One Good Thing about America

February 15, 2017
Congolese immigrant Anais adjusts to her new home in Maine over the course of one school year.Readers follow her progress in her letters home to her grandmother, who insists that she write in English and enumerate "one good thing about America" every day. Unsurprisingly, her letters feature an English language learner's incomplete command of grammar and spelling; at the end of her first, Anais expresses her frustration: "Please let me use le francais. I am very tired with English today." Thus encouraging readers' empathy, Freeman goes on to record, in her protagonist's voice, a year that includes many comings and goings at the shelter where she lives with her mother and little brother and in her ELL classroom--but, sadly, not the arrival of her father or older brother, who are in hiding from the Congolese government, a situation that's only vaguely explained to readers but a clear and ever present worry for Anais and her family. There are also the usual markers of an American school year: holiday observances, school projects, and friendship ups and downs. ELL teacher Freeman realistically populates Anais' classroom with other immigrant children, including a Somali girl and an Iraqi boy, deftly disproving monolithic notions of both Africa and Islam. She expressly writes for an audience of English-speaking and presumably native-born Americans while articulating the hope that "one day soon...my students will write their own stories." A touching if incomplete fictional glimpse at one immigrant girl's experience. (glossary) (Fiction. 8-12)

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May 1, 2017

Gr 4-6-Spanning a school year, this touching novel in epistolary format relates the triumphs and travails of a young Congolese refugee, Anais, and her family. Settled in Maine, the plucky nine-year-old diligently writes letters home to Oma (her grandmother), who has requested updates in English only. Hoping to help the child acclimate to life in a foreign country, Oma asks Anais to include in every missive at least "one good thing about America." Realistically portraying the writing of an English language learner, the text is peppered with grammatical errors and misspellings. As the narrative progresses, readers see marked improvement in the tween's writing. Anais's voice feels true as she shares her experiences, which include befriending other immigrant children in her class, participating in traditional American activities such as trick-or-treating and Christmas decorating, and contending with a health emergency that tests her maturity and resolve. However, the letters often simplistically refer to political unrest-Anais's older brother and father are hiding from the government as they try to make their way to a refugee camp in Kenya-and young readers may struggle to fully comprehend the gravity of the situation. Freeman's characterization of African and Middle Eastern immigrants is well done, and she deftly dispels stereotypes about these cultures. When an American classmate asks Anais why she doesn't wear a hijab like another Somali classmate, the protagonist responds, "Really?... You think Africa is one small place?" Helpful back matter includes links to informational websites, an author's note, an ELL vocabulary list, and a French glossary. VERDICT Highly recommended for libraries seeking timely stories about the immigrant experience.-Lalitha Nataraj, Escondido Public Library, CA

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