Kelly Yang does such an excellent job of creating living, breathing tween characters with families that are facing real issues and struggling in the same ways that kids face today. I did struggle a bit with the mother role in this book, and how the main character continually gets in trouble for things that could have been better scaffolded or supported by his family or teacher. It also felt really weird to read all of the "COVID won't come to America" stuff from the beginning in retrospect, but it was an accurate description of the time. I am curious how my middle grade reader students will respond to this book, and will continue to recommend Yang to all lovers of contemporary fiction.

Knox, his siblings and their mother leave their home in Hong Kong, thinking they will fare better in the United States as the Covid-19 crisis begins. Unfortunately they have to leave their father behind as he stays in Hong Kong for work. The pandemic presents many challenges to their family, including money and job struggles. They are missing their dad a great deal while they try to be strong and deal with the circumstances they face. I think many readers will be drawn to this book that looks at a time in such recent history.

This book was a dense one, but knowing it was so heavily based on Yang's own experiences, I can't say this wasn't worthwhile.

This is the story of a family whose lives are forever changed when COVID-19 hits their Hong Kong. In order to escape the virus, Knox, his siblings, and his mother head for America, leaving his father and the life he's known behind.

This story documents Knox's family's struggle finding employment and finding a place in a country that sees you as infected solely based on your appearance. This is a story of finding yourself in unfamiliar lands, discovering and loving your own uniqueness, and learning how to maintain a family from oceans away. For being a kid's book, this covers some amazingly deep themes, and I will definitely be recommending this book for a long time.

too soon!? oh man. But actually I think this will be great for kids trying to process the pandemic--it perfectly captures a lot of early pandemic weirdness and confusion that I'd already kind of forgotten about (the rush for hand sanitizer) as well as the anti-Asian racism on display. I think Kelly Yang is so good at showing how big challenges (pandemic, racism, immigration law, etc) face kids who have very little power and managing to show a realistic way that kids can react and effect as much change as possible--her books are furiously shining lights on injustices and showing a little bit of hope. like no Knox and his siblings aren't going to single-handedly solve racism and the pandemic but they can raise awareness and make things a little better in their community. I just think it's such a fine balance and she nails it in a way that's engaging and important for kids to read.

What an incredibly relevant book! My heart ached for this family, split apart at the onset of COVID-19, with the dad in Hong Kong and the mom and three children in California. I know this book is incredibly personal to Kelly Yang because it is close to her own experience. I love the dynamic between the siblings who are doing all they can to help their family stay afloat, even when experiencing different forms of racism and discrimination due to being Asian Americans. It has light and humor to offset the sadness, and the section with the garage sale had me both laughing at their antics and cringing when they sold things they shouldn't have. New From Here begs to be read aloud in a classroom or at home followed by honest conversations.

There were aspects of this book that I appreciated. Yang addresses prejudice in a way that young readers will understand while not trying to "teach" them. Also, the book explored ADHD and normalizes the discussion of mental health in children. However, I had issues with the parents in this book. The mother is neglectful. She leaves her children alone when she goes to an out-of-state job interview. Also, she doesn't deal with her children's behavior issues. Knox is constantly getting into scrapes, and his mother glosses over them. There are many good aspects of this book but as an adult reader, I couldn't get over the issues.

Kelly Yang once again strikes it out of the park with a perfectly pitched middle grade novel about what it means to stand out and be yourself.

I absolutely love this fabulous new story from Kelly Yang, inspired by her own family's experience returning to the US at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. Told from the perspective of Knox, the middle child, this story explores family dynamics, racism, financial struggles, and adjusting to distance learning. With their father stuck in Hong Kong for work, Knox and his siblings conspire to raise money for a plane ticket and try to find him a new job in America. Knox has ADHD and his impulsivity often gets him into trouble. Fortunately he learns that it also allows him to hyperfocus on solving problems, his own superpower. The kids' hilarious attempts at solving their family's big problems lead to laugh-out-loud scenes, while Knox's emotional honesty will touch hearts and build empathy, Young readers will love this realistic and relatable story and may even be inspired to share their own pandemic experiences.
Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this E-ARC with me.

I will read anything Kelly Yang writes. Her voice is so approachable in this book especially. Told in the voice of Knox, a 5th grade student with exceptionalities, we get to experience what it was like for a family to uproot their lives completely and move from China to the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. This move came with a few growing pains and some new unexpected challenges for Knox and his siblings. This story is told with a lot of humor and heart. Go read it it now!

A huge thank you to Simon & Schuster Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of New from Here.

