Wishes
WISHES
By Mượn Thị Văn / Illustrations by Victo Ngai
★ Named #1 Best Picture Book of the Year by BookPage ★★ 2022 Margaret Wise Brown Prize Winner ★
★ 2022 California Book Awards Winner, Juvenile Category ★
★ 2022 ILA Notable Books for a Global Society Award Winner ★
★ 2022 I'm Your Neighbor Book Awards, New Arrival Book Winner ★
★ 2021 Golden Poppy Award Co-Winner, Children's Picture Books ★
★ Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection ★
★ Featured on ABC News Live Prime ★★ An NPR Best Book of the Year ★
★ Horn Book 2021 Fanfare Pick ★
★ 2021 New York Public Library’s Best Books for Kids List Pick ★
★ Evanston Public Library's 2021 101 Great Books for Kids List Pick ★
★ Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Books of 2021 About Crossing Borders Pick ★
~★ Red Tricycle’s “Best Children’s Books of 2021, so far” Pick ★
★ Indies Children’s Illustrated “Another Indie Pick” ★
★ Children's Book Council Hot Off the Press Pick ★
★ ABA Kids Indie Next List Pick ★
Six Starred Reviews
★ "The collaboration between text and illustration is impressive; Văn’s lyrical and poetic writing gently propels the story forward, while Ngai’s honest and detailed pictures depict the heartbreaking reality of separation and extend the tale beyond its words." ―The Horn Book, starred review
★ "A superb, beautifully moving collaboration of text and illustration." ―Kirkus Reviews starred review★ "This rich and nuanced tale illuminates the closely held wishes of refugees the world over. It’s unforgettable." ―BookPage starred review
★ "This story of escape makes refugees’ experiences more lucid and will summon deep feeling from readers." ―Booklist starred review
★ "A seamless interweaving of elegant prose and atmospheric art marks this affecting immigrant narrative." ―Publishers Weekly starred review
★ "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." ―Shelf Awareness starred review
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"Beautifully illustrated, a book like WISHES gives your deepest sorrows, biggest fears, and dearest hopes a magic container, one you can slide across the table or open together in bed, and let it speak volumes for you in just a few words." ― Thi Bui, author of National Book Award winner The Best We Could Do and illustrator of Caldecott Honor winner A Different Pond“A gorgeous story capturing the refugee immigrant experience.” ― Kelly Yang, New York Times bestselling author of the Front Desk series
"A heart-wrenching journey captured via the wishes of the light, the night, a dream, the sea, and more. A universal story of leaving and arriving and remembering, illuminated by wistful and lush illustrations. Most ancestors have taken this journey during one century or another. WISHES encapsulates our commonality, our humanity, our wish for safety for ourselves and our families.” ― Pam Muñoz Ryan, author of Mañanaland and the Newbery Honor Book, Echo
“WISHES is an exquisite and emotive offering that deepens our understanding of migration. Van and Ngai together have given the world a luminescent story of human longing for safety and home.” ― Aida Salazar, author of the NCTE Notable Poetry and Verse Novel Award winner, The Moon Within and Jane Addams Peace Award finalist, The Land of Cranes
“This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever seen. A masterpiece." ― Jessica Love, creator of the Stonewall Book Award winner, Julián is a Mermaid
“With spare, ‘packs-a-punch’ text and lush illustrations, this journey of leaving home to begin anew nearly took my breath away.” ― Tami Charles, New York Times bestselling author of All Because You Matter
“Powerful, hopeful, and timely.” ― The Fan Brothers, creators of The Night Gardener and When Ocean Meets Sky
“It is incredible how you can say so much with so little. Like a perfect marriage, the words and pictures of WISHES complete each other, bringing the reader along an epic journey full of experiences and emotions within just 17 spreads and 75 words. I was immediately moved to tears. ― Yuko Shimizu, illustrator of the Caldecott Honor Book, The Cat Man of Aleppo
“My heart was with this refugee family through every stunningly illustrated page. By sharing one child's simple, vital wish for safety and compassion, WISHES reminds us of our common humanity.” ― Christina Soontornvat, Newbery Honor winning-author of A Wish in the Dark
"The personal story combined with the pitch perfect storytelling and jaw-dropping art means that this book is special. Its story may be set in the past, but its message cannot age or decay. Find a child, read it to them, and count yourselves lucky that both they and you have been allowed to experience this story together." ― Elizabeth Bird, School Library Journal's A Fuse #8 Production
"A poignant, poetic ode . . . hopeful and moving picture book." ―Parents Magazine
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WISHES Creative Prompts for Readers and Teachers