A Two-Placed Heart
by Doan Phuong Nguyen (Author)
Afraid her sister (and maybe even herself) could lose sight of their Vietnamese identity, twelve-year-old Bom writes a poetic memoir to help them both remember--a love letter in verse to sisterhood and the places we leave behind.
Bom can't believe that her sister doesn't see herself as Vietnamese, only American. She says she doesn't remember Vietnam or their lives there, their family there, their house and friends. How could her sister forget the terrible journey through Saigon and the airplanes and... everything?
And what about Bom? She remembers now, but how long will she keep her memories? She always found comfort in the sound of her father's typewriter Clickity-clack, clickity-clack. So she has an idea. She'll write down all that she can remember: the time when her father was a spy, when her mother was nicknamed a "radio," when they were so hungry Bom couldn't walk well, when the family all said goodbye.
Bom will even tell her sister, and herself, about what it was like moving to Tennessee. The ESL classes, bullies, strange new foods, icy weather, friendships, and crushes--and how her family worked to keep their heritage alive.
She'll type one poem at a time, until they'll never forget again.
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Publishers Weekly
In this yearning verse novel by Nguyen (Mèo and Bé), an older sister endeavors to connect her sibling to their Vietnamese heritage. Twelve-year-old Bom is concerned by her younger sister Bo's fading memories of Vietnam. The siblings communicate in English despite Ba's scolding and the fact that Má "doesn't understand/ the English words we use." Noticing that "my tiêng Viêt disappears/ a little at a time," Bom wonders "what kind of person doesn't know/ their own language?" As an aspiring writer, Bom decides to transcribe her family's history, addressing her writings to Bo. Bom recalls the hardships her family endured in Vietnam, describing what she knows of her father's seven-year imprisonment in 1975 after the Vietnam War, her parents' subsequent arranged marriage, and her and Bo's births. She goes on to chronicle their new life in 1996 Tennessee, following their sponsorship from a Nashville Presbyterian church in 1991. Nguyen's touching fictionalization of personal experiences, as addressed in an author's note, reflects the push-pull of a young immigrant's fear that with acclimation comes loss of cultural identity. Includes a pronunciation guide, glossary, and family tree. Ages 9-13. Agent: Sara Megibow, KT Literary. (Sept.)
Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
School Library Journal
Gr 4-7--Writing from the perspective of 12-year-old Bom, Nguyen tenderly crafts a lightly fictionalized memoir in verse. It's Nashville in 1996, and Bom can't understand how her little sister Bo considers herself only American, not Vietnamese; she seems to have completely forgotten their life in Vietnam before they immigrated to the U.S. with their parents. In an effort to help her sister understand the split loyalties of herself and her parents, Bom uses her father's old typewriter to write poetry that captures stories from their past. Briefly covering her father's and mother's backgrounds as well as her own growing up, Bom encourages her sister to appreciate their heritage while simultaneously coming to grips with her own shifting identity. Sweet moments of family and friendship alternate with heartbreaking stories of suffering and loss. Bom's adjustment to life in America isn't easy with her introverted, creative nature, different from her sister's bold, brave way of making herself at home anywhere. Prejudice, stereotypes, and bullying come into play as do mentions of war and torture (not graphic in any way, but mentioned). Also included are an author's note, glossary, family tree, and pronunciation guide of Vietnamese terms. VERDICT This highly readable verse memoir beautifully portrays the internal anguish of growing up and adapting to life in a new country.--Heidi Grange
Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Kirkus
An emotional journey that beats with an authentic heart.
ALA/Booklist
For readers of Linda Sue Park and Thanhha Lai's evocative prose and nuanced interplay, highlighting coming of age in different cultures.
Review quotes
Through captivating free verse, Nguyen paints vivid, immersive scenes in this fictionalized memoir... An emotional journey that beats with an authentic heart. — Kirkus Reviews
Vulnerable, tender, and just the right amount of silly, A Two-Placed Heart is a beautiful story about sisterhood and cultural identity that will make readers feel deeply understood and cared for. — Catherine Bakewell, author of Flowerheart
Doan Phuong Nguyen weaves a lyrical tale across decades and generations that is equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming... This book is required reading. — George Jreije, author of the Shad Hadid series
Doan Phuong Nguyen was born in Vietnam and immigrated to the United States when she was in elementary school. Her debut middle grade novel Mèo and Bé was praised by #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Niven as "Heart-wrenching, hopeful, and heartwarming." After growing up in the South, she settled in the Midwest. Doan Phuong loves anything pink and cute but enjoys writing incredibly sad, emotionally evocative novels. She received her MFA in Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her debut middle grade novel, Mèo and Bé, was a 2024 Notable Book for a Global Society and a 2023 Freeman Book Award Honorable Mention. Find her at doanphuong.com.
JUV013070 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Siblings
JUV030020 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | Asia
Vietnamese Americans
Novels in verse
Sisters
Authorship
Identity (Philosophical concept)
Autobiographical fiction
