Starting Over in Sunset Park

"Diaz renders Sunset Park in culturally specific detail and with a rainbow of tropical colors; amid a variety of page layouts, a muted double-page spread of Central Park in the snow stands out beautifully. Meanwhile, Pelaez and McGee’s text is compassionate and earnest..." -- ANAMARÍA ANDERSON - Horn Book
"This book is all about immigrating from the Dominican Republic to Brooklyn. It doesn’t sugarcoat anything, but it also ends on a hopeful note." -- Betsy Bird - School Library Journal
"An Afro-Dominican child with brown skin and colorful bobbles in her braided hair takes her first plane ride, moving from the Dominican Republic to New York City with her mother. Upon arrival, the two stay with an aunt and cousins in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, until they can find an apartment of their own. As Mama gets a job making holiday decorations, the child works hard in school, eventually finding community. In a first-person perspective, Pelaez and McGee sketch vivid portraits of the family’s culture, incorporating defined Spanish: “I missed mi abuela (my grandmother) and her house.” Detailed, marker-bright illustrations by Diaz effectively employ comics-style panels and speech bubbles, successfully reflecting one child’s gradual journey of adaptation." -- PW
"The Afro-Caribbean experience is seldom seen in children’s books, and cultural insiders will appreciate the text’s references to the Dominican Republic and its inclusion of Spanish language. This can be paired with other stories of immigration, change, or starting anew." -- Amina Chaudhri - Booklist
"A story full of vitality and compassion, Starting Over in Sunset Park will speak to all readers but will resonate most strongly with anyone who has ever made a home in a new country." -- Julie Danielson - BookPage