A Different Pond by Bao Phi

illustrated by Thi Bui 

2018 Caldecott Honor Book, 2018 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Nominee for Picture Book, among others 

Caldecott Book 

A Different Pond (Fiction Picture Books): Phi, Bao, Bui, Thi: 9781623708030: Amazon.com: Books

This story focuses on a young Vietnamese-American boy and his father who wake up early to catch fish for dinner rather than recreation like most others. The young boy learns a lot about his parents and the struggles they face as he and his father fish in the early hours of morning. In the end, he feels a deeper appreciative for his family, especially his father. 

I think this book would be appropriate for students in first through third grade. For the older of these students, this book could be read while students complete an interactive worksheet, sharing their feelings and reactions to the story. It also provides the harsh reality of what many of their peers, if not themselves, may face as immigrants in America. I would include this book in my classroom because I think the pictures and the story meld together well and it teaches a meaningful lesson for students of all ages. 

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