After reading Nujeen Mustafa's arduous journey from Syria to German to escape the horrors of war, I was indeed intrigued to read more about refugees. The Newcomers followed the lives of the Class of 142 in South High School which consisted of not only young refugees from the Middle East but also immigrants from far-flung countries such as Congo, Mozambique, Eritrea and Cambodia. Most of these kids knew so little to none basic English and it is a challenge for Mr. Williams their class teacher to teach them. I can only imagined and be amazed with his patience and resilience each day.

The writer also took the time to get to know each student in Class 142 by visiting their homes. It is interesting to actually know how these refugees/immigrants are coping in their new situation. Some families are better at adapting than others. And although the cover showed a girl in hijab, the beautiful sisters from Iraq (Jakleen and Mariam) in Class 142 are actually half-Christians.

I love the different personalities of the various students of Class 142 and this book really shed a light on the plight of these people that we knew nothing about.