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retropaidni's review
5.0
Though a kids story, it’s beautiful and heartbreaking and empowering. I taught this to my year 10 students and they seemed to like it too. It really reminds us that superheroes are all around us.
crystal_reading's review
5.0
Review copy: ARC via Netgalley
Kao Kalia Yang has put the perfect words together to whisk readers back in time right into her memories. She shares about her young cousins training together each day so they would be ready when needed. They had both physical and mental exercises and their chosen leader was one of the smaller children. He was chosen because he was the most passionate about their training and believed in them the most. He had a heart for everyone and for the work they were doing. One of my favorite illustrations is this tiny boy standing with his hands on his hips. The shadow that he casts is a large one and it is also shaped like the heart motif that is often found in Hmong textiles and jewelry. It's just one of the many wonderful ways Billy Thao's artwork supports the story.
The Yang Warriors had many reasons to train. There were Thai guards, other children who wanted space in the camp, and there were lonely ghosts. They knew there was danger around them, but they also knew they wanted to be prepared for anything. Young readers will likely connect with these creative and empathic children who did more than simply survive in this challenging situation. They taught each other and challenged each other in many ways.
As with many of Kao Kalia Yang's stories, readers will also feel the boundless familial love within the words. Several of her adult and children's books are love letters to her grandmother and parents, but with this book, we get to see love for her sister and cousins.
Yang and Thao each provide wonderful notes at the end of the book that include a little more information about the refugee camp experience and Hmong culture.
Recommendation: This is truly a book for anyone. It should find a place in any library and I am excited to have it available for my students in the near future.
Kao Kalia Yang has put the perfect words together to whisk readers back in time right into her memories. She shares about her young cousins training together each day so they would be ready when needed. They had both physical and mental exercises and their chosen leader was one of the smaller children. He was chosen because he was the most passionate about their training and believed in them the most. He had a heart for everyone and for the work they were doing. One of my favorite illustrations is this tiny boy standing with his hands on his hips. The shadow that he casts is a large one and it is also shaped like the heart motif that is often found in Hmong textiles and jewelry. It's just one of the many wonderful ways Billy Thao's artwork supports the story.
The Yang Warriors had many reasons to train. There were Thai guards, other children who wanted space in the camp, and there were lonely ghosts. They knew there was danger around them, but they also knew they wanted to be prepared for anything. Young readers will likely connect with these creative and empathic children who did more than simply survive in this challenging situation. They taught each other and challenged each other in many ways.
As with many of Kao Kalia Yang's stories, readers will also feel the boundless familial love within the words. Several of her adult and children's books are love letters to her grandmother and parents, but with this book, we get to see love for her sister and cousins.
Yang and Thao each provide wonderful notes at the end of the book that include a little more information about the refugee camp experience and Hmong culture.
Recommendation: This is truly a book for anyone. It should find a place in any library and I am excited to have it available for my students in the near future.
heisereads's review
5.0
Hmong refugee camp. Kids, the real superheroes, showing how to be warriors and finding hope.
ljrinaldi's review
4.0
This is a picture book about resistance, and looking out for your family.
It is also the a picture book about hope, and helping family.
Set in a Thai refugee camp, the story is of a group of children that play at being strong and warriors, and then realize that they need to use those skills to steal food, as the rations are not enough for everyone.
As the author says, they trained for the day when their skills would save them all. And that the most important rolls we give each other are ones we assign ourselves.
Striking story of life as a refugee, and how it is important to look after each other.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an Honest review.
It is also the a picture book about hope, and helping family.
Set in a Thai refugee camp, the story is of a group of children that play at being strong and warriors, and then realize that they need to use those skills to steal food, as the rations are not enough for everyone.
As the author says, they trained for the day when their skills would save them all. And that the most important rolls we give each other are ones we assign ourselves.
Striking story of life as a refugee, and how it is important to look after each other.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an Honest review.
theybedax's review
5.0
Brilliant and heartbreaking. There is a great sense of hope even amongst seemingly hopeless times. I truly enjoyed this quote from the book, "Under the hot sun, they showed, me that the most important work in the world is the work we give ourselves; the most important roles we'll have in life are the ones we assign ourselves."
runningjenw's review
4.0
A sweet and inspirational story about a group of kids who use their creativity and bravery to help others in their refugee camp. Where hope is all but lost, this tenacious group of cousins use their "battle training" to get past the guards to find fresh food for the other children and elders. Showing that even young people can make a difference, this Own Voices story will open your heart and mind to the struggles faced by refugees.
bookdragon_library's review
4.0
4.5/5 stars.
Multiple paragraphs of text on a page so not quite a picture book. Story about children and imagination but also acting out of necessity. They break rules and go outside of camp to get much needed food. The books shows the poverty and lack of food and also some of the brutality of the Thai soldiers (just mentions their actions and doesn’t show any violence).
Notes: Ban Vinai refugee camp. Hmong. 2021. MN author and illustrator (debut).
Multiple paragraphs of text on a page so not quite a picture book. Story about children and imagination but also acting out of necessity. They break rules and go outside of camp to get much needed food. The books shows the poverty and lack of food and also some of the brutality of the Thai soldiers (just mentions their actions and doesn’t show any violence).
Notes: Ban Vinai refugee camp. Hmong. 2021. MN author and illustrator (debut).
naomiysl's review
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
3.0
Super duper intense, kind of a mismatch to the picture book format. I would give this to an older child, probably 9 and up. Compare to books about the holocaust, in assessing emotional maturity for handling the content.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
other content warnings I"d like to add but aren't in the dropdown: food scarcity / starvation imprisonment violent punishment