In celebration of Picture Book Month, the Portland Public Library will be hosting Anne Sibley O'Brien on November 19th with a reception for her exhibit "Picturing New Neighbors," as well as a slide talk of recent picture books featuring refugee and immigrant children.

 "Picturing New Neighbors" is an exhibit, currently on view in the Sam L. Cohen Children's Library. It  focuses on four of Anne Sibley O'Brien's picture books featuring immigrant children and their families in the United States. The books include I'm New Here, Path of Stars (both of which she authored), Moon Watchers (by Reza Jalali), and What Will You Be Sara Mee? (by Kate Aver  Avraham.) Light refreshments will be served at the reception and books will be available for purchase and signing from 4:30-5:30.

The exhibit reception will be followed by a slide talk by Ms. O'Brien in Meeting Room 5 from 5:30-6:30.  The talk will focus on books which portray the countries of origin of families currently settling in Maine. The audience will explore how these books can be used to support students - and their mainstream classmates as they move through stages of adjustment. Resources will be shared for librarians, teachers, and parents to continue to explore the literature of immigration.

Anne Sibley O'Brien is a children's book creator who lives on Peaks Island. She has illustrated thirty-two picture books. O'Brien's passion for multiracial, multicultural, and global subjects grew out of her experience of being raised bilingual and bicultural in South Korea as the daughter of medical missionaries.
Please pass this information to anyone else that might be interested!

For more information please contact the Sam L. Cohen Children's Library at the Portland Public Library.


Jerri Blatt


Children's Team Leader
Sam L. Cohen Children's Library
Portland Public Library
5 Monument Square
Portland, ME 04101

207-871-1700 ext 707