A New Life

Eight-year-old Khadija, her older brother, Hamza, and their parents have just arrived in Canada from Pakistan. In their classrooms on the first day of school Khadija and Hamza are confronted by a sea of unfamiliar faces. Everyone looks so different from the way they did back home. At first Khadija and Hamza feel left out at recess, and they both become the targets of school bullies. It's really hard to have to speak English all day long. And Khadija just can't figure out how to get enough water out of the drinking fountain. Hamza, in particular, misses everything about Pakistan -- his friends, his school and his grandmother. But gradually, Khadija and Hamza find new friends and begin to feel more at home.

Note: This book is a trade version (available for purchase) of Rukhsana’s Coming to Canada, which was commissioned by the Canadian government and is being distributed to each immigrant child who enters Canada.