Another Look

I don't read many graphic novels; it's a medium that doesn't always grab me. However, I fell in love with Patti Kim's book Here I Am. A wordless picture book with a graphic novel feel, Kim's story and Sonia Sanchez's illustrations were so compelling and beautiful, I found myself pulled into every page. Here I Am is the story of a boy who immigrates with his family to New York City. Not an image is wasted, not a moment of this experience is lost. From the trepidation of a first step onto a shiny airport floor to garbled-letter signs and the overwhelmingness of NYC, every image is full of meaning. While some pictures are hastily dashed and quickly colored (creating movement and memoir), others are intensely detailed. Lush green memories of home glimmer in the boy's mind and give us a sense of longing, which may--just may--turn into belonging.