A Different Pond by Bao Phi and Thi Bui

A Different Pond

A Different Pond
written by Bao Phi
illustrated by Thi Bui
2018 Caldecott Honor Book

This quiet tale tells the story of a before-the-sun-comes-up fishing trip for a young boy and his father. The boy and his family are Vietnamese immigrants who rely on those early morning fishing excursions to eat, despite both of his dad’s jobs. The dad briefly connects the fishing pond in Minneapolis to a fishing pond long ago, before the war. The book ends with a big family meal and dreams of more fishing. Bao Phi and Thi Bui also provide interest notes about their journeys to the United States at the back of the book.

In various reviews A Different Pond was recommended for Kindergarten through third grade, however, I would recommend this book for any age group. I have used it with high schoolers as an example of personal narrative, focusing on a small moment in time and everyday stories. It is especially interesting as both the author and illustrator are Vietnamese immigrants to the United States. They are the same age and have similar experiences and backgrounds. This book will appeal to graphic novels fans as the illustrations have a graphic novel feel because it's illustrated by cartoonist Thi Bui, who graphic memoir was published in 2017 (also an excellent read, but for a mature teenage and adult audience). This book will also appeal to word-loving readers as the author uses lyrical poetry to tell the story. It could also be used to teach figurative language with comparisons like "They swim like silver arrows in my hands".

Resources:

• Book Trailer
• Resource page from TeachingBooks.net about A Different Pond including background information and a short excerpt reading by Bao Phi. It also includes audio records of name pronunciations for both authors.
• MPR News interview with the author and illustrator. 36 mins.
• Stages Theater Company performance April-May 2020. Information