The New Girl, by Cassandra Calin. Scholastic, 2024. $16.99 ages 9 and up

 

"Anyway ... I wanted to tell you I saw an 
ad at school. They're looking for an artist 
to work on the school magazine. 

I'm thinking of applying.

What a fantastic idea! 
I agree, honey. It'll be a 
great way to meet more 
people. 

True ... plus, I've always 
wanted to share my art 
with more people."

Can't imagine being the new girl ... never mind that you are 12, have just arrived in Canada from Romania, and got your first unpleasant period while waiting at the airport before your flight to Canada boards! Are the odds against Lia, or what? 

Her family settles in Montreal. Lia, who does speak English, doesn't speak French. How will she make friends at her new school? She is in the school's iimmersion program to help her learn the new language, but she understands little that anyone is saying to or around her. She meets other international students, many facing some of the same issues. It takes time; together they find common ground and begin to deal with friendship, school, after-school activities, crushes, cliques, body image and the changes that happen in adolescence.  

Lia's transition to this life is difficult at times. She has support from her family, perseveres through many of the same issues that others her age are facing, and works through the misunderstandings. Her love of art and creativity help her find some common ground while also posing some problems. In the end, she is content with life as it presents itself and enjoys the results of the changes for her family. 

Ms. Callin's storytelling is engaging and real. Lia deals with those things common to many immigrant youth as they come to terms with life in their new country. Lia's middle school days are often chaotic as she deals with so much all at once. The illustrations are effective and often humorous. Her use of text speech bubbles helps readers see other languages in colored coding, while scribbles represent the French that Lia does not understand. There is a real awareness for the difficulty in learning a new language. Graphic novel fans will find much to like here.