New from Here is based on Kelly Yang's personal covid experience as a Chinese-American living abroad and being part of a multiracial family. I think her own experiences being woven into the book made a major positive impact on how I connected to the story.

10-year old Knox and his family were living in Hong Kong when Covid-19 started in mainland China. They've already lived through SARS and his mom didn't want to take any chances with covid so she decided to move herself, Knox, and his 2 siblings back to America. Unfortunately, Knox's dad had to stay in Hong Kong for work. As much as Knox hated to leave his dad and his dog behind, life in California has some perks - a new friend and a teacher who understands ADHD. His teacher and his friend both help Knox thrive in school for the first time. Knox soon learns that America has its own problems, however. Anti-Asian hate is on the rise and America isn't as safe from covid as Knox had believed.

Despite the heaviness of the topic, this book handles it with humor and hopefulness. Readers will fall in love with Knox and his entire family.

New From Here is another excellent middle grade novel by Kelly Yang. It follows Knox and his family during the pandemic. Knox’s parents moved to Hong Kong for work and his mom makes the tough decision to move with the kids back to the United States when cases of Covid first appear in China. They have lived through SARS and she feels it would be safer in America. Knox and his siblings, Bowen & Lea, miss their dad and come up with a plan to raise money for a plane ticket for him. Things don’t always go as planned and they get into a fair amount of trouble along the way! They also grow as a family and learn how to work together and support one another.

This book does a great job addressing racism, homelessness, and the pandemic in a way middle grade readers can understand. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

I received an advanced digital copy of New from Here for review. This is the first novel of Yang's I've read and I'll certainly be going back to read others.

New from Here is an echo of the author's experience of having to say goodbye to her husband in Hong Kong and moving back to the United States with her children at the beginning of the pandemic. Readers are lead through the story by middle child Knox whose adjustment to new routines is impacted by his ADHD. Middle grade students will relate to the uncertainty we all felt in the early days of the pandemic, especially the challenges of online learning. Other experiences Knox relates, like the racism experienced by his Asian American family, might be new to them but are certainly an important element of the last two years.

Readers will fall in love with Knox and empathize as he struggles in his relationship with his older brother. They will appreciate Knox and his siblings' attempts to help support their parents (trying to raise money to fly their father to the US from Hong Kong and creating a LinkedIn profile for their father to get him a job in the US), while cringing at some of their methods.

While some of the family issues wrap up neatly, this is a middle grade novel after all, readers will know that most of the pandemic is yet to unfold in the US and will be thinking about what might be yet to come for Knox and his family.

Hong Kong has been home for Knox, older brother Bowen, and younger sister Lea; it’s close to mom’s Chinese parents but they also have a place in the Bay Area from dad’s side of the family. When COVID cases start showing up on the mainland, banker mom takes the kids to California just to wait out the epidemic while lawyer dad stays behind. The kids enroll in school, mom loses her job and times are tight, even when mom gets another job. Knox’s ASHD-fueled impulsivity causes trouble at school and with his perfectionist older brother. Yang has created another creative, memorable family who wrestle with good intentions gone wrong and the ramped up racism that was inflamed by COVID fears. Yang hits it out of the park again.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for review.

Kelly Yang does it again. She can grab historical fiction or current events to teach kids social justice and compassion when they think they are just reading for enjoyment.

In New From Here, most of the Wei-Evans family moves from Hong Kong to San Francisco at the start of the coronavirus believing the virus will never hit the states. Dad and dog stay back in Hong Kong to work. Mom loses her job right after the move, so job hunting is on the list for her while the kids get settled in new schools. Again...at the start of COVID.

The kids are the caretakers in this book (adults will need to read with a suspension of disbelief). We read the story from Knox's point of view. Confused by Dad so far away, new friends, watching his brother deal with racism, and dealing with his own ADHD is a lot for one kid. But family sticks together, and that's just what the Wei-Evans' do.

Always love Kelly Yang. Recommend for grades 3 and up.

Another insightful novel from Kelly Yang. Always a great read for all ages, read New from Here with children to discuss the larger themes running throughout.

We have been literally living history. The COVID pandemic was an event that will color people’s beliefs and actions for a long time.

In this book, Yang uses her own family’s experience during the beginning months of the pandemic, having to relocate back to the US from Asia, and experiencing prejudice, job loss, etc.

The story here focuses on middle child Knox, who has ADHD. His struggles are real, and he doubts himself and his worth constantly. His big brother is an outstanding student, and Knox constantly compares himself.

As they are separated from their father, the three children must work together as they try to raise money to bring their father to join them. They face many challenges. They also face prejudice. Knox finds, though, that he is much happier in the US than he was in Hong Kong.

