A Two-Placed Heart

by Doan Phuong Nguyen Narrated by VyVy Nguyen

Overview

Afraid her sister (and maybe even herself) could lose sight of their Vietnamese identity, twelve-year-old Bom writes a poetic memoir to help them both remember-a love letter in verse to sisterhood and the places we leave behind. Bom can't believe that her sister doesn't see herself as Vietnamese, only American. She says she doesn't remember Vietnam or their lives there, their family there, their house and friends. How could her sister forget the terrible journey through Saigon and the airplanes and . . . everything? And what about Bom? She remembers now, but how long will she keep her memories? She always found comfort in the sound of her father's typewriter. Clickity-clack, clickity-clack. So she has an idea. She'll write down all that she can remember: the time when her father was a spy, when her mother was nicknamed a "radio," when they were so hungry Bom couldn't walk well, when the family all said goodbye. Bom will even tell her sister, and herself, about what it was like moving to Tennessee. The ESL classes, bullies, strange new foods, icy weather, friendships, and crushes-and how her family worked to keep their heritage alive. She'll type one poem at a time, until they'll never forget again.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

* "This highly readable verse memoir beautifully portrays the internal anguish of growing up and adapting to life in a new country." — School Library Journal, starred review

"For readers of Linda Sue Park and Thanhha Lai's evocative prose and nuanced interplay, highlighting coming of age in different cultures. " — Booklist

"A heartfelt story about identity and heritage refracted through the lens of a complex sibling relationship." — The Horn Book

"Through captivating free verse, Nguyen paints vivid, immersive scenes in this fictionalized memoir. . . An emotional journey that beats with an authentic heart." — Kirkus Reviews

"Nguyen's touching fictionalization of personal experiences, as addressed in an author's note, reflects the push-pull of a young immigrant's fear that with acclimation comes loss of cultural identity." — Publishers Weekly

"Lyrical and honest. . . . Nguyen's love for her homeland and her (slightly fictionalized) family shine through every poem. Immersive details bring the book's Vietnam sections to life, with particular care given to mouthwatering descriptions of foods that are likely to leave readers pleasantly hungry." — Shelf Awareness

"Vulnerable, tender, and just the right amount of silly, A Two-Placed Heart is a beautiful story about sisterhood and cultural identity that will make readers feel deeply understood and cared for." — Catherine Bakewell, author of Flowerheart

"Doan Phuong Nguyen weaves a lyrical tale across decades and generations that is equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming. . . This book is required reading." — George Jreije, author of the Shad Hadid series

Freeman Book Award for East and Southeast Asian Children's Literature Winner 2024 - National Consortium for Teaching About Asia
Golden Kite Award Finalist 2024 - Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)
Notable Books for a Global Society 2025 - International Literacy Association (ILA)
Pedro and Daniel Intersectionality Book Awards Longlist 2024 - Read Your World
The New York Historical Children's History Book Prize Winner 2024 - The New-York Historical Society

Kirkus Reviews

2024-07-04
It’s 1996, and 12-year-old Bom is caught between two worlds.

The Vietnam War had a lasting impact, leaving the country ravaged, so Bom’s family moved to Nashville, Tennessee, in hopes of a better life. But five years on, Bom is still struggling to fit in. She longs for her relatives in Vietnam and worries that she’s losing her “Vietnamese-ness” as her command of her native tongue slips away a little each day. Her younger sister, Bo, doesn’t understand her struggle: She’s too young to remember their past and declares that she’s simply American. To keep their Vietnamese cultural heritage alive, Bom decides to write about their family history on her father’s old typewriter. Through captivating free verse, Nguyen paints vivid, immersive scenes in this fictionalized memoir, which spans events from Vietnam in 1975 through the following two decades. The story features a large cast of characters, adding depth through glimpses of other perspectives and experiences. Some of the vignettes and musings wander and repeat, but they feel organic and true to the nature of memories. The author seamlessly captures the rich cultural traditions of Vietnam and the strong bonds and dynamics of large Vietnamese families. Nguyen doesn’t shy away from depicting the stark realities of famine, war, immigration, and loss, tempering some of the more heart-wrenching moments with compassion, love, and hope.

An emotional journey that beats with an authentic heart. (note to readers, glossary, family tree, author’s note)(Verse historical fiction. 9-13)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940190991611
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	10/15/2024
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

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