There are many ways to convey family history. Sometimes we
do it through photos, sometimes through stories, sometimes through beloved
objects, sometimes through traditions—or perhaps, often, a combination of
these. A Different Pond is a quietly masterful picture book in which a father
recalls his childhood fishing on a pond in Vietnam with his father. When this present-day father and his Vietnamese American son fish for the day’s supper before
the work day begins, memories of the war that was fought—and the brother that did
not return—are passed from old to young. These are not easy memories but they
can be key to the awareness of a child finding a place in the span of
generations. Certainly, people moving from one country to another—such as the
refugee family in this book—have a strong reason to share stories, resisting
the possible loss of formative elements of culture and family. As the young boy
in the story hears his father’s memories, he is focused on the details
of helping build a good fire and learning to bait his hook, but
the larger impact of the shared moment is felt. The boy is making his own
memories, yet layers of heritage are conveyed. The expert prose of Bao Phi and the
deeply resonant images of Thi Bui work together seamlessly to relate a story of
struggle, strength, history and family. Endnotes from both author and illustrator
cement our understanding of the sensibilities creators bring to the best of
books. Ages 7 up.
