In 2012, I’m Your Neighbor Books began as a a book blog to share books set in our New Arrival and New American communities.
In 2017, we added the Welcoming Library, a touring collection of acclaimed picture books and discussion materials to start conversations on immigration, welcoming, and belonging.
In 2019, we became a national nonprofit with 501c3 status and expanded our outreach projects.
In 2020, I’m Your Neighbor Books was still using that same old 2012 book blog to run all aspects of our project…
…until, National Book Award-winning author Phillip Hoose offered us an astounding gift. That financial gift has allowed us to build this beautiful website with our dream collaborator Websy Daisy. Phil, we are astronomically grateful and empowered to do our immigrant welcoming work in 2021 and beyond.
…But, that is not all…no website that includes over 500 book titles can easily be remade. We must also thank artist Sandi Ste George for the donation that allowed us to bring back Delanie Honda. Lanie, the originator of the book blog as an undergraduate in 2012, is now a Harvard School of Education graduate. Together with Web Manager Antonio Macomber, Lanie was able to transform eight years of book data into a new and powerful tool to Browse by Community and Theme.
It takes a village and we are so very lucky to have partners Phil Hoose and Sandi Ste George in ours.
Beautiful design work.! It’s so exciting to help I’m Your Neighbor spread her wings and soar!
It feels amazing to be lifting off anew. We would not be doing it without your help.
I love the new website! I heard about this organization through the 2019 NCTE session, and I use it to build my classroom library for my ESOL students. Thank you for your work!
Natalie, it makes us SO HAPPY to hear that! Have you signed up for the newsletter? Bottom left! We will be doing a monthly “catalog” of the titles we have added.
I just signed up! Yay! Thank you!
And, I am so please we connected at NCTE!
Hey, Phil & Sandi are MY neighbors! They are the best!! And have the best puppy…
Kim, you are even luckier than we are, then! Here’s to Phil & Sandi (and Coda)!