I'm From

A poetic, heartwarming ode to the small, defining moments of a boy's life, by a brilliant new debut and a Caldecott Honoree. A picture book for fans of Last Stop on Market Street.

Early morning wake-ups and homemade pancakes, 

Raucous bus rides and schoolyard games, 

Family games and bedtime rituals . . . 

These are the small moments that shape a child's day. I'm From is an invitation into the vivid world of one small boy, a poetic account of all the people and places and things that shape who he is and define where he is from.

GARY R. GRAY, JR., was born and raised in Preston, Nova Scotia, the largest Black community in Canada. Since completing his master's degree in Early Elementary Pedagogy, Gary has spent the last eleven years teaching abroad in Kuwait, Singapore, the Philippines, and most recently in Vietnam. As a teacher, Gary is passionate about creating classroom environments that are anti-racist and equitable, and he looks to carry these values forward in his writing. His fondest memories are of family and friends in his community, and he strives to bring these to life in his work, while allowing his readers to explore their own social identity. Gary also has a podcast called ItsPersonal in which he speaks with authors and educators of color about their personal experience. Some notable guests include Matt de la Peña, Nic Stone, Kiese Laymon and Minh Lê, among others.

OGE MORA is a collage artist and storyteller. Her picture book, Thank You, Omu!, was a Caldecott Honor Book, Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award winner, and Ezra Jack Keats Book Award recipient. Her second book, Saturday, won the 2020 Boston Globe–Horn Book Picture Book Award. Oge's artwork has received praise from the Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Boston Globe. She also recently made the Forbes 30 Under 30 2021 list in Arts & Style. Oge grew up in Columbus, Ohio, but resides in Providence, Rhode Island.

ISBN: 9781774886168
Format: Hardback
Pages: 40
Publisher: Tundra Book Group
Published: March 05, 2024

One of School Library Journal's Best Picture Books for 2023

One of the New York Public Library's Best Books for Kids for 2023

On NPR's Annual Best of List for 2023

PRAISE FOR I'm From:

"The reiterative phrase "I come from . . . " frames the reflections of a Black child narrator discussing their identity in this tenderly observed picture book." —STARRED REVIEW, Publishers Weekly