My First Day

Starred review from December 7, 2020
A Vietnamese boy’s journey starts when he steps from his house into a wooden boat. Equipped with a knapsack and a long pole, he sets out across the Mekong River Delta during flood season, when boats are the only possible transportation. “This is the first time I’ve made this trip on my own,” he confides. Polished, animation-style spreads by Quang and Liên dazzle as the boy surmounts huge waves, bails his boat out with a large leaf, and poles his way through a dark, forbidding mangrove forest: “The jungle calls your name, asks you to be brave.” The huge python readers see swimming underneath the boy’s boat might be real, or not. Flocks of birds fly across sunrise clouds above him; fish school beneath the boat. At last he spies the shore. Quang and Liên celebrate the beauty and wealth of the Mekong River, whose floods lead to a gentle transformation of riverside life from a land-based to a water-based existence for a significant portion of the year. Back matter supplies more information about the delta and its characteristics. Ages 4–8.

January 15, 2021
A child braves floodwaters and embarks on an adventure. The Mekong Delta is home to the young Vietnamese narrator anticipating a big day: "I wake up with the sun creeping into the sky and wait for tide and time to bring to me my little open boat." Venturing on a familiar trip--yet alone for the first time--the child stands and paddles into the waves, steadied by a backpack, cautious confidence, and words of parental encouragement. Panoramic illustrations with the feel of animation create a magical cinematic effect that renders scenery and motion through multiple perspectives, capturing atmospheric weather patterns and magnificent tropical flora and fauna--some highly dangerous and threatening. The self-aware text draws astute metaphoric parallels between the landscape and the classroom the child journeys to. Anxiety over "a thousand" prying eyes and "scary" places dissipates as courage and knowledge prompt the child to "turn the unfamiliar into family...write my name across the blackboard of the river." Sumptuously textured landscapes detailing lotuses and inky swells create vivid contrasts while reminding viewers of the ecosystem's fragile balance. This solo voyage concludes as the child approaches the school on dry land, greeted by friendly water buffalo "galumphing near the shore" and other children, many with gap-toothed smiles that match the narrator's. The book closes with further information about the Mekong River and its delta. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.) Enthralling, uplifting: a celebration of everyday heroes' journeys in the quest for education and learning. (Picture book. 5-7)

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Starred review from March 1, 2021

K-Gr 3-A Vietnamese boy sets out on a journey in his little wooden boat on "the great river, Mother Mekong." This is his first time making this trip alone, and he leads us through open waves, mangrove trees, the darkness of the unknown, bright open skies, schools of fish, and water buffalo until he reaches his destination: school, on his very first day. Quang and Lien take readers through a visually breathtaking expedition filled with highs and lows. The phenomenal artwork enhances the poetic language of this young boy's trip and lets readers follow along, experiencing his fears, hopes, and joy. The story also provides an informative look at life along the Mekong River during "floating season," from the mangrove forests to the animals that he encounters on his trip. The digitized pen-and-ink illustrations are presented in wide, panoramic scenes, enhancing the majestic, almost cinematic quality of the images. Back matter includes further information from the author/illustrator duo, facts about the Mekong River, and a simple map. VERDICT Highly recommended for all collections.-Kristyn Dorfman, The Nightingale-Bamford Sch., New York City

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