Ánh’s New Word: A Story About Learning a New Language

K-Gr 3–After leaving Vietnam, Ánh lives with their grandmother and siblings in an American refugee camp. Every day they attend English-language classes with other kids, but struggle to get the words out. Miss Mary Ellen patiently works with Ánh and the other students, letting them talk when they feel ready. After a trip to the store, Ánh finds a soft, warm sweater with an adorable but unfamiliar animal on it (most readers will recognize it as Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer). Wearing it to class the next day, they learn a new word, “reindeer” and, despite the difficulty, Ánh works up the courage to say their first English word. This gentle story full of understanding adults mostly focuses on Ánh’s difficulty in using a new language out loud. Ánh’s fear and stress at making mistakes keeps them quiet, but their teacher reassures them. Back matter includes a glossary of the Vietnamese vocabulary and an author’s note explaining how the story is based on Bui’s own experiences as a Vietnamese refugee.