Meet Habiba, Aleksander, Malee, Elisa and Dinesh. They have left everything they have ever known and arrived in a classroom in a new country. Meet Grace, Jaylyn, Cameron, Miguel and Yu. They have never lived anywhere else. Hello! A Welcoming Story is the journey through the challenges that young refugees must navigate to find a sense of belonging in a new place. Flip it over and this two-books-in one also tells this story through the eyes of the students who welcome them in. In this Welcoming Story, all discover the power of embracing differences. Young refugees have traversed the world, escaped violence, and yet still struggle with the sense of identity forged in the way they dress, the foods they eat. The youngsters in this book encourage each other to be their unique and authentic selves. It is powerful for children to imagine themselves on both sides of this shared experience. It will elicit complex and important conversations with students of any age. Share this diverse book with your children and grandchildren, with your students and their teachers, and with your new neighbors. Experience the joy of feeling accepted and remember the power of a simple Hello!
About the Author: Gina K. Lewis has taught English as a New Language (ENL) for more than a decade. She has worked with hundreds of children from around the world, most of them refugees. The courageous journeys featured in this book are based on actual experiences shared with her by her students. Their stories and the extraordinary kindness that she has witnessed in the classroom, inspired her to write this book. She has a master's degree in TESOL and lives in Western New York with her husband and their two sons. María José Campos is an illustrator and animation filmmaker. Born in Peru, she graduated from Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru in Audiovisual Communication and then studied Classical Animation at the Vancouver Film School. Her film Little Goddess has been screened at more than 25 festivals worldwide and her animated projects Camaquen and Chicho and Darz have won national awards. She also manages her animation and design company MJ Campos and has illustrated nearly a dozen published children's books. She is currently living in Århus, Denmark, while completing an Erasmus Mundus master's degree in Children's Literature, Media and Culture at the University of Glasgow, University of Århus and University of Wroclaw. She is interested in telling stories about identity, cultural heritage and nature to inspire children and adults.