Story by John Coy, photos by Wing Young Huie
Where We Come From
With lyrical text and thought-provoking photography, Their Great Gift explores the experiences of immigrants in the twenty-first century, focusing on the lives of children. Images of families who came to the United States from many different parts of the world celebrate the diversity of our country and contain a vision of hope for the future.
KIRKUS Reviews (starred)
Cleareyed photography illustrates the modern experience of immigrating to the United States.
The simple opening words are immediately familiar. “My family came here from far away….” American children have long heard the stories of how their strong and courageous forebears built this country. Most immigration stories for the young, however, are told from a single point of view. Author Coy and photographer Huie have taken the opposite approach. Faces of many ethnic backgrounds grace the moving yet everyday images that fill the pages. Asian, African, and Latino people are shown living their lives in their new land, playing, eating, working, and being themselves. Young Asian Boy Scouts stand next to the American flag. An older woman in a headscarf studies for a test. A tall black girl stands on a track surrounded by her blond classmates. Visually, their different-ness is apparent. Yet the words are universal. “They worked long, hard hours, at difficult jobs….They saved and did without and sent money back.” The result joins the intimate, individual family stories to the universal immigration experience with a love for freedom and the responsibility that it requires. The last question pulls readers back to the present: “What will we do with THEIR GREAT GIFT?” Both author and photographer include their own family arrival stories in the endnotes.
A heartfelt reminder of a significant American ideal.
School Library Journal (starred)
An attractive and inspiring look at immigration to the United States, sure to spark discussions at home or in the classroom. Coy takes a simple approach with the text, employing only a few words per page, while Wing uses his mostly black-and-white photographs to illuminate the experience of coming to a new country, working hard, making mistakes, and building a new home. … An ideal jumping-off place for teachers and parents interested in starting a conversation about a timely topic.
Publishers Weekly
Coy (Hoop Genius) and photographer Huie (Looking for Asian America), in his first book for children, deliver a visual smorgasbord that informs young readers—and reminds older ones—how the United States was and continues to be made. Color and b&w photographs of modern-day immigrants appear alongside a spare, poetic text describing their collective experience in a new country. “They made mistakes and people laughed. Others didn’t understand how much they’d sacrificed. They worked long, hard hours, at difficult jobs…They saved and did without/ and sent money back.” The newcomers (mostly Asian, African, and Hispanic) cover a broad range of ages and appear in everyday scenes: children at a school lunch table or Scout meeting; adults learning a new language or working at night. Some stare with expressive eyes, while others mingle and laugh with family and friends. The message is clear: they are us, as they always have been. The final line, “What will we do with their great gift?” poses a seminal question for citizens already here. Both author and illustrator detail their own ancestors’ arrival stories in endnotes.