Mèo and Bé

In rural Vietnam (circa 1962), 11-year-old Bé and her mother live in Bé's father's home, where his first wife ("Big Mother") abuses the two. Then Ma leaves (to earn money to rescue her daughter), Ba suffers a stroke, and her stepmother arranges for Bé to be kidnapped by soldiers seeking sex slaves. As a result of her trauma, Bé becomes mute and finds small comfort in her devoted kitten, Mèo. This moving debut novel, based in part on the experiences of members of Nguyen's family, features well-developed characters, vivid depictions of wartime Vietnam, and a sense of everyday life for ordinary Vietnamese people during this period. The author does not shy away from detailing the abuse Bé suffers (particularly wrenching is the depiction of a raging Big Mother tattooing Bé's forehead with a cross), but the women imprisoned with Bé by the soldiers prevent her from being selected for assault. An unsparingly brutal but ultimately uplifting story; readers will cheer as Bé finally finds her voice. Chapter headings and section divisions are illustrated with black line art.

Nguyen's affecting, Vietnam War--set debut centers nine-year-old Thu'o'ng, whose idyllic life with Ma in the lowlands of South Vietnam suddenly takes a turn. The war has waylaid visits from her Ba, who lives in the north, and increasing danger results in Ma and Thu'o'ng moving in with him and Ba's first wife, Big Mother and Thu'o'ng's five half-siblings, whom she did not know existed. Big Mother refuses to use Thu'o'ng's birth name and nicknames her Bé, the first in a series of cruel deeds toward her. Hoping to raise enough money for her and Thu'o'ng to leave, Thu'o'ng's mother departs to look for work, prompting now 11-year-old to stop talking and find companionship only with three-legged stray cat Mèo. When Big Mother sells the tween to human traffickers, Thu'o'ng fosters community with the other women despite the treacherous nature of her new circumstances. The harrowing realities of the protagonist's situation are lightly hinted at, emphasizing the safety she feels with the older women, who protect her and the younger girls. This powerfully wrought portrayal of grief and perseverance sensitively depicts an underrepresented perspective of life in Vietnam during the war. Soulful digital illustrations by White (Mable Meets a Black Bear) introduce each chapter. Includes a pronunciation guide, glossary, and author's note. Ages 11--12. Agent: Sara Megibow, KT Literary. (May)

A harrowing account of one girl's life during the Vietnam War. Nine-year-old Bé is happy in her village in South Vietnam, but with the war encroaching on their home, her father decides that it's safer for her and her mother to move further north--to another village where he has another wife and five sons. Bé quickly realizes that their arrival is not welcome. Since she is her father's only daughter, Bé's new grandmother favors her, which infuriates her father's first wife. To escape the latter's abuse, Bé finds solace in a tiny kitten, Mèo, and it is Mèo who will accompany Bé as she faces escalating abuse, loss, abandonment, trafficking, and war. Based on Nguyen's family's experiences, this is a grim portrayal of life in wartime and the trauma that accompanies it. While Bé does not necessarily understand all the atrocities she witnesses, the implications will be clear to many readers. This relatively mature content is sometimes at odds with the narrative voice, which overall reads as quite young, in line with Bé's age at the beginning of the novel. While the narration is easy to digest, and Mèo's presence makes for some softer moments, the novel is perhaps better suited for an older audience. This raw story of perseverance in the face of horror will challenge readers and their interlocutors. (language notes, Vietnamese names, glossary, author's note) (Historical fiction. 12-14) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.