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A review by perfect_leaves
The Newcomers: Finding Refuge, Friendship, and Hope in an American Classroom by Helen Thorpe
3.0
Let me preface this by saying that I also teach English to speakers of other languages. I should also say that I'm writing this review several months after finishing the book.
The Newcomers was okay, but it didn't teach me anything new. It seemed more like a performative way to *prove* refugees "aren't all bad." The book exploits the children's trauma and is constantly highlighting their otherness ("oh that's so different from what I'm used to" is a pretty common thread). At the same time, Thorpe tries hard to say the kids are "just like us." It's paradoxical but Thorpe somehow manages to emphasize both their differences and their sameness.
Thorpe ties the children's stories to her own Irish-American upbringing about half a century ago, but her struggles-- though valid-- are incomparable to what these children face. She came to the US already knowing English, and she came at such a young age that the US is the only country she really knows. The brief discussion of how Irish immigrants were treated was fairly interesting, I guess. I'm not saying one struggle is harder than the other, they're just very different situations. I wish the author had talked less about herself and focused more on Mr. Williams and the children.
I appreciate that Thorpe took the time to talk to the children directly, and did not force anyone to participate. I also appreciate that she tried to integrate herself into the classroom and the children's lives, providing assistance when needed and when possible. Some of the children's struggles are simply the struggles of people in poverty in the US, some of their struggles are specific to their backgrounds.
After reading The Newcomers, I was annoyed Thorpe chose this particular image as the cover. The girl (I can't remember her name anymore) only wore her hair covered for a short period of time, so it seems misleading to display this picture of her. Considering the comments Trump was making about Muslims at the time of publishing, it seems like she used the image for shock value. She effectively confirmed what many Americans (not just islamophobes, trust me) already believe: Muslims come from other countries (i.e. they are not and cannot be American) and if they cover their hair, it must be because they haven't adjusted to American culture yet. The girl's story, and her reason for wearing, then removing her scarf if interesting, but it's not the main idea of the book. I would have preferred a cover image with the children in the background placed front and center.
All in all, the book is worth the read simply because it provides another perspective of American life. It's also helpful for TESOL and ELA teachers, because they can glean some ideas from it. I would not, however, deem this book the end-all, be-all. It should be treated as one of many perspectives.
The Newcomers was okay, but it didn't teach me anything new. It seemed more like a performative way to *prove* refugees "aren't all bad." The book exploits the children's trauma and is constantly highlighting their otherness ("oh that's so different from what I'm used to" is a pretty common thread). At the same time, Thorpe tries hard to say the kids are "just like us." It's paradoxical but Thorpe somehow manages to emphasize both their differences and their sameness.
Thorpe ties the children's stories to her own Irish-American upbringing about half a century ago, but her struggles-- though valid-- are incomparable to what these children face. She came to the US already knowing English, and she came at such a young age that the US is the only country she really knows. The brief discussion of how Irish immigrants were treated was fairly interesting, I guess. I'm not saying one struggle is harder than the other, they're just very different situations. I wish the author had talked less about herself and focused more on Mr. Williams and the children.
I appreciate that Thorpe took the time to talk to the children directly, and did not force anyone to participate. I also appreciate that she tried to integrate herself into the classroom and the children's lives, providing assistance when needed and when possible. Some of the children's struggles are simply the struggles of people in poverty in the US, some of their struggles are specific to their backgrounds.
After reading The Newcomers, I was annoyed Thorpe chose this particular image as the cover. The girl (I can't remember her name anymore) only wore her hair covered for a short period of time, so it seems misleading to display this picture of her. Considering the comments Trump was making about Muslims at the time of publishing, it seems like she used the image for shock value. She effectively confirmed what many Americans (not just islamophobes, trust me) already believe: Muslims come from other countries (i.e. they are not and cannot be American) and if they cover their hair, it must be because they haven't adjusted to American culture yet. The girl's story, and her reason for wearing, then removing her scarf if interesting, but it's not the main idea of the book. I would have preferred a cover image with the children in the background placed front and center.
All in all, the book is worth the read simply because it provides another perspective of American life. It's also helpful for TESOL and ELA teachers, because they can glean some ideas from it. I would not, however, deem this book the end-all, be-all. It should be treated as one of many perspectives.