Two Lands, One Heart

Following the same format used in their In the Village of the Elephants, Schmidt and Wood combine simple, informative prose with action-filled photos to capture a true-life story. TJ and his mother travel from their home in Denver to Vietnam for a reunion-TJ's mother fled that country as a 10-year-old in 1975, as the war raged, and she is returning for the first time. Through TJ's eyes, the reader encounters the colorful outdoor markets of Saigon and the eerie starkness of the Cu Chi fighting tunnels, then shares TJ's first, emotional meeting with the grandparents his mother believed to be dead. The bulk of the book follows TJ's often funny adventures on the family farm as he tries his hand at plowing with oxen, sees his first silkworm, tastes traditional Vietnamese food, travels the river on a bamboo canoe and plays with his cousins. The writing is unexceptional, but the content is strong enough to compel the reader's attention. Ages 8-12. (Apr.)