My Words Flew Away Like Birds

The paper white–skinned, black-pigtailed protagonist of this endearing picture book offers a close look at emigration and language acquisition. Pearson elucidates the child’s struggles in poetic prose, carefully leaving their countries of origin and emigration unspecified to highlight the universality of the child’s emotions: “Their words did not sound/ like the ones I had learned./ So I did not say anything.” The child details a handful of experiences: homesickness; someone attempting to introduce the family to a person “from the same place,” only to have their former homes be different; and finally, making a friend. Jain contributes doodle-like pen and ink artwork, with digitally airbrushed coloring in a light palette, in this approachable, empathic tale. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)