I really enjoyed this story. The kids felt like real kids, and the situations reflect what was in the news two years ago. That Yang was willing to reexamine those emotions does us all a favor.

There will be people who are offended by Yang’s portrayals of prejudicial treatment. They want to believe these things didn’t happen in America. But they did, and to deny that is its own form of prejudice. Just because it wasn’t your experience doesn’t mean it wasn’t anyone’s experience, and we would do well to remember that.

Possible Objectionable Material:
Kids argue. One runs away from home. Instances of prejudice. Dishonesty. Price gouging. Some people will be angry at Yang’s portrayal of racism, and the discussion the mother has with her children about it.

Who Might Like This Book:
Those who like very recent history, seeing kids adapt to new situations, learning about how people who are different from them experience the world.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my thoughts.

This book also reviewed at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2022/03/history-we-all-remember.html

New From Here is inspired by author Kelly Yang’s own experiences during the pandemic. There’s a weight behind her words that rings true at every turn. Though you may not want to believe in the reality of what happened, you can’t help but know it’s true.

At the center of New from Here is Knox, a 10-year-old with ADHD that just wants his family to be together. He’s bright and a bit loud and lots of fun. He’s the kind of character that you know is going to take you on a great journey. And though Knox is the main character, Yang surrounds him with strong supporters that feel well-developed and grounded.

New from Here is a pandemic story that readers will find both relatable and thought-provoking. Yang looks at the experience through a different lens than many will have used, providing readers with a fresh and unique perspective.

As with Yang’s other middle-grade books (the Front Desk series), I can’t recommend New from Here enough. Emotional, smart and funny, it’s a great option for readers young and old.

"New from Here" by Kelly Yang
Release Date: 3.1.2022

Knox Wei-Evan and his family move back to California from Hong Kong when the coronavirus hits. His dad stays in China for work.

At his new school, Knox struggles being the new kid. Plus, his classmates think that since he's from Asia, he brought the virus to the United States! Plus, his mom just was fired from her job, worrying about losing their health insurance, and he has no idea when he will see his dad again, since flights were canceled.

This book is unique, as Ms. Yang provides an author's note, sharing her immediate family's experience being split across continents.

Each of the siblings experience a different degree of racism, based upon their appearance. Anti-Asian racism flows through the entire novel and is portrayed in an age-appropriate way. Knox also finds out he has ADHD, which is another hurdle for him during this turbulent time. We see and experience Knox's anguish and fear, while navigating a new school, making friends, and experiencing racist taunts. This is an excellent read, so kids can learn empathy and the importance of kindness.

Thank you to @netgalley for the opportunity to read in exchange for my honest review.


#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #netgalley #netgalleyreads #netgalleybooks #newfromhere #kellyyang #middlegradereads #middlegradebooks #middlegraderealisticfiction

This book about an American family - with a Chinese-American mom and white dad - living in Hong Kong at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic suffers a bit from what most middle grade books need to be successful: how to write the story so the kids have to solve the problems without help from adults. The mom relocates with the kids to California before Covid has hit the United States but the dad stays in Hong Kong for his job. There are great parts of the book: starting at a new school, dealing with ADHD as well as anti-Asian racism, and looking at the start of the pandemic. But there are several things that happen that stretch credulity for me in terms of the mom and also the family's financial situation. However those things need to happen for the plot to move forward. I think most kids won't notice them and will enjoy another great book by Yang.

✨Book Review✨ YA edition

New From Here by Kelly Yang
Recommended for age 8+
Release Date: March 1, 2022

My class read the entire Front Desk series by @kellyyanghk this year. We all LOVED them! When I saw she had a new book coming out I immediately requested it on NetGalley. And I was lucky enough to be approved for it! I flew through it in a day and could not have loved it more. I laughed, I cried, and it really pulled at my heart strings.

This book focuses on a family (mom, and three kids) who move to California from Hong Kong when the coronavirus begins over there. Their dad has to stay there for work, but they go there to stay safe, not knowing what the future there would be like. This book is told from the POV of the son (middle child) who also has ADHD, and all of the struggles he goes through with learning, making friends, adjusting being away from his dad, and learning to get along with his older brother. All while trying to help his mom get a job, and get money to help his dad come over, all during the beginning of the pandemic.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
100% will be buying a copy or two for my classroom library! I already have a list of students who want to check it out! We are biiiiiig Kelly Yang fans in our classroom! 🤣

Thank you @kellyyanghk @netgalley and @simonandschuster for the eARC!