Words Between Us

PreS-Gr 3–This story of a Vietnamese American family and Grandma’s immigration to the United States has all the right ingredients: beauty, warmth, and relatability. Felix meets Grandma for the first time when she moves from Vietnam to live with Felix and his family. He teaches her all sorts of things, like how to play the drums and care for his pet iguana. Grandma teaches Felix, too, like a song from her childhood and how to grow a vegetable garden. But when they get separated at a festival, Grandma realizes there is one more thing she’d like to learn: English. Krans’s text feels down-to-earth and authentic, deftly conveying respect for Felix and Grandma as both learners and as experts in their different ways. Ho (Eyes that Kiss in the Corners) uses a palette of complementary yellows, blues, greens, and reds to show the joyful home of this Vietnamese American family. English/Vietnamese flashcards in hand-lettering with child-like crayon drawings are sprinkled throughout the pages and plaster the bookends. A recipe for “Vietnamese pizza” at the end gives readers the opportunity to learn right alongside Felix and Grandma.