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    Mượn Thị Văn & Victo Ngai’s Wishes is exquisite

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    By Jessica on June 2, 2021 ages 4 & up, picture books
    WISHES, by Muon Thi Van and Victo Ngai, Orchard Books; Illustrated edition, May 4, 2021, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 4-8)

    Wishes, written by Mượn Thị Văn and illustrated by Victo Ngai, follows a family that is forced to leave its homeland in search of a better life.  

    If you had to leave everything behind and travel by boat across rocky waters to find safe harbor… What would you wish for?

    In the middle of the night, a family quickly packs up what they can carry and leaves their entire world, traveling to a new and unknown place. The voyage is perilous, but the heart’s wishes prevail. —Synopsis provided by Orchard Books

    Inspired by actual events in Mượn Thị Văn’s life, Wishes looks at secret escapes through a different lens. The author packs this emotional story into only 75 words, and yet encapsulates so much more. (Back matter includes more on Muon’s own journey from Vietnam to the United States.)

    The night wished it was quieter.
    The bag wished it was deeper.
    The light wished it was brighter…

    Victo Ngai’s powerful illustrations are the perfect match for the lyrical text. The bold use of color, texture and perspective are as beautiful as they are haunting.

    Wishes is a quiet, contemplative book that young — and old — readers will want to read again and again.

     

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    Jessica Harrison is the reviewer behind Cracking the Cover. She loves books and worked as the in-house book critic at a daily newspaper, writing reviews and interviewing authors for two years. When the company cut back, she lost her position covering books, but that doesn't mean she stopped reading. If anything, the whole experience made her more passionate about reading and giving people the tools to make informed decisions in their own book choices. She has been featured on NetGalley's Blogger Spotlight and is on Kindleprenuer's Ultimate List of the Best Book Review Blogs. Contact her at jessica(at)crackingthecover(dot)com and follow Cracking the Cover on Bluesky, Instagram,  Facebook and Twitter (X) @crackingthecovr. You can also read scaled down reviews on Jessica's Goodreads review page. Jessica is also a reviewer on Amazon.

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