THE NEWCOMERS Finding Refuge, Friendship, and Hope in an American Classroom

Narrator Kate Handford's even pacing and conversational tone guide listeners through this audiobook. Journalist Helen Thorpe reports on the multilingual teens who comprise the entry-level class in a Denver high school's English language department. In addition to recounting her observations and interviews with students from Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa--among other homelands--this work includes discussions with parents and extended family members, the classroom teacher, and other school personnel. Appropriately, Handford avoids re-creating the many accents of those involved. Instead she subtly alters her pitch when quoting different girls and boys. Together, Thorpe and Handford make the thoughts, feelings, past and present experiences, frustrations, and energy of these young people readily accessible to listeners. F.M.R.G. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2018]