Pajama Press

Booklist

“Skrypuch continues her collaboration with the Ho family in telling the stories of their escape from Vietnam after the war. Here the youngest daughter, Van Ho, pieces together memories of being the one who was left behind at the age of four….

As a work of fragmented and painful memories from the time Van was between the ages of four and eight, the narrative is impressively credible, capturing her feelings of confused abandonment, visceral descriptions of her life in Ho Chi Minh City, and gradual adjustment to being separated from her immediate family….”

—Amina Chaudhri

Click here to read the full review

Quill & Quire **Starred Review**

“Skrypuch and the now-adult Van Ho collaborate on this account of Van’s life from the morning she woke to find her mother and siblings gone to when, four years later, she was reunited with her family in Toronto….

[T]hroughout the book, the authors eschew sentimentality and sensationalism, creating a straightforward autobiography that is truthful about resilience and the often unpredictable ways children act and react.”

Click here to read the full review

International Examiner

“Adrift At Sea is a powerful historical nonfiction story…

Adrift at Sea is the true story of Tuan Ho, a young Vietnamese boy who escapes his country’s military regime in 1981 and becomes part of the wave of ‘boat people’ refugees hoping to reach America. Given no other options but to leave their homeland in hopes of a better life…

Seeing nothing but hopelessness, tragedy, and panic on the ocean floor, Tuan’s mother quickly realizes something lying beneath the ocean floor that would turn around their fortunes and deliver them a glimmer of hope. As Tuan and his family are delivered to safety, they can take comfort in knowing that it can only get better from here. Filled with colorful and vibrant drawings that engages readers from start to finish, Adrift at Sea is a powerful historical nonfiction story.”

Click here to read the full review.

Youth Services Book Review

“Rating: … 5

The first-person narrative should hold readers riveted….The importance of family shines through this compelling memoir, and a series of color photographs adds to the emotional impact.

….Readers who enjoy this book might also enjoy Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai. In addition, they will want to seek out Adrift at Sea, a picture book by co-author Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch which tells the story of Van’s older brother, Tuan.”

—Renée Wheeler, Leominster Public Library, Leominster, MA

Read the full review here

The Toronto International Book Fair takes place this week from Thursday, November 13th to Sunday, November 16th at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (North Building). It will be an exciting show with presentations, workshops, book signings, and a marketplace (think Christmas shopping!). Tickets are available at www.torontobookfair.ca. Pajama Press will be exhibiting at the Discovery Pavilion. We hope to see you there!

See our participating authors and illustrators at the following times:

Friday, November 14^th

10:00                    Marsha Skrypuch | OLA location | “Children & Youth” event

11:00–11:30         Rob Laidlaw | Discovery Pavilion | Book signing

4:30–5:00            Marsha Skrypuch | TD Children’s Stage | OLA “Love to Read! How Reading Programs Lead to Success” | Followed by book signing

4:00                      Deborah Ellis | Discovery Pavilion | Book Signing

5:00–6:00           Deborah Ellis | TD Children’s Stage | “Read to Remember” panel discussion | Followed by book signing

Saturday, November 15^th

10:30–11:00       Margriet Ruurs | Discovery Pavilion | Book signing

11:00–11:30        Stephanie McLellan | Discovery Pavilion | Book signing

11:30–12:00       Marsha Skrypuch | Discovery Pavilion | Book signing

1:30–2:00           Karen Bass | Discovery Pavilion | Book signing

3:00–3:30          Marsha Skrypuch | TD Children’s Stage| OLA “Love to Read! How Reading Programs Lead to Success”

Sunday, November 16^th

1:30–2:00           Sylvia McNicoll | Discovery Pavilion | Book signing

2:00–3:00          Karen Bass | TD Children’s Stage | 2014 CCBC Book Award Winners Showcase

3:00–4:00          Sylvia McNicoll | Amy’s Marathon of Books