vebafehyrugaco

2 years ago

Secrets are in the air. Water deep and gloomy, an old boat with wood that's rotting. Suspense as they boarded the boat. Worry that they would get caught before they set sail. Gloria Whelan is an American poet, short story writer, and novelist. She writes books for children and young adults. She won many awards such as the annual National Book Award for Young People's Literature in 2000 for Homeless Bird. Goodbye Vietnam by Gloria Whelan is not part of a series. This book is about a 12 or 13 year old girl named Mai who is from a small village during the Vietnamese war. When her community is threatened, Mai, who is one among many, steals away in the cover of night. Getting onto an old, crowded boat just to feel safe, She tries to escape with her family to a new world with towering buildings and a loud atmosphere. This book is a new favorite read! The main character Mai is in her early teens (12 or 13) yet her experience is so intense that she acts like an adult. The author uses her topic to escape and elaborates with many conflicts between the protagonist and the society, disease, and the forces of nature. She creates an entire persona for each character with a distinct personality. The author uses sentence structure in a way that you can almost live in the book through the sentences. Gloria Whelan brings many ideas and opinions into the short span of 14 chapters and leaves you longing for more. If you are a fan of historical fiction, action, escape, and refugees then this is the book for you! I recommend this book for ages 7-14