is a family treasure. Next they brainstorm, creating a social media account for dad and systematically searching the online job postings, posing as their father. Misunderstandings and complications naturally ensue.
Yang handles heavy subject matter with just the right touch of hard reality, disappointment, heartwarming moments, and delightful humor. Her clever descriptions sparkle throughout the narrative.
It feels like a Double-Double burger of I-screwed-up.
While the story centers on life during a pandemic, the narrative explores important topics such as family separation, racism, sibling rivalry, unemployment, adapting to a new environment, and living with ADHD. These issues transcend the current pandemic crisis, giving New From Here a timeless quality.
Life is hard enough already. But if we’re not kind to each other, it’s a double whammy of hard.
Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.
Pub date: March 1, 2022 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers ISBN: 978-1534488304
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