Kayla & Audrey
Ages 3–8 · English & French

A new place can become home.

A gentle picture book about two sisters navigating a move, missing what they know, and discovering the courage, friendship, and belonging that can grow from a new beginning.

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Kayla and Audrey holding baskets of strawberries
For ages 3–8
32-page hardcover
English + French editions
Inspired by a real family move
Kayla and Audrey preparing to move with their suitcases
The story

Big changes. Big feelings. One new friend.

Kayla and Audrey leave everything familiar behind and move to a new land. They miss their friends, their home, and wonder if they will ever belong again.

Then, on a sunny day in a strawberry field, they meet Emma. A simple moment of play becomes the beginning of a friendship—and a new sense of home.

✦ Moving to a new country or city
✦ Starting a new school
✦ Leaving friends behind
✦ Building confidence & belonging
Why we wrote this book

It started with our own family’s new beginning.

When we moved our family to a new country, we assumed Kayla and Audrey were young enough that leaving their friends behind would not weigh too heavily on them. We quickly learned otherwise. They missed the people and routines they knew, and we found ourselves looking for gentle ways to help them understand the change and feel confident making new friends.

Our girls love books, and reading has always been one of the ways we talk through big feelings at home. We searched for a story that reflected what they were experiencing, but we could not find one that quite spoke to the moment. So we decided to write it ourselves.

Kayla & Audrey: My First Friend in a New Land grew from that experience. We hope it gives other parents a simple way to open conversations about moving to a new country, starting at a new school, settling into a new town, or simply finding the courage to meet someone new.

Carole Ibrahim & Christian AbiKhalilParents & authors
English and French editions of Kayla and Audrey
Inside the book

See where the journey begins.

Original artwork from the published book brings Kayla and Audrey’s emotions, imagination, and new world to life.

Open pages from My First Friend in a New Land
“Kayla and Audrey had to go, to a land they didn’t know.”
Choose your edition

One story, available in English and French.

Choose the edition that fits your family, classroom, library, or community.

English edition cover
English

My First Friend in a New Land

A reassuring rhyming picture book about friendship, change, resilience, and finding your place.

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From sketch to story

Created with heart, from the first line to the final page.

A glimpse at the visual process behind Kayla & Audrey.

Early sketch artwork from the book

The early sketches

Characters and scenes taking shape before the final colour illustrations.

English and French Kayla and Audrey books

The finished books

The published English and French editions, ready to share with young readers.

Young reader holding My First Friend in a New Land
For children finding their footing
Because sometimes, all it takes is one new friend to make a new place feel like home.

Written for families navigating relocation, immigration, a new school, or any unfamiliar beginning—and for the parents, teachers, and caregivers helping children talk about those big emotions.

Ready to meet Kayla & Audrey?

Choose where you’d like to order the book.

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A note to parents

Helping your child through a new beginning?

Whether your family is moving to a new country, changing schools, settling into a new town, or simply helping a child find the confidence to make new friends, we hope Kayla & Audrey gives you a warm place to start the conversation.

If you have a question about the book—or simply want to share your family’s story—we’d love to hear from you.

Email Carole & Christian