The Little Refugee

Description

The Little Refugee

Anh Do and Suzanne Do, illustrated by Bruce Whatley

(Allen & Unwin)

The Little Refugee is Anh Do, beloved writer of the  Ninja Kid series, amongst other works.  Anh Do’s father fought for the Republican Army of Vietnam in that country’s war against the Viet Cong. ‘Boat people’ like Anh Do’s family, who’d fought on the defeated side, sought safety after the war. Anh Do was a little boy,  one of fourteen in ‘a tiny three- room house.’ Yet the family was happy ‘because there were always lots of people to play‘ with.

Their escape from Vietnam was traumatic. Their boat was desperately overcrowded. Passengers suffered through storms, blazing heat, and pirates. Even gold teeth were taken! A German cargo ship found the desperate vessel and took them to safety. ‘What a great country’‘ was their first impression of Australia.

However, assimilation into a new world was testing. Not only were the family desperately poor, but they had no language or cultural connections. Anh Do shares his mother’s words that ‘Even when things seem really terrible, something good can come out of it.’ Things were terrible for the family, yet they stood firm and fought on.

Anh Do concludes his story with a school assembly that his parents attended, unusually. His story is emotional, impactful and real so that we are engaged and want his success and happiness. ‘The Little Refugee’ is a necessary book that tells the story of a real experience, history and change. Moreover the simple directness of text and the pictures are superb. Bruce Whatley builds colour in as the writer and his family become happier and settled. Bookwagon recommends this story to all readers.