"A lovely homage to the lives of many children the world over, and to the communities they live in"
Angie’s reality in the book is one shared by many children who grow up multilingual – on a daily basis, she is the go-between her Dad, who speaks Cantonese, and the English-speaking society around them. Being an entrepreneurial soul, Angie decides to turn her translation skills into a business, translating signs for other members of the community, which gets her into trouble when she gets it wrong – and it turns out that her Dad’s language skills are the very things she needs!
This books is a lovely homage to the lives of many children the world over, and to the communities they live in. The book features Cantonese with English translations, but doesn’t bother with pronunciation guides, which makes for a natural inclusion in the book. The author note at the end explains some of the various Chinese languages, and also mentions how he himself drew on his mother’s language skills to come up with a suitable title in Cantonese. Many children will recognise themselves in this book, and, in classroom settings, it offers a lovely opportunity to use it as a starter to understand language use at home.
| Suitable For: | |
| Other Genres: |
A young girl helps her dad navigate life in a new country where she understands the language more than he does, in an unforgettable story about communication and community.
Angie is used to helping her dad. Ever since they moved to Canada, he relies on her to translate for him from English to Chinese. Angie is happy to help: when they go to restaurants, at the grocery store, and, one day, when her dad needs help writing some signs for his work.
Building off her success with her dad's signs, Angie offers her translation skills to others in their community. She's thrilled when her new business takes off, until one of her clients says he's unhappy with her work. When her dad offers to help, she can't imagine how he could. Working together, they find a surprising solution, fixing the problem in a way Angie never would have predicted.
A gorgeously illustrated picture book from up-and-coming author-illustrator Jack Wong (When You Can Swim) that is at once a much-needed exploration of the unique pressures children of immigrants often face, a meditation on the dignity of all people regardless of their differences, and a reminder of the power of empathy.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Words We Share and determined it is suitable for children aged 5-6 years old
The Words We Share features in the following genres: PSHE: Multiculturalism, Diversity and Inclusion, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Stories about Family and Friends, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Featured Books for 5+ readers, Recommendations
The Words We Share is available in Hardback
The Words We Share was written by Jack Wong and published by Annick Press
The Words We Share has 44 pages
£12.59
