Pajama Press

…Tuyet becomes a heroine of her own story, using her fortitude, observations, and humanity to navigate the new territories outside of the orphanage and to make herself fit in.

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“The author tells Tuyet’s story with respect and dignity, introducing readers to a brave girl caught up in the turbulent times of her country, her fears of leaving what she knew, and the joy of finding a new life. Her story will appeal to a broad range of readers”

– School Library Journal

“Marsha Skrypuch’s gift is her ability to tell stories of under-privileged children in faraway lands. Tuyet’s biography demonstrates her talent…Tuyet’s story is an excellent example of the biography genre for younger students ; a multi-cultural perspective on being an immigrant child in Canada, and also a snapshot of a child’s life during war…Highly recommended.”

“Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch is one of those mega-award winning Canadian authors (with more than a dozen titles) who hasn’t crossed over our shared border (just yet!) with the same success. She’s best known for her historical novels for younger readers about what must be one of the most difficult subjects ever – children and war…Enhanced with documents and a surprising number of photographs, Airlift is a touching, multi-layered experience. The strength of Skrypuch’s storytelling shows strongest in the smallest details…”

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“Based on personal interviews and enhanced with archive photos, Tuyet’s story of the Saigon orphanage and her flight to Canada is an emotional and suspenseful journey….”

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“Skrypuch (Daughter of War, 2008) tells the story of the last Canadian airlift through the memories of one child, Son Thi Anh Tuyet. Nearly 8 years old, the sad-eyed girl on the cover had lived nearly all her life in a Catholic orphanage. With no warning, she and a number of the institution babies were taken away, placed on an airplane and flown to a new world. Tuyet’s memories provide poignant, specific details….In an afterword, the author describes her research, including personal interviews and newspaper accounts from the time. But Tuyet’s experience is her focus. It personalizes the babylift without sensationalizing it….Immediate and compelling, this moving refugee story deserves a wide audience.”

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Last Airlift: A Vietnamese Orphan’s Rescue from War

By Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

WHEN the Americans pull out of Saigon in April 1975, many babies are rescued from the orphanage where eight-year-old Tuyet has lived for years. The orphanage is to be abandoned and the children left alone.

But Tuyet had polio and walks with a limp; she doesn’t expect to be chosen to go to a foreign country.

Ontario-based Skrypuch, who has written a number of award-winning books for young people, tells the true story of how this little girl is transported to Toronto and finds a loving home with a Canadian family. She makes us feel Tuyet’s fears, confusion and loneliness as she adjusts to her new home. Her book uses actual photographs of Tuyet and her family.

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