Listen, Slowly
Publisher
Harper an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Publication Year
2015
ISBN
9780062229182
Pages
260 pages
Genre
realism
Format
novel
Item Type
Fiction
Annotation
A California girl born and raised, Mai can't wait to spend her vacation at the beach. Instead, though, she has to travel to Vietnam with her grandmother, who is going back to find out what really happened to her husband during the Vietnam War. Mai's parents think this trip will be a great opportunity for their out-of-touch daughter to learn more about her culture. But to Mai, those are their roots, not her own. Vietnam is hot, smelly, and the last place she wants to be. Besides barely speaking the language, she doesn't know the geography, the local customs, or even her distant relatives. To survive her trip, Mai must find a balance between her two completely different worlds.
Grade Level
3-5, 6-8
Lexile Measure
800L
Diversity Topics
Family Relationships; Culture/Ethnicity; Language barrier; Bicultural; communication barrier; different languages; bicultural child; two cultures
Main Character
female child
Race/Ethnicities
Vietnamese American
Family Formation
mother, father, and grandmother
Awards
Cybils Awards, 2015, Finalist, Middle Grade Fiction
Distinguished Books, 2015 Fiction
20 Years of Dia, 2016 Grades 3-5
Best Children's Books of the Year, 2016 Ages (9 to 12)
Booklist Book Review Stars, 2014
Booklist Top 10 Multicultural Fiction for Youth, 2015 Fiction
Bulletin Blue Ribbons, 2015 Fiction
Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens, 2016 Audiobooks
Choices, 2016 Children's Fiction
CSMCL Best Books, 2015 Children's Literature
Lasting Connections, 2015 Language Arts
New York Times Notable Children's Books, 2015 Middle Grade
Notable Children's Books, 2016 Middle Readers
NPR's Book Concierge, 2015 Kids' Book
Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book, 2015 Middle Grade
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, 2015 Middle Grade
Keywords
grandparent and child; Vietnam War; family vacations; Vietnam; grandmothers; children of immigrants; California; summer; village
Diversity Impact
direct
STARS Citation
Lai, Thanha, "Listen, Slowly" (2015). Diverse Families. 561.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/diversefamilies/561