Always with You [Hardcover]

Ruth Vander Zee (Author), Ronald Himler (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Kim, come to me. Dont be afraid. I will always be with you. Four-year-old Kims mother utters these dying words on the day their village in Vietnam is bombed. Alone and afraid, Kim is left for dead. Eventually she is rescued by American soldiers, who bring her to an orphanage. Surrounded by love of Ong and Ba Jones, the couple who run the orphanage, and the companionship of the many brothers and sisters who live there, Kim finds the strength and courage to survive. And with her mothers words echoing in her heart, Kim gradually learns to feel safe again. Poignant illustrations capture the perseverance of the human spirit and the power of kindness that this book celebrates. Based on a true story from the Vietnam War, Always with You will help young readers discover the hope that exists in even in the most desperate situations.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3–4—Toshi Maruki's Hiroshima no Pika (HarperCollins, 1982) and Eleanor Coerr's Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes (Putnam, 2002) are outstanding examples of books that try to describe the horrors and inhumanity of war in ways that children would understand. On a lesser scale of strength, this picture book takes a tragedy experienced by a four-year-old and makes it a universal story about being alone and afraid. When her village in Vietnam is bombed, Kim remembers her mother's dying words, "I will always be with you." She holds to them when she is struck on the head by a gun; when she is found, hungry and almost blind, by friendly soldiers; and when she is taken to an orphanage where she is cared for and loved. The pencil and watercolor illustrations are admirably suited to the text: Kim's expressions, the gray lines of marching soldiers, and the devastated land do more to deglorify warfare than any amount of adult preaching, just as the sight of her softly weeping in her bed and being reassured by the orphanage house mistress conveys her longing for her mother better than words would. This is a good book to use in classroom discussions of war, of what happens to the children, or, more specifically, of the Vietnam War and how it was that so many Vietnamese came to the United States.—Marian Drabkin, formerly at Richmond Public Library, CA
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From Booklist

Based on a true story, this poignant picture book tells of one of the hundreds of thousands of children orphaned by the Vietnam War. When Kim is four, her village is bombed, and her mother dies. A soldier cracks a gun across her head, and she blacks out; when she comes to, her vision is hazy. Eventually rescued by American soldiers, she is raised in an orphanage by kind caregivers, and she feels safe, sustained by her mother’s last words: Don’t be afraid. I will always be with you. The quiet words are delivered through the child’s perspective, while Himler’s beautiful, spacious watercolors show the terrifying bombing, the sepia-and-gray-toned world Kim sees after her concussion, and then her sadness and hope during the following five years. The format suggests a traditional picture-book readership, but the subject matter is difficult; young children may have many questions. Try this with elementary-schoolers who are slightly older than the traditional picture-book listeners. Grades 2-4. --Hazel Rochman

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers (January 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802852955
• ISBN-13: 978-0802852953
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #317,290 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ruth has written numerous children's books and most recently authored for women "Woman Meets Jesus: How Jesus Encourages, Empowers, and Equips Women on Their Personal Journey of Faith." As a pastor's wife, she has welcomed thousands of people into her home. As an author, she travels, talking with students and teachers about her books and the writing process. Ruth lives in Miami, Florida with her husband Vern.