Ánh’s New Word: A Story About Learning a New Language
Written by Hanh Bui
Illustrated by Bao Luu
Published by Feiwel & Friends
Many things are different for Ánh now that they’ve left Vietnam with their family. The weather is colder and they live in a communal barracks at a refugee camp while they wait for their new life in America to start. Ánh finds comfort in their warm-hearted teacher, Miss Mary Ellen, but has trouble with the foreign sounds of learning to speak English in class.
All Ánh wants is to be able to say “thank you” out loud to Miss Mary Ellen, but will the words ever stop getting stuck between their head and their voice? With a little inspiration from their grandmother—as well as the chance discovery of an adorable animal—Ánh will try to gather the courage to finally say their first word in a new language.
Exquisitely illustrated by Bao Luu, Ánh’s New Word by Hanh Bui is a hopeful story of finding your voice, inspired by true events from the author’s childhood.
Primary ISBN: 9781250842138
Publication Date: May 2024
Available As: Hardcover, Audiobook, eBook
Picture Book, Age 03 or older
Community Represented: Vietnamese/Vietnamese American
Themes: Cross-Group Friendship, Cultural Empowerment, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Family, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Identity, Education & Literacy, Family Relationship: Grandparents, Format: Audiobook, Identity: Multilingual, Multilingual: Vietnamese Featured Words, Own Voices/Lived Experience, Refugee: War/Conflict, Setting: Refugee Camp, Welcoming by Community, Welcoming by Individual
Setting: United States (Fort Indiantown Gap PA)
Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Refugee, Refugee Camp
Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience
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