Author: Suzanne Slade

Publisher: Rodale Kids

Published: 2022-07-19

Total Pages: 33

ISBN-13: 0593426320

When read forward and backwards, this clever and thought-provoking flip-it story demonstrates that there’s more than one way to think about someone who might seem “different” at first glance. It isn’t easy to say hi to someone new, is it? Told from the perspective of a student, The New Kid Welcome (or Welcome the New Kid when flipped) presents readers with two versions of what happens when a "new kid" joins the protagonist's school. In the first half of the book, the student tells us that they don’t want to be nice to the new kid or welcome them into their group simply because they seem different. In the second half, the same lines of the story are placed in reverse order. When read this way, the student encourages us to say hello to someone new, saying they will share their table and snacks. With a simple flip of the story, feelings of intolerance give way to those of inclusion and kindness. Precise, thoughtful text and inclusive illustrations combine to create a perfect tool for promoting acceptance and a kinder world. After all... It is easy to say hi to someone new, isn’t it?