Maribel's Year by Michelle Sterling and Sarah Gonzales

A Filipino children’s picture book about an immigrant Filipino girl’s first year in America. A diverse kids book.

A Filipino kids’ book about a girl who immigrates from the Philippines to the US.

MARIBEL’S YEAR is a celebration of the special connection between father and daughter that knows no bounds. This evocative, lyrical picture book from author Michelle Sterling and artist Sarah Gonzales recounts the year a little girl and her mother spend in America while waiting for her father to join them from the Philippines.

New country, new school, new friends.

A lot can happen in a single year. But one thing’s for certain: Maribel won’t forget her papa, even when he’s eight-thousand miles away in the Philippines.

After all, Papa is all around. He is the memory of feeding koi fish in their pond every morning. He is the constellation map as Maribel dreams of showing him her new world. He is the packages and letters sent back and forth.

He is everywhere except the place he’s wanted the most. But the bond between Maribel and Papa transcends oceans. So as the snow melts and turns to rain, as flowers blossom and welcome sun-kissed days, and as the leaves start to change and snow begins to fall once more, can Maribel wait just a little bit longer?

MARIBEL’S YEAR, written by Michelle Sterling, illustrated by Sarah Gonzales and published by HarperCollins. ❄️🌱☀️🍂

PRAISE FOR MARIBEL’S YEAR

⭐️ “A heartfelt, beautiful tale of finding home.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“A richly laid seasonal feast that melds languages and traditions.” — Publishers Weekly

“Sterling’s rich verse and Sarah Gonzales’ warm artwork depict the child’s adjustment to an unfamiliar climate, a strange language, and new traditions.” — 5 Picture Books That Rewrite the Immigrant Story on Kirkus Reviews

"Sterling's descriptive writing uses all five senses to evoke American and Philippine culture . . . Paired with sumptuous illustrations of the changing seasons and family life by Filipino Canadian artist Sarah Gonzalez, these sensations come alive on every page." — 4 New Books by Filipino Authors to Read This Spring on NPR

ALSC Notable Children's Books 2024