Finding Papa
Published on 30. March 2023
Book
Hardback
40 pages
978-0-06-306096-8 (ISBN)
Description
Finding Papa has been named the 2024 Asian/Pacific American Award Picture Honor Book by the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association!
This poignant and lyrical debut picture book based on the author's own experience and illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Thi Bui follows young Mai and her mother's perilous journey from Vietnam to America to find Papa-who left ahead of them to start a better life for their family.
No one can make Mai laugh like her Papa! She loves playing their favorite game-the crocodile chomp chomp! But then Papa leaves Vietnam in search of a new home for their family in America and Mai misses him very much.
Until one day Mama and Mai pack a small bag and say goodbye to the only home Mai has ever known. And so begins Mai and Mama's long, perilous journey by foot and by boat, through dangers and darkness, to find Papa.
Finding Papa reminds us that love and courage can stretch an ocean and that nothing can keep us apart from those we care about.
A JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD GOLD STANDARD SELECTION!
A CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY'S BEST OF THE BEST LIST 2023 FOR KIDS!
This poignant and lyrical debut picture book based on the author's own experience and illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Thi Bui follows young Mai and her mother's perilous journey from Vietnam to America to find Papa-who left ahead of them to start a better life for their family.
No one can make Mai laugh like her Papa! She loves playing their favorite game-the crocodile chomp chomp! But then Papa leaves Vietnam in search of a new home for their family in America and Mai misses him very much.
Until one day Mama and Mai pack a small bag and say goodbye to the only home Mai has ever known. And so begins Mai and Mama's long, perilous journey by foot and by boat, through dangers and darkness, to find Papa.
Finding Papa reminds us that love and courage can stretch an ocean and that nothing can keep us apart from those we care about.
A JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD GOLD STANDARD SELECTION!
A CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY'S BEST OF THE BEST LIST 2023 FOR KIDS!
Reviews / Votes
"Krans' prose gently helps young readers understand concepts such as missing loved ones and displacement. Repeated phrasing and recurring elements (crocodiles, mango trees, goodbyes) create a lyrical, compelling narrative and read-aloud. Bui's art, with its intimate portraits of family moments, is full of tenderness and expression. An affecting story of courage and hope in hardship." - Kirkus ReviewsBased on the author's real journey in 1983 from Vietnam to the U.S., the story brings another important voice to the recent influx of kid-authentic tellings of harrowing immigrant and refugee experiences such as Marwan's Where Butterflies Fill the Sky (BCCB 03/22), or Mayper's Night on the Sand (BCCB 07/22). Bui's illustrations stretch across the pages, with dappled textures and careful blending evocative of watercolor, while the compositions structure the story's pace. . . Add this to the aforementioned titles for an inclusive display on the various journeys people take to find safety and the hardships they often face. - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Reassuring despite depicting a dangerous journey and uncertain time; there are many children for whom this is not history, but family stories. Essential.
- School Library Journal (starred review)
Drawing from personal experiences emigrating from Vietnam to America, per creators' notes, the author-illustrator team foregrounds one family's journey in this sensitive picture book. . . Mixed-media illustrations from Bui (A Different Pond) focus on interpersonal tenderness and varied landscapes, evoking across somber events a young child's joy and yearning, and a playful parent-child bond. - Publishers Weekly
Stunning illustrations and gentle text tell the story of a separated family's heartrending and hopeful journey from Vietnam to the U.S. A beautifully moving collaboration of lyrical text and striking illustrations. - Booklist (starred review)
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers Inc
Target group
Children/juvenile
US School Grade: Preschool, Interest Age: From 4 to 8 years
Dimensions
Height: 280 mm
Width: 233 mm
Thickness: 12 mm
Weight
436 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-06-306096-8 (9780063060968)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Angela Pham Krans is the award-winning author of Finding Papa, which received ALA's Asian/Pacific American Honor Award for Literature. Her other titles include Words Between Us and Another Word for Neighbor. Angela enjoys writing humorous and heartfelt stories that highlight relationships between family, friends, and community. When Angela isn't writing, she enjoys traveling, trying new recipes, and spending time with family. Angela lives in Atlanta with her husband, Hamilton, and their rambunctious dog, Archer. You can connect with her at angelakrans.com.
Thi Bui is a cartoonist, an educator, a mom, and a restless explorer. Best known for her bestselling graphic memoir The Best We Could Do, she has also illustrated the children's books Chicken of the Sea and A Different Pond, for which she won a Caldecott Honor. You can find her work and interviews at thibui.com.
Thi Bui is a cartoonist, an educator, a mom, and a restless explorer. Best known for her bestselling graphic memoir The Best We Could Do, she has also illustrated the children's books Chicken of the Sea and A Different Pond, for which she won a Caldecott Honor. You can find her work and interviews at thibui.com.