Muon Thi Van

With a sparse but powerful text from author Mượn Thị Văn and gorgeously expressive artwork from illustrator Victo Ngai, this moving picture-book explores the experience of one refugee family, fleeing Vietnam on a boat, late one night. The visual narrative centers around a little girl, watching as her mother, grandfather and other relatives prepare, and then following as she and her mother and baby brother board a boat. The text imagines what all manner of inanimate objects might wish, show more in relation to the journey—the sun wishes it were less hot, home wishes it were not so far away—but the girl's own wish remains unspoken but understood, as the text reads "I didn't have to wish...anymore," as the hoped-for destination comes into view...

Wishes is the third picture-book I have read from Mượn Thị Văn, following upon her debut, In a Village By the Sea, and her more recent Clever Little Witch, but it is the first I have encountered from Victo Ngai. I found the marriage of text and image here almost flawless, and was moved to tears by the end. Sometimes, less is more, and Văn and Ngai understand this, using simple words and understated (but beautiful) images to communicate their story. I appreciated the thoughtful notes from both author and artist, included at the rear, and the knowledge that both story and illustration spring from their creators' own lives. Although Văn speaks of the things one can do to help refugees, in her own brief note, her narrative itself is utterly non-didactic, simply setting out one little girl's experiences in a big, frightening world, and letting the reader come to their own conclusion. Highly, highly recommend, to all picture-book readers looking for refugee stories, or for beautiful artwork. show less

Words are difficult to express the beauty of this incredible book which deals with a little girl's perspective being a refugee moving with her family to another country. Fleeing Vietnam in a boat that doesn't appear large enough, with a sky that is dark, and a long, scary journey of the unknown ahead.

As the girl, her mother and baby brother board the crowded boat, there are many wishes, including those the little girl imagines the objects might also have.

Perhaps the sun wishes it wasn't as show more hot, the journey wishes it wasn't so long, the girls heart wishes it was stronger, perhaps the path wishes it was shorter, and in the end when they arrive, she doesn't need to wish anymore.

This book brought tears. I couldn't help but wish that those who do not want to accept refugees might find a different perspective and open their hearts, putting themselves in the place of those in the boat.

The illustrations are incredible! The text is heart felt, and the wishes for a safe journey and a safe life are expressed sparsely with a lot of depth of feeling.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! show less

The cleverest little witch on Mãi Mãi Island, Little Linh isn't quite prepared when her baby brother Phu arrives. Eventually getting fed up with the chaos he causes, she attempts to get rid of him - offering him to the local troll, trying to drop him off at the Orphanage for Lost and Magical Creatures - but has no success. Then she hits on the idea of turning him into something less objectionable with her magic. Her efforts only lead to more chaos however, with Phu eventually transformed show more into a dragon. Fortunately, Phu loves Little Linh, even when he is in dragon form, and his actions convince her that having a little brother isn't such a bad thing...

A charming witchy take on a classic childhood experience - namely, the mixed feelings an older sibling can sometimes have, at the arrival of a younger brother or sister - Clever Little Witch pairs an engaging story from author Mượn Thị Văn with gorgeous artwork from illustrator Hyewon Yum. As someone with an interest in the depiction of witches in picture-books and early readers, I have read hundreds of titles at this point, but this is the first I have encountered featuring Asian characters. I found the story engaging, and the artwork absolutely delightful. I loved the bright use of color, so different from many other witchy tales I have read, and the depiction of Little Linh's adorable winged-mouse familiar. Recommended to young children struggling with the advent of a new sibling, and to anyone who enjoys witchy fare of the gentler variety. show less

While a mother and child - not to mention the family dog and an artistic cricket! - wait in a small house by the sea in this lovely picture-book, their fisherman husband and father sits on his boat, waiting out a storm and thinking of them. The simple text from author Muon Von, almost in the style of a song or nursery rhyme, is paired with beautifully expressive artwork from illustrator Amy Chu...

Inspired by Muon Van's fisherman father, and by her ancestral village of An Bằng, in Vietnam, show more In a Village by the Sea is a beautifully atmospheric and expressive work, one which captures the loving closeness of this fishing family, and the natural rhythms - some gentle, some tumultuous - that shape their lives. This is the second picture-book I have read from Van, following upon her more recent Clever Little Witch (published under the name Muon Thi Van), and it is in a totally different vein than that other book, focusing on family and place. The artwork from Amy Chu is simply delightful, capturing the natural beauty around this family, and the charm of the family members themselves, and of their animal companions. I found the family dog particularly winsome, and loved his expressive face! The cricket, who connects home and sea through his artwork, was an interesting touch. This is also my second title from Chu, whose artwork I also enjoyed in Andrew Weiner's Down by the River. I think I will have to seek out more from both author and artist! Recommended to picture-book readers looking for stories about families and/or fishing communities, or that have a Vietnamese cultural setting, as well as to those who just appreciate gorgeous illustrations. show less