A Different Pond (Fiction Picture Books)

Beautifully simple story told with beautiful illustrations. From the child perspective, it gives a look into the life of an immigrant family struggling to feed the kids but focuses on the wonder of innocence. My 8yr old son said "That's it? They just go fishing?" The sublty and struggle of the family was lost on him. He thought the book was just OK. But my 5yr old daughter has asked to have this book read to her dozens of times. She seems to connect with the child's wonder and she sometimes touches the images in the book.

A DIFFERENT POND is one of the most poignant picture books I have ever read. Beautifully told, the story is engrossing. While simple in terms of plot, it is so deeply layered in complexity and inference. The illustrations were rendered with depth and a quiet, moving emotion. A must read. As child ages, reading this story year after year, his/her understanding of what this book is about will only deepen and grow.

As a Vietnamese-Chinese American, I cried reading this story. The illustrations and plot spoke to a narrative that so closely aligned to my upbringing as a refugee in rural America. Oh, how I wish this literary representation existed in my childhood. Now, as an educator, I share this meaningful story to honor Vietnamese-American experiences, fuel representation for children’s literature and honor my family’s aches and triumphs. This book is a MUST I’m every single library.

I love the way this book interweaves issues around diversity, culture and immigration throughout the story without grabbing onto platitudes or morals. While I think the latter is necessary and can be found in many other works, this work adheres to a personal story where we absorb many positive messages about family values, acceptance and equality without being told to do so. Phi tackles his story with such poetic, truthful language, my very verbal toddler and I are longing for more and I know this story will grow with us for several more years.

Very nice book. I think the message may have been a bit too subtle for my 10 and 8 year old kids. Loved the artwork

Beautiful book

This is a fantastic book for kids and adults. It tells the story of an immigrant family and so much more. Winner of the Charlotte Zolotow Award (also given to Thunder Boy Jr., one of my favorite books to read to my two sons, 4 and 6). A Different Pond is poignant and deep, yet simple in concept. A father and his son wake up pre-dawn to catch food for dinner. It doesn't sound like much, but it is used to great effect to tell the story of one family's loss, struggle, and love. It shines with optimism for their future.

This is a beautiful book, both text and illustrations. So many timeless issues such as refugees, diversity, loss, family, war, but these things are addressed in a way that gets them inside the reader without using any of those actual words. The illustrator used photos loaned her by the author, and the combination of text and illustration works in a way that is unusually effective. My granddaughter who is five really likes this book and we will be rereading it many times.

I strongly recommend this book - great illustrations that are more realistic than your standard kids' book - beautiful art. The story itself is about a child who goes fishing with dad in the mornings before the parents go off to work. They fish because they are poor and run into others who also need to fish for food - then they share a traditional recipe family meal - this book is a great way to introduce your kids to the notion that not everyone lives like they do - from how much money mom and dad have, to how many kids, to the kinds of foods that people eat. It's honestly a beautiful story and one of my kids' faves - they are fascinated by how different everything is. An important opportunity for empathy and gratitude. Gorgeous book, highly recommend.

This is a beautiful and moving book, ideal for upper primary, which explores love between in a father and son and the difficulties of building a new life in a strange land. Based on the author's own childhood, the boy and his father fish - in the dark - for food and not fun. Much to explore and discuss here.

My sons love this book. They enjoyed the story and asked many questions about the characters and content. The pictures are beautiful. We are very happy with this purchase.

Thank you to the authors of this book. It is a wonderful gem. It can be read as a simple story first, and then with time (and growing up) kids will understand more of its messages. Truly wonderful.