Review - The Day Saida Arrived

The Day Saida Arrived
by Susana Gómez Redondo
illustrated by Sonja Wimmer
Date: 2020
Publisher: Blue Dot Kids Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Two girls forge a forever-friendship by learning each other’s language. The Day Saida Arrived demonstrates the power of language to build bonds beyond borders.

What happens when a new friend arrives who doesn’t speak your language? A young girl searches for the words to help her friend feel welcome and happy in her new home, and along the way learns about differences and similarities in countries and words. The two forge a strong bond while they each learn the other’s language, exploring the world around them.

A joyous, lyrical text—including English translations and pronunciations and the complete Arabic alphabet—offers an accessible, fresh approach to talking about immigration. Paired with lushly vivid illustrations, The Day Saida Arrived demonstrates the power of language to build bonds beyond borders.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

The Day Saida Arrived is a lovely little treat for the senses. It combines a basic story about two friends sharing their respective languages with gorgeous illustrations and some basic translations of English and Arabic words.

I'm not entirely sure this will appeal to very young children. The language is steeped in metaphors and comes across as a bit flowery. It's nice, but I question the appeal of the style for younger readers.

The illustrations are colourful, whimsical, and imaginative. If I have one quibble, it's that some of the Arabic words (the English pronunciations, anyway) are kind of hard to read. The cursive font and the distressed sans serif were particularly noticeable in this regard. (I actually had to look one of the words up just to make sure I was reading it right; it should be clearer than that).

Overall, though, this has a lovely premise and a beautiful aesthetic. Readers looking for books on immigration, diversity, and languages might enjoy this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Dot Kids Press for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5