COMING TO AMERICA

An experienced photo-essayist, Wolf often takes on difficult topics. Most of the members of the Mahmoud family left Egypt four years ago and now live in Queens, New York. Rowan is eight, and has a 13-year-old brother Amr, and a 12-year-old sister, Dina. The clear, engaging photos capture the family at home, in school, and at the mosque. Their religion is an integral part of their life, but school, television, and playing with friends take up most of their time. Wolf tackles some of the issues of immigration for adults and children, the hardships of learning a new language, the economic problems of finding an appropriate job, and homesickness—but with no mention of prejudice or current politics. An afterword provides more information on Islamic beliefs. Lacking an index or bibliography, this will still provide insight into the daily life of a recently arrived family. (Nonfiction. 7-11)