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Posts Tagged ‘vietnamese-refugees’

International Examiner calls Adrift At Sea a “powerful historical nonfiction story…”

Posted on November 2nd, 2018 by pajamapress

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.

The Crimson Review of Children’s and YA Literature calls Adrift at Sea a “fascinating read”

Posted on January 26th, 2018 by pajamapress

AdriftAtSea_website“This fascinating read gives a glimpse of the struggle and bravery of a refugee….The vibrant illustrations help readers visualize what it might have been like to be on the boat….This is a powerful tale that enables children to learn about a time in history that they may not know about. It also underscores being grateful for what you have, and empowers readers to fight for what they believe in.”
—Rachel Bloomingburg

Click here to read the full review

Nerdy Book Club finds Adrift at Sea to be “beautifully illustrated”

Posted on March 28th, 2017 by pajamapress

AdriftAtSea_website“Adrift At Sea: A Vietnamese Boys Story of Survival by Marsha Forchuk Skyrpuch with Tuan Ho is likely the first picture book written by and about the refugees or boat people as they became known, fleeing Vietnam after the takeover of Saigon in 1975….This beautifully illustrated picture book tells the story of Tuan’s days at sea and their eventual rescue by American sailors. End pages include photographs and information that round out the story and tell of Tuan’s life in with his family in Toronto.”

Click here to read the full review

Adrift at Sea will “help shed light on events of the past that share a similarity to those that are happening in the world today” says The Children’s War

Posted on March 22nd, 2017 by pajamapress

AdriftAtSea_website“The plight of refugees have been in the news a lot these days because of the war in Syria. As more and more borders are closed to them, it might be a good time to remember another group of refugees who arrived on North America’s shores and have contributed so much to their adopted country.

When the Vietnam War ended in 1975, and the communist government took over South Vietnam, daily life became so difficult and unbearable that families were willing to risk escaping their country in rickety boats not made for long sea voyages. But these boats were the only way out, unless you were rich….

Adrift at Sea
 is told from Tuan’s point of view, and aimed at readers about the same age as he was when he escaped Vietnam. Such a young narrator may not capture the truly difficult and risky trip in the kind of detail a book for older readers might, but he still very clearly depicts the fear, the hot sun, lack of water, and relief at being rescued at an age appropriate level that any young reader will be able understand.

Skrypuch has included a number photos of the Ho family, both in Vietnam and in Canada. She has also included a brief history of the ‘boat people’ as the refugees came to be called. The refugees faced not only the kinds of problems that the Ho family dealt with, but there were storms, pirates and always the threat of dying of thirst and hunger, and sometimes, they found that they were not welcomed everywhere.

Using a color palette mainly of oranges, yellows and blues, Deines’s highly textured oil on canvas illustrations capture all the secrecy, fear, and perils, all wrapped up in the dangerously hazy, hot, and humid weather that these refugees faced in their desire for freedom and a better life.

Adrift at Sea is a powerful historical nonfiction story that can certainly help shed light on events of the past that share a similarity to those that are happening in the world today.

This book is recommended for readers age 6+”

Click here to read the full review

Adrift at Sea receives a positive review from The International Educator

Posted on February 8th, 2017 by pajamapress

AdriftAtSea_websiteAdrift at Sea: A Vietnamese Boy’s Story of Survival by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch with Tuan Ho, Illustrated by Brian Deines. What are Vietnamese boat people? Where did they go, and why? This beautifully illustrated nonfiction picture book introduces the reader to a real family: two parents and their five children. Told in the voice of six-year-old Tuan, it explains how thousands were forced to flee communist South Vietnam after the Vietnam war….Tuan was among the lucky ones rescued by a U.S. naval ship….An interesting read that explains why and how people are sometimes forced to flee and find a new homeland.”

Read the full review in the December 2016 issue of The International Educator

Adrift at Sea is one of the “Top 10 Books to Explore Themes of Immigration and Refugees” says readingpowergear.wordpress.com

Posted on January 9th, 2017 by pajamapress

AdriftAtSea_website“This is the beautiful true story of a family’s survival in the face of overwhelming odds as they leave Vietnam in search of a new life….The amazing life-like illustrations and large format makes it an engaging read-aloud. I appreciated the historical facts and real photos of Tuan in his family included at the back of the book.”

Click here to read the full review

Adrift at Sea is “highly recommended” by Midwest Book Review

Posted on January 9th, 2017 by pajamapress

AdriftAtSea_websiteTuan Ho was only six years old when his family embarked on a dangerous voyage to escape Vietnam and became part of the ‘boat people’ fleeing their homeland: his story is told in a non-fiction narrative that captures the experience for young readers. Highly recommended.”

Click here to read the full review

Adrift at Sea “creates an opportunity for accompanied discussion” says Canadian Children’s BookNews

Posted on December 29th, 2016 by pajamapress

AdriftAtSea_website

“…Adrift at Sea tells this difficult tale with a direct honesty that creates an opportunity for accompanied discussion, especially for some younger readers. Skrypuch maintains a strong sense of hope throughout, demonstrating the true strength of young Tuan. It is also a powerful story for all readers in light of the Syrian refugee crisis, providing an accessible way to build empathy toward newcomers to Canada.

The illustrations by Brian Deines are detailed, giving the story a canvas-like texture, and they add depth and richness to the imagery created by the words. This balances with the black-and-white photographs included of Tuan. The final pages of the book give the historical context, which may help it to reach an even broader audience of readers interested in the historical significance and the real-life outcome of the story.”
Ashley Pamenter

Read the full review on page 26 of the Winter 2016 issue of Canadian Children’s BookNews

Book Dreaming “STRONGLY recommend[s]” Adrift at Sea to middle school and high school history classrooms

Posted on December 27th, 2016 by pajamapress

AdriftAtSea_websiteThis is one of the most beautiful and powerful picture books Ive seen in a long time. I wasblown away by the emotional impact of both the story and the illustrations. It would make a perfect edition to any middle or high school history classroom. I STRONGLY recommend this one!

Click here to read the full review

Resource Links sings high praises for Adrift at Sea

Posted on December 27th, 2016 by pajamapress

AdriftAtSea_website“What a powerful book! Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch and Tuan Ho tell the story of Tuan and his family’s escape from Vietnam in an overcrowded fishing boat in 1981. The story is a true one recounted by Tuan of how he (when he was six years old), his mother, his two sisters and his aunt and cousins made their escape…

Brian Deines’ subtle double-page oil paintings add greatly to the mood and text of this story. There is also an historical and biographical section at the end of the book which explains the conditions in Vietnam in 1981 and what happened to Tuan Ho’s family as they made a new life for themselves in Canada. Tuan has become a very successful physiotherapist and now has a family of his own.

This book is very timely as we have so many refugees from war torn countries in the Middle East now attempting to make their way to a better life under the same kind of conditions that the Vietnamese people experienced back in 1981. With so many refugee children attending schools in Canada now, books like this one can help young children appreciate what some of these children have experienced and develop an empathy for them as they integrate into Canadian society.

I would highly recommend this book for all school and public libraries.”
Victoria Pennell

Read the full review on page 26 of the December 2016 issue of Resource Links