De Regil, in her colored pencil, watercolor, and gouache illustrations, moves from the wide snapshots of either city into close experiences. As both stories merge and progress through the same events (attending sporting and cultural events, playing, traveling to their new homes), the narrative furthers the conversation on the similarities between the protagonists. The stories come together in a sweet moment when they cross paths at the airport, hopeful for the possibilities of different adventures in their new homes…A heartwarming story that depicts the anxiety of moving and leaving the familiarity of one’s own culture behind.
—Kirkus Reviews
A little boy from New York City and a little girl from Mexico City take turns voicing their apprehensions about moving to a new home in a new country—a move that the audience immediately recognizes as essentially swapping places…Pair this with Kostecki-Shaw’s Same, Same but Different (BCCB 11/11) and encourage kids to consider the pleasures of new surroundings waiting to be explored and embraced. A Spanish-language edition is also available.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
This debut picture book features a boy in New York City who learns he will be relocating to Mexico City, and a girl in Mexico City considering her move to the Big Apple…A positive, reassuring recommendation for families coping with relocating to a new city. Recommended for school and public libraries.
—School Library Journal
What makes this simple story work are De Regil’s brightly colored mixed-media illustrations…Appended with information about each scene represented, this makes an upbeat and reassuring addition to books about moving.
—Booklist
Tackling both big-life concepts—fear and sadness that accompany moving—as well as geographic and cultural concepts, it’s an excellent read-aloud that will provide a solid foundation for further classroom learning.
—BookPage
De Regil’s reassuring ode to one’s beloved home acknowledges both the flaws and vibrancy of the two places and encourages children to be brave and open-minded about moving; the dual narratives of bilateral north-south movement offer readers a unique perspective and challenge the stereotype of a unidirectional flow of migration.
—The Horn Book
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