Status
Available
Collections
Publication
Kane Miller Book Pub (2010), 189 pages
Description
Andy's father is a former refugee from Vietnam. 15-year old Andy and his father go to Vietnam and meet relatives who speak a different language, seem to be greedy and impatient and run a pretty crummy restaurant. For Andy Vietnam becomes a place for learning how to see things in a whole new way.
Local notes
School Library Journal, 04/30/2010
Gr 4–6— It is his father's first trip back to Vietnam since emigrating to Australia, and 11-year-old Andy cannot help but take stock of both the cultural differences and the changes in his dad's behavior. Even on the plane ride there, his normally thrifty, casually clad father has been replaced by a diamond-ring-wearing Viet Kieu (the term for anyone returning to their homeland) in a business suit. Once in Hanoi, the obvious differences in amenities, prices, and customs continue. Particularly troubling are the street children who hover around the foreign visitors. As Andy gradually gets over his culture shock, he gains a better understanding of his family relationships, thanks in part to his cousin Minh, a resourceful and determined girl. Minh and Andy provide a vivid tourist and insider portrayal of Hanoi, with especially tantalizing descriptions of food at the family-owned restaurant. Do not read while hungry.
Gr 4–6— It is his father's first trip back to Vietnam since emigrating to Australia, and 11-year-old Andy cannot help but take stock of both the cultural differences and the changes in his dad's behavior. Even on the plane ride there, his normally thrifty, casually clad father has been replaced by a diamond-ring-wearing Viet Kieu (the term for anyone returning to their homeland) in a business suit. Once in Hanoi, the obvious differences in amenities, prices, and customs continue. Particularly troubling are the street children who hover around the foreign visitors. As Andy gradually gets over his culture shock, he gains a better understanding of his family relationships, thanks in part to his cousin Minh, a resourceful and determined girl. Minh and Andy provide a vivid tourist and insider portrayal of Hanoi, with especially tantalizing descriptions of food at the family-owned restaurant. Do not read while hungry.
Subjects
Awards
USBBY Outstanding International Book (Grades 6-8 — 2011)
Grand Canyon Reader Award (Nominee — Intermediate — 2013)
CBCA Book of the Year (Notable Book — Younger Readers — 2009)
The Best Children's Books of the Year (Nine to Twelve — 2011)