Helen Thorpe, "The Newcomers"

In her third book, Thorpe, the author of Just like Us and Soldier Girls, puts a human face on immigration. Make that twenty-two faces. Her vivid report follows the progress of a group of immigrant teenagers through their first academic year at Denver’s South High School. Ranging in age from fourteen to nineteen, the students were enrolled in an English Language Acquisition class specially designed for them. They’d arrived from all over the world with no English and little familiarity with American culture. Many were fresh from refugee camps, others had lost family members, and all had suffered traumatic experiences including war and famine. With the help of dedicated teachers and a supportive community, the students gained confidence and found not just refuge, but a new home. Thorpe’s is a moving and inspiring story of compassion and resilience.

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