Overview

Afraid her sister (and maybe even herself) could lose sight of their Vietnamese identity, twelve-year-old Bom writes a poetic memoir to help them both remember--a love letter in verse to sisterhood and the places we leave behind. Bom can't believe that her sister doesn't see herself as Vietnamese, only American. She says she doesn't remember Vietnam or their lives there, their family there, their house and friends. How could her sister forget the terrible journey through Saigon and the airplanes and... everything? And what about Bom? She remembers now, but how long will she keep her memories? She always found comfort in the sound of her father's typewriter Clickity-clack, clickity-clack. So she has an idea. She'll write down all that she can remember: the time when her father was a spy, when her mother was nicknamed a ""radio,"" when they were so hungry Bom couldn't walk well, when the family all said goodbye. Bom will even tell her sister, and herself, about what it was like moving to Tennessee. The ESL classes, bullies, strange new foods, icy weather, friendships, and crushes--and how her family worked to keep their heritage alive. She'll type one poem at a time, until they'll never forget again.

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Reviews

* ""This highly readable verse memoir beautifully portrays the internal anguish of growing up and adapting to life in a new country."" -- School Library Journal, starred review ""For readers of Linda Sue Park and Thanhha Lai's evocative prose and nuanced interplay, highlighting coming of age in different cultures. "" -- Booklist ""A heartfelt story about identity and heritage refracted through the lens of a complex sibling relationship."" -- The Horn Book ""Through captivating free verse, Nguyen paints vivid, immersive scenes in this fictionalized memoir... An emotional journey that beats with an authentic heart."" -- Kirkus Reviews ""Nguyen's touching fictionalization of personal experiences, as addressed in an author's note, reflects the push-pull of a young immigrant's fear that with acclimation comes loss of cultural identity."" -- Publishers Weekly ""Lyrical and honest.... Nguyen's love for her homeland and her (slightly fictionalized) family shine through every poem. Immersive details bring the book's Vietnam sections to life, with particular care given to mouthwatering descriptions of foods that are likely to leave readers pleasantly hungry."" -- Shelf Awareness ""Vulnerable, tender, and just the right amount of silly, A Two-Placed Heart is a beautiful story about sisterhood and cultural identity that will make readers feel deeply understood and cared for."" -- Catherine Bakewell, author of Flowerheart ""Doan Phuong Nguyen weaves a lyrical tale across decades and generations that is equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming... This book is required reading."" -- George Jreije, author of the Shad Hadid series Freeman Book Award for East and Southeast Asian Children's Literature Winner 2024 - National Consortium for Teaching About Asia Golden Kite Award Finalist 2024 - Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Notable Books for a Global Society 2025 - International Literacy Association (ILA) Pedro and Daniel Intersectionality Book Awards Longlist 2024 - Read Your World The New York Historical Children's History Book Prize Winner 2024 - The New-York Historical Society

Author Information

Doan Phuong Nguyen was born in Vietnam and immigrated to the United States when she was in elementary school. Her debut middle grade novel Mèo and Bé was praised by #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Niven as ""Heart-wrenching, hopeful, and heartwarming."" After growing up in the South, she settled in the Midwest. Doan Phuong loves anything pink and cute but enjoys writing incredibly sad, emotionally evocative novels. She received her MFA in Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her debut middle grade novel, Mèo and Bé, was a 2024 Notable Book for a Global Society and a 2023 Freeman Book Award Honorable Mention. Find her at doanphuong.com.

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