cover image Hoang Anh: A Vietnamese-American Boy

Hoang Anh: A Vietnamese-American Boy

Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith. Holiday House, $17.95 (30pp) ISBN 978-0-8234-0948-8

This involving photo essay from the gifted creators of Totem Pole and Pueblo Storyteller focuses on the youngest son in a family of Vietnamese boat people now living in Northern California. Using the New Year celebration of Tet--``the Feast of the First Day''--as their unifying theme, the collaborators weave myriad details about Vietnamese history, customs, folklore and family life into the text and effectively convey the international political context surrounding the emigration. Especially affecting is the description of the family's 1978 escape to Malaysia ``in the dark of night'' with 24 other refugees in a small, fragile fishing boat. Those seeking more information about the current struggles and acculturation of diverse ethnic groups will also appreciate the revealing glimpses of everyday life in Migdale's crisp photos--they contribute strongly to the success of this information-rich book. Ages 8-12. (Mar.)