How is it possible for very young people to understand immigration—what it means to come to the United States from another land? In Light for All, author Margarita Engle tells that story in few but very well-chosen words. Illustrator Raul Colón depicts, warmly and empathetically, each element of the narrative in the faces and body language of the mothers, father, brothers and sisters who enter a new country by the light of the Statue of Liberty. People come to rejoin family; to leave behind hunger and war and natural disasters; to seek livelihoods that use their skills; to make a new life in a new land. It is not always easy to be a newcomer, but exercising the freedom to express oneself can help. Maybe learning a new language doesn’t mean leaving behind one’s first land or language but adding them to the mix here already—adding to the stories of the people who were earlier immigrants, or whose native land was invaded, or who were brought as enslaved people. Engle’s text does not spare the difficult parts of our history but casts a positive light on possibility as represented in the Statue of Liberty’s promise—the opportunity for us to understand and truly welcome people new to our land, to celebrate our freedoms and hope for equality. In an Author’s Note and an Illustrator’s Note, readers learn more about why Engle and Colón chose to create this book, which is a fine introduction—an excellent conversation-starter—to the generations of people who comprise our diverse and vibrant nation. Ages 4-8. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2021.
