My spouse and I went off in search of a new dehumidifier, but first, we stopped at the library to replenish her stock of cheesy mysteries. She sent me to the children's collection to pick stuff to read to our 5-year old grandson. This is one of the books I chose, but more for me than for him, I think. I have a cyber friend who was a Vietnamese refugee. I believe that he said he'd had a pretty smooth path to the U.S., but that his spouse had a more circuitous rout, and spent considerable time as a boat person.

So, I read this to better understand what had gone on back in the day. To better understand what hell we had wrought for other people. Sadly, we're still doing it—albeit in the Middle East now—even though we declare ourselves be a Christian Nation. WTF?
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Tuan Ngo's story was one of many stories of those escaping the Viet Cong.While reading we learn about the hardships refugee emigrants faced while try to get to america. Tuan and the other passengers non the boat faced many obstacles that threatened their chances of ever getting to america like, pirates, starvation, dehydration, the motor on their ship going out leaving them stranded at sea . Luckily, the passengers on Ngo's boat survived being at sea in such terrible conditions after being rescued by a ship. However, their hardships did not end there. Tuan and his father spent nearly 3 years awaiting approval to go to America.
Reading Tuan's story really gave me perspective when thinking about the different immigrants in america. Not many, including myself, know much about people from Asian countries, Vietnam especially, fleeing to America to escape an inhabitable life. ( )

A story of Tuan Ngo and his family escaping their own country of Vietnam to find freedom in America. Tuan and his family risked their lives to escape the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. They fled the country in their uncle's little fishing boat with many others. They did not know what will happened to them. They have no idea if they will die at sea from thirst and hunger. All they can do is pray to be rescue. Today mark the 40 years of April 30, 1975 the day Saigon falls under the communist control. It is also the day that thousands of Vietnamese left everything behind and flee the country on their boats. Many was lucky enough be rescued like Tuan and his family and found new home in America, while other lost their lives at sea. ( )

Summary: This story is about a young boy named Tuan Ngo and his father who escape Vietnam in search of a better life for their family. They leave Tuan Ngo's mother and brothers behind and escape in the middle of the night with thirty other men. After walking for many miles the board a small boat that they will try and take to China. They are stopped by pirates who take all of their gold and other valuables before letting them go. The men then decide to sink their boat so that they can be rescued by German ships. The Germans give them food and a place to stay for several days before they are dropped off at an island that has a camp for Vietnamese people who have escaped. Tuan Ngo and his father then move to another island where they must wait a year before they are able to leave Singapore to travel to America. They plan on traveling to Philadelphia to live with Tuan Ngo's uncle and cousin and saving up money to bring the rest of the family to America.

Review: I think that this is an excellent beginning chapter book for students who are just beginning to gain confidence in their reading skills. I think that the story is well written and easy to follow along with. The detail provided helps the reader create clear mental images of what s going on in the story without being too overwhelming. The illustrations support the text but still leave room for the reader to use their imagination to create their own mental images. The story focuses mostly on the journey to America rather than what happened when Tuan Ngo and his father arrived. I think it is important to develop an understanding of how difficult it often was to reach America in the first place. ( )