PB Review: Wishes
Wishes by Muon Thi Van, illus. by Victo Ngai (Orchard Books, 40p., ages 4-8, 9781338305890)
Muon Thi Van (In a Village by the Sea) gives voice to a series of inanimate objects in Wishes, creating a deeply personal account of the harrowing journey one Vietnamese child and her family take as they leave their home for a new, unknown one.
The child looks on while adult family members prepare for departure. As the grandfather digs up a buried case, "the night wished it was quieter." Three women in the kitchen pack food in a bag that "wished it was deeper." When they wake younger siblings, "the dream wished it was longer." And when it's time for the travelers to leave beloved family members behind, "the clock wished it was slower." The mother and young children walk a long path and board a packed boat to ride upon a sea that "wished it was calmer." The sun beats down, "the heart wished it was stronger" and "home wished it was closer." Finally, a larger boat appears, bringing with it hope for a future filled with kinder wishes.
The author's choice of narrators elicits a surprising wealth of emotion, evoking distinct and tactile sensations of hardship, perseverance and hope upon arriving at a new shore. The understated wording is enhanced by the art of Victo Ngai (illustrator of Dazzle Ships), which is stylized though realistic, in a lush subdued palette. According to an artist's note, it was Ngai's goal to "exercise restraint" in her art and to "glorify the imperfections." A note from the author provides deeper context and explains the story's roots in her own perilous escape from 1980s Viêt Nam. This book may be seen as their wish for "a safer, kinder, fairer, and more beautiful world." --Lynn Becker, blogger and host of Book Talk, a monthly online discussion of children's books for SCBWI.
Discover: This breathtaking picture book about a Vietnamese family who must flee their home is told through the wishes of familiar objects.
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