The Little Weaver of Thai-Yen Village/Co Be Th-Det Lang Thai-Yen (Fifth World Tales) (English and Vietnamese Edition) - Hardcover

Text: English, Vietnamese

Grade 1-3 In this bilingual story that includes both English and Vietnamese texts, Hien, a Vietnamese child, comes to the United States for treatment after her family is killed and she herself wounded. Living with an American family, she sees boxes of clothing and medicine being shipped to her country and decides that she wants to send something too. So Hien weaves blankets and puts in the center of each the image of Me-Linh, a spirit bird symbolizing resistance and courage. Hien lives, but readers do not know if she will return to her own land or be reunited with relatives. The typeface mimics hand printing, and pages of text alternate with full-page illustrations. Cartoon like, these suggest a coloring booksimple outlines filled in with bold, unshaded hues. They tend to inform rather than evoke a mood or extend the story. The book includes interesting details of village life, and a poignant note on the last page discusses the problems of adaptation to life here. The volume contains minor flaws: the pronunciations provided do not always help, and the double texts sometimes produce a cluttered, busy page. Also, the story lacks the dramatic tension of a fully imagined tale. Nonetheless, the book works as an example of cultural bridge-building and as a non-sensational account of the devastating effects of war. Ellen D. Warwick, formerly at Thompson School, Arlington, Mass.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.