Two Lands, One Heart: An American Boy's Journey to His Mother's Vietnam [Library Binding]

Jeremy Schmidt (Author), Ted Wood (Author, Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1995

In 1975 TJ's mother was only a chid when she escaped war-torn Vietnam and came to America. Almost 20 years later, she took her eldest son back to meet the family he had never known and to experence firsthand the country and the culture she left behind. Full-color photos.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Following the same format used in their In the Village of the Elephants, Schmidt and Wood combine simple, informative prose with action-filled photos to capture a true-life story. TJ and his mother travel from their home in Denver to Vietnam for a reunion-TJ's mother fled that country as a 10-year-old in 1975, as the war raged, and she is returning for the first time. Through TJ's eyes, the reader encounters the colorful outdoor markets of Saigon and the eerie starkness of the Cu Chi fighting tunnels, then shares TJ's first, emotional meeting with the grandparents his mother believed to be dead. The bulk of the book follows TJ's often funny adventures on the family farm as he tries his hand at plowing with oxen, sees his first silkworm, tastes traditional Vietnamese food, travels the river on a bamboo canoe and plays with his cousins. The writing is unexceptional, but the content is strong enough to compel the reader's attention. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5?As a child, TJ's mother, her younger sister, and her brother escaped war-torn Vietnam and were raised by an American family in Colorado. Years later, Heather reestablished contact with her Vietnamese family. In 1994, she took her oldest son, seven-year-old TJ, home to Vietnam to meet his relatives. The resulting upbeat photo essay covers their stay in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), the two-day drive along the coast, and the visit to the family farm. Well-composed, informative, full-color photographs in a variety of attractive layouts capture such diverse scenes as bustling city life, picturesque fishing boats, and bucolic rice paddies. The book nicely contrasts American and Vietnamese life as seen through a boy's eyes. In a few instances, however, the photos do not match the text. There are awkward sentence breaks between pages and some misspellings (Ong, not nog, is Vietnamese for "grandfather"). Overall, though, this is a useful work, particularly in Vietnamese-American communities.?Diane S. Marton, Arlington County Library, VA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Library Binding: 44 pages
• Publisher: Walker & Co (Lib) (May 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802783589
• ISBN-13: 978-0802783585
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 9.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,124,122 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for any library, anyone interested in Vietnam, August 16, 1999

By 

Marguerite Le - See all my reviews

This review is from: Two Lands, One Heart: An American Boy's Journey to His Mother's Vietnam (Hardcover)

Two Lands, One Heart: An American Boy's Journey to His Mother's Vietnam by Jeremy Schmidt and Ted Wood -- what a gorgeous book for anyone interested in Vietnam, the refugee experience, the going back to your native land or family's homeland! The photographs are wonderful and the text is factual, interesting and fun. I bought this book hoping it would be at least mildly interesting for my Vietnamese-American students--what a delight to receive the book and to realize that all my students would enjoy the story and photos. It's hard to find good stories about Vietnam. I applaud the authors/photographer for putting out such an intelligent, sensitive and enjoyable book. Adults as well as kids will love it. It would be a perfect book for teachers who have Vietnamese students, but anyone would like to learn about Vietnam from this charming book.