My America Blooms

My America Blooms tells the story of a girl who immigrates from Iran to America as she was forced to flee Tehran. The young girl brings golnar petals with her to start a new garden in America. She is excited about what life in America brings but realizes that it also comes with some bad.
What I Liked: The story begins with blue tones as the young girl is sad to have to pack up her belongings to flee her home. While there are flower petals throughout the beginning of the story, the colors are still sad and the expressions on the people’s faces are longing. The shift in colors doesn’t take place until the young girl gets the chance to see the community garden and her hope for this future begins.

The moments in which the young girl talks about America and the beauty she finds in her new country are vibrant and full of joy. The colors don’t shift again until there’s a moment when things change for her, and she sees anti-immigrant acts on the news. Through this shift in colors and people’s expressions, you see hope drained and how distraught people are. The story has a powerful moment in which there is a simple illustration of the young girl’s hands with flower petals from her home. This moment shifts things for the story as she expresses the power in community and speaks up for the things you believe in.

This is a great book to share with children ages 4 and up to highlight an immigration story and provide children with the important reminder of how powerful hope is. This story not only portrays the fear and ignorance of anti-immigration acts but also the beauty when people come together and embrace differences. The story highlights the importance of learning from one another, and allowing others into our communities.

Final Verdict: My America Blooms is a hopeful story about immigration and the complexity of being an immigrant in America. This book is great for sharing stories about immigration and also how communities come together to fight hatred and injustice.