FINDING PAPA - Winner of ALA’s Asian/Pacific American Honor Award for Literature

Lists and Awards

  • Junior Library Guild Gold Standard book

  • Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best List of 2023

  • Evanston Public Library’s 101 Great Books for Kids 2023

  • ALA 2024 Notable Children’s Book List

  • Capital Choices -2024 Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens

  • Winner of 2024 Comstock Book Award Honor

  • 2024 Notable Social Studies Trade Book list

  • Bank Street College of Education - The Best Children's Books of the Year [2024 edition]

“Reassuring despite depicting a dangerous journey and uncertain time; there are many children for whom this is not history, but family stories. Essential.”

-Starred Review by School Library Journal

“Krans’ prose gently helps young readers understand concepts such as missing loved ones and displacement. Repeated phrasing and recurring elements (crocodiles, mango trees, goodbyes) create a lyrical, compelling narrative and read-aloud.”

-Kirkus

“Add this to the aforementioned titles for an inclusive display on the various journeys people take to find safety and the hardships they often face.”

-Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books


“Stunning illustrations and gentle text tell the story of a separated family’s heartrending and hopeful journey from Vietnam to the U.S.”

- Starred Review by Booklist

WORDS BETWEEN US

Words between Us is a tender, respectful depiction of a frequently occurring situation as older generations migrate to the U.S. The illustrations are colorful and add a sense of whimsy while capturing the strong, loving bond between Felix and Grandma.

-Booklist

This story of a Vietnamese American family and Grandma’s immigration to the United States has all the right ingredients: beauty, warmth, and relatability…

Krans’s text feels down-to-earth and authentic, deftly conveying respect for Felix and Grandma as both learners and as experts in their different ways. Ho (Eyes that Kiss in the Corners) uses a palette of complementary yellows, blues, greens, and reds to show the joyful home of this Vietnamese American family.

-Starred Review by School Library Journal

There is a beautiful sense of symmetry in Felix and his grandma’s relationship as they connect over their interests and lovingly support each other through challenges. Ho’s digital illustrations are simply stunning.

-Starred review by Kirkus

Humor and empathy guide a Vietnamese American boy’s attempts to acclimate his grandmother to a new home and language in this tenderhearted title…

Pham Krans and Ho build a well-paced story around simple scenes in which the two characters bond—looking at photos, playing music, caring for a pet, gardening—and experience moments when “they didn’t need to say anything at all.” Buoyant digital illustrations capture domestic family life and busy city scenes.

-Publishers Weekly

ANOTHER WORD FOR NEIGHBOR coming Winter 2025