Gibberish

Recent immigrant Dat arrives in America and begins school. He doesn’t understand what anyone says and every word sounds like gibberish. To make matters worse, everyone mispronounces his name by either calling him Dav or Dan. Then Julie comes along. Julie befriends Dat and teaches him English words and calls Dat by his name.

This is a wonderful picture book that children who are learning a new language or living in a foreign country can relate to. I love how everyone who speaks gibberish in the story is a cartoon character, but once Dat is comfortable with the person, they transform into an actual person in his eyes. Most things were colored in drabby black and white unless it was things or people that meant something to Dat. The mixed media use of color pencils and watercolor and digital media made for a very cool effect on the artwork.

Acclimating to a new environment and learning a new language are difficult, but they are made easier when there is a supportive friend by your side. I recommend this heartwarming story about friendship to all children and their caregivers.