Praise for Ánh's New Word:
A Chickadee Award Nominee
"A gorgeous and heartfelt book about family, new beginnings and the power of finding just the right word." —Pat Zietlow Miller, New York Times-bestselling author of Be Kind
"A beautifully written, sweetly illustrated story about the challenge of living in a new country, the connection between student and teacher, and how the language of compassion and hope is universal." —Rajani LaRocca, Newbery Honor-winning author of Red, White, and Whole
"An uplifting and inspiring story based on the author's life, Ánh's New Word reminds us how one person's kindness can be the key to unlocking another's courage." —Christina Soontornvat, three-time Newbery Honoree
"A beautiful, compassionate story based on the author's own childhood experiences as a refugee learning English, Ánh’s New Word shows how kind and caring adults can help a child find their voice. I highly recommend it!" —Trudy Ludwig, author of The Invisible Boy and Brave Every Day
"This poignant tale is accompanied by charming cartoon artwork with simple textured backdrops, the warm palette adding to the emotional tone. ... A touching account of courage and kindness." —Kirkus Reviews
"Based on a true event from the author’s childhood, this gentle refugee story would be useful for discussion with young children about any new experiences." —Booklist
Praise for The Yellow Áo Dài:
"This simple, lyrical, touching story took me to a place that I did not know but to emotions that belong to us all. I will not forget it and its lesson of confession, forgiveness, and love." —Jane Yolen, award-winning author of Owl Moon and over 400 other books for children
"A truly heartwarming story of mother and daughter, generations and traditions, and ultimately forgiveness and unconditional love that will make you want to share this wonderful book with someone you love. " —Mary Rand Hess, New York Times-bestselling author
"Heartwarming ... Lovely illustrations, using subtle colors and graceful lines to define the characters and express Naliah’s shifting emotions, concluding with joy and contentment. A picture book celebrating immigrants and their families’ cultures." —Booklist
"Vietnamese culture is beautifully honored through Phan’s expressive, cheerful watercolors. ... Naliah’s story teaches readers about the importance of family and culture in forming identity. ... Would pair especially well with Eva Chen’s I Am Golden, Joanna Ho’s Eyes that Kiss in the Corners and Nabela Noor’s Beautifully Me." —School Library Journal
"Bui weaves a tender tale of a family honoring memories and heirlooms but also creating new traditions. Phan’s buoyant and beautiful illustrations convey the protagonist’s emotions. ... A charming contemporary celebration of family and heritage." —Kirkus Reviews
"An accident turns into a glimpse at family history in this reassuring picture book ... Phan’s digital illustrations twine the protagonists’ arc with images of flora and fauna that befit the story’s inventive conclusion, and Naliah’s emotions are playfully mirrored by a small rabbit sidekick, gentling moments of tension." —Publishers Weekly
08/16/2024
K-Gr 3—After leaving Vietnam, Ánh lives with their grandmother and siblings in an American refugee camp. Every day they attend English-language classes with other kids but struggle to get the words out. Miss Mary Ellen patiently works with Ánh and the other students, letting them talk when they feel ready. After a trip to the store, Ánh finds a soft, warm sweater with an adorable but unfamiliar animal on it (most readers will recognize it as Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer). Wearing it to class the next day, they learn a new word, "reindeer" and, despite the difficulty, Ánh works up the courage to say their first English word. This gentle story full of understanding adults mostly focuses on Ánh's difficulty in using a new language out loud. Ánh's fear and stress at making mistakes keeps them quiet, but their teacher reassures them. Back matter includes a glossary of the Vietnamese vocabulary and an author's note explaining how the story is based on Bui's own experiences as a Vietnamese refugee. VERDICT While a date on the chalkboard sets this story in 1975, Ánh's everyday courage and the understanding of those around them will resonate in classrooms today. A general purchase for most collections.—Jennifer Rothschild
2024-02-03
A Vietnamese child living in a refugee camp in America finds courage while learning English.
Ánh’s attempts to speak English while attending the camp’s school are stressful. The child tenses up, and “heat rises to my cheeks like when I bite into a tiny hot chili pepper.” But the teacher, Miss Mary Ellen, is reassuring: “Take your time…It’ll get easier.” Words such as thank you seem stuck within Ánh’s throat, and the child’s frustrations grow. Back home in Vietnam, Ánh was the student who had all the answers. Now fears of making mistakes keep the child silent. As the gentle narrative progresses, Ánh and Bà Nội (Grandmother) walk back to their barrack, and Bà Nội encourages the little one: “Vietnamese will always be our first language, but it’s good for us to learn English so we can speak with our American helpers. We’ll keep practicing.” In the camp store, Ánh discovers a Christmas sweater festooned with a reindeer, and the child’s perspective shifts. Excited by the new sweater, Ánh learns an English word and even says it aloud: reindeer. Bui reveals in the author’s note that this is in fact her own story and includes pictures of her grandma and the teacher whom Miss Mary Ellen is based on. This poignant tale is accompanied by charming cartoon artwork with simple textured backdrops, the warm palette adding to the emotional tone. Miss Mary Ellen presents white.
A touching account of courage and kindness. (glossary) (Picture book. 5-8)
