Estimated Ship Date: May 6, 2025

Perfect for fans of Eyes that Kiss in the Corners and Big: award-winning and bestselling creator Niña Mata makes her authorial picture book debut with a tender and personal story about a Filipina child who contemplates what it means to be new on the first day of school.

In the big city, everything feels new.

School is new. The people are new. And the glares and stares you get for being different are new.

But new can also mean new beginnings . . .

With spare, evocative text and gorgeous emotive illustrations, this inside perspective of moving from one place to another centers a child who learns that being open and kind makes space for everyone. Perfect for back to school, Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and any story time, Niña Mata’s semi-autobiographical picture book will resonate with young readers who are embarking on new adventures.