The words we share

In this heartfelt tale, young Angie becomes a vital bridge between her Cantonese-speaking dad and their new home in Canada. She frequently aids her father in navigating various situations, such as ordering meals and crafting signs for his janitorial job. Soon, Angie identifies a business opportunity -- creating English signs for the Chinese-speaking business owners in their neighborhood. Her initial projects include a sandwich board for Ms. Fong's canteen and a stern warning sign for the recalcitrant customers of Ms. Lim's shoe-repair shop. However, a hurdle arises when the laundromat owner, Mr. Chu, voices dissatisfaction with Angie's work. This hiccup morphs into a golden moment, as her father speaks with Mr. Chu in his language (Hakka), unveiling linguistic knowledge that surprises Angie and strengthens their bond. This narrative gracefully illustrates the ties that bind a community and positions language as a potent tool that can both separate and unify people, transforming potential misunderstandings into opportunities for growth, collaboration, and even humor. The story is brought to life with cartoon-style art and bilingual dialogues, represented through simplified Chinese characters and italicized English, offering readers a rich, multicultural experience. This tale presents a hopeful perspective on immigrant life, vividly portraying resilience, a spirit of community, and the enduring bond of family, making it a poignant and uplifting read. An author's note explains the story's linguistic context, highlighting the presence of different Chinese languages with some linguistic similarities. Weileen WangNovember/December 2023 p.74 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Angie uses her English skills to help her dad and other Chinese immigrants in their neighborhood. When Angie and her dad arrived in Canada, they knew very little English. But now that Angie has been going to school, she is able to help Dad, who still speaks only Cantonese, talk to strangers, read menus and labels, and even create signs for the office building where he works as a janitor ("Please do not carry your coffee up and down the stairs," "Please don't leave food to rot in the fridge"). This ability inspires her to start a sign-making business for the Chinese-owned shops in the neighborhood. But when the owner of the laundromat complains that the instructions she wrote for the machines are wrong, it's her dad's turn to use his language skills to help Angie. Cartoon-style art in natural colors and fine detail offers an expressive and compassionate glimpse into the struggles immigrants face but most clearly shows the love between Angie and her father and their mutual respect for each other's skills. While Angie's first-person narration is in English, Cantonese speakers' dialogue is printed in Chinese as well as in italicized English, giving readers an authentic experience of what the conversations feel like. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A sweet story of immigrant connections. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.