The Words We Share
Nominated for the 2024 Ontario Library Association (OLA) Blue Spruce Award
A young girl helps her dad navigate life in a new country where she understands the language more than he does, in an unforgettable story about communication and community.
Angie is used to helping her dad. Ever since they moved to Canada, he relies on her to translate for him from English to Chinese. Angie is happy to help: when they go to restaurants, at the grocery store, and, one day, when her dad needs help writing some signs for his work…
A gorgeously illustrated picture book from up-and-coming author-illustrator Jack Wong (When You Can Swim, Scholastic) that is at once a much-needed exploration of the unique pressures children of immigrants often face, a meditation on the dignity of all people regardless of their differences, and a reminder of the power of empathy.
Download the educator’s guide from Annick Press
Released September 19, 2023 from Annick Press
Praise for The Words We Share:
★ “The Words We Share is a heartwarming tribute to multigenerational immigrant tenacity--of the young child with mature responsibilities, the polyglot parent struggling to adapt, and the community supporting its members. Love proves understandable in every language.” — Starred review from Shelf Awareness
★ “This joyful story is about the power of speaking more than one language, the safety of having caring adults around, the confusion of living somewhere where you’re not a native language speaker, and a reminder that adults who have yet to master their new homeland’s primary language are still adults, with skills, proficiencies, and knowledge.” — Starred review from Youth Services Book Review
"The rich layers of this heartwarming story will resonate with all immigrants and their children. As a daughter who also translated for her parents, this book made me feel seen and cherished as part of a community." — Andrea Wang, Newbery Honoree and author of Watercress
"This lovely book about a hardworking Chinese Canadian father, and the daughter who helps him by translating English, is exactly the type of book I wished existed when I was a kid. So many immigrant and refugee kids will be able to relate to this story about assisting their parents with a new language. Beautifully written and illustrated by Jack Wong, the characters feel unique, but easily relatable. I am so glad this book exists in the world." — Bao Phi, author of the Caldecott Honor and Zolotow Award-winning A Different Pond
"The Words We Share is a gift—honoring multitudes of identities, languages, and power." — Dane Liu, author of Friends Are Friends, Forever
