New from Here

New From Here is a middle grade novel written by Kelly Yang, published in 2022. Yang wrote the novel during the COVID-19 pandemic while she and her three children were in America and her husband was in Hong Kong. In the novel, Knox Wei-Evans, his mother Julie, and his two siblings, come to America to stay safe from the pandemic that is starting to spread in Asia. As they acclimate to life in the United States, the virus spreads throughout the world, and the children must learn to navigate life during a pandemic, racism directed toward Asian individuals, and life with their father across the ocean. Compacting their stress are the additional concerns that the family lacks health insurance, Julie is unemployed, and Knox is learning about his ADHD diagnosis. New From Here explores the Prejudice and Racism During the COVID-19 Pandemic, The Difficulties and Expectations of Assimilation, and The Experience of Living With ADHD through Knox’s and his family’s viewpoints.

Content Warning: The source novel and this guide contain numerous scenarios of racism as well as racist slurs. These incidents are largely, but not always, directed against Asian people in America.