New from the author/illustrator of
My Cat Looks Like My Dad
, named a
Booklist
Editors’ Choice;
Wallpaper
Kirkus
Best Picture Book of 2018; and
Skunk on a String
Best Picture Book of 2016
An Own Voices story inspired by the author’s refugee journey as a child during the Vietnam War
Timely and relatable for children learning about current refugee experiences
New from Thao Lam, the award—winning author of picture books
,
, and
, comes a personal story inspired by her family’s refugee journey.
In
The Paper Boat
, Thao’s signature collage art tells the wordless story of one family’s escape from Vietnam—a journey intertwined with an ant colony’s parallel narrative.
At her home in Vietnam, a girl rescues ants from the sugar water set out to trap them. Later, when the girl’s family flees war—torn Vietnam, ants lead them through the moonlit jungle to the boat that will take them to safety. Before boarding, the girl folds a paper boat from a bun wrapper and drops it into the water, and the ants climb on. Their perilous journey, besieged by punishing weather, predatory birds, and dehydration, before reaching a new beginning, mirrors the family’s own. Impressionistic collages and a moving, Own Voices narrative make this a one—of—a—kind tale of courage, resilience, and hope.