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Onion Tears
Vietnamese Nam--Huong wants to adjust to her new life in Australia, but she can't. She misses her parents and her beloved grandfather too much, and she is haunted by her experience as a refugee. When her classmates try to make friends she rejects them, so they begin to tease and torment her. Soon, she does'nt talk at all. But with the help of her foster mother and her teacher, Nam--Huong slowly begins to trust and love again.
71 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
About the author
Diana Kidd
7 books11 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Please see: Diana Kidd
Diana Kidd wrote all her life, and always dreamed that one day she would have a book published. She began writing for children when her first child was born and her dream came true when The Day Grandma Came to Stay was published in 1988.
Diana trained and worked as a primary school teacher in Melbourne. She left and worked her passage by ship to Greece, worked in England and Spain and travelled in Europe. She married her husband Simon in London and returned to Australia to bring up a family of three children.
Diana had a variety of occupations, but it was her experience teaching English to migrant children that most influenced the direction of her first three books. The idea that peoples' cultures and traditions are of great consequence and must be respected and nurtured is the underlying theme of The Day Grandma Came to Stay, and was the seed from which Onion Tears and The Fat and Juicy Place grew.
Onion Tears, shortlisted in the 1990 Children's Book of the Year awards and winner of the 1990 Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Children's Literature, was inspired by stories written by Southeast Asian students at Richmond Girls High School in Melbourne, about their lives and journeys to Australia. 'Too often,' said Diana, 'people from other cultures are stereotyped and dehumanised'. She decided to write a story that would present a child from another culture whom the reader would get to know like a friend. While the culture and experiences of Nam-Huong may be very different from those of most readers of Onion Tears, her feelings of love, fear, happiness and loneliness which she shared, are common to us all.
The Fat and Juicy Place, which took two years to research and write, continues the theme of a child, this time a city Aboriginal boy, living between two cultures. Diana talked to Aboriginal students, teachers and families in Sydney and camped with Aboriginal families on the NSW coast and in Arnhem Land and they shared their stories with her. Shortlisted in the1992 Victorian Premiers Literary Awards and the 1993 Children's Book Council Book Awards Junior Readers Section and winner of the 1993 Australian Multicultural Award for Children's Literature (Junior Fiction Section).
In 1994 Diana had two books published: a novel for younger readers Spider and the King and a picturebook Paddymelon illustrated by Maxim Svetlanov.
I Love You, Jason Delaney was published in 1996 and was shortlisted in the Junior Readers Section of the 1997 Children's Book Council Book of the Year Awards.
One of the things that Diana enjoyed was going to the theatre. Before she married, she acted in lots of plays and she believed that acting influenced her writing. Her actual words: 'I see each scene that I write as if it is taking place on a stage. The characters seem to take over. I watch them in my mind as they move from scene to scene, and as they say their lines, I write them down.'
Please see: Diana Kidd
Diana Kidd wrote all her life, and always dreamed that one day she would have a book published. She began writing for children when her first child was born and her dream came true when The Day Grandma Came to Stay was published in 1988.
Diana trained and worked as a primary school teacher in Melbourne. She left and worked her passage by ship to Greece, worked in England and Spain and travelled in Europe. She married her husband Simon in London and returned to Australia to bring up a family of three children.
Diana had a variety of occupations, but it was her experience teaching English to migrant children that most influenced the direction of her first three books. The idea that peoples' cultures and traditions are of great consequence and must be respected and nurtured is the underlying theme of The Day Grandma Came to Stay, and was the seed from which Onion Tears and The Fat and Juicy Place grew.
Onion Tears, shortlisted in the 1990 Children's Book of the Year awards and winner of the 1990 Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Children's Literature, was inspired by stories written by Southeast Asian students at Richmond Girls High School in Melbourne, about their lives and journeys to Australia. 'Too often,' said Diana, 'people from other cultures are stereotyped and dehumanised'. She decided to write a story that would present a child from another culture whom the reader would get to know like a friend. While the culture and experiences of Nam-Huong may be very different from those of most readers of Onion Tears, her feelings of love, fear, happiness and loneliness which she shared, are common to us all.
The Fat and Juicy Place, which took two years to research and write, continues the theme of a child, this time a city Aboriginal boy, living between two cultures. Diana talked to Aboriginal students, teachers and families in Sydney and camped with Aboriginal families on the NSW coast and in Arnhem Land and they shared their stories with her. Shortlisted in the1992 Victorian Premiers Literary Awards and the 1993 Children's Book Council Book Awards Junior Readers Section and winner of the 1993 Australian Multicultural Award for Children's Literature (Junior Fiction Section).
In 1994 Diana had two books published: a novel for younger readers Spider and the King and a picturebook Paddymelon illustrated by Maxim Svetlanov.
I Love You, Jason Delaney was published in 1996 and was shortlisted in the Junior Readers Section of the 1997 Children's Book Council Book of the Year Awards.
One of the things that Diana enjoyed was going to the theatre. Before she married, she acted in lots of plays and she believed that acting influenced her writing. Her actual words: 'I see each scene that I write as if it is taking place on a stage. The characters seem to take over. I watch them in my mind as they move from scene to scene, and as they say their lines, I write them down.'
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
November 11, 2008
I had read one story titled ”Onion Tears”. The story talked about a girl that lost her family and she learn how to lived her life without them. She from Vietnam.
Nam-Huong is a quiet and lonely girl. She cried in side every time when she remember her family. She lost her family during the war when the soldiers took her Dad and she lost her Grandpa when they are on the boat to escape from the soldiers. Now she lived with her aunty and Chu-Mind in Australia, but she not a real aunty of Nam-Huong. She go to school, but she doesn’t have friends. Her classmate always make fun of Nam-Huong and she scared to tells them to happens to her, why she doesn’t talk. She always wrote a letter to her family and her best friend Canary, It’s a bird. She had been quiet for long time until she learn how to smile, laugh and cried for real.
I like this book very much, because all this story tells us about the experiences of Nam-Huong life. It was a very interesting and fantastic book. I also like author’s writing, it easy to understand the meaning of the story.
I had an experience like Nam-Huong too. When I was 8 years old. I was left by my mom in grandma’s care. Like Nam-Huong, I always wanted to see my mom everyday, but I am lucker than Nam-Huong because sometimes my mom she came to visited me. I also experience to helped in the household worked at my young age. I wish Nam-Huong can find her family and her best friend canary like as I am right now!
April 8, 2022
A short book that gives insight into the experiences of a Vietnamese refugee, her life in Australia and the trauma she keeps locked inside.
It was published in 1989, but set even earlier, so it is describing 1970's Australia. This makes some aspects of life very incongruous to experiences today - most notably a teacher camping with her students! Most schools in Sydney would also be much, much more multicultural now than what is described here, but I remember similar experiences growing up.
Nam-Huong's teacher becomes sick, but I didn't feel this added anything to the story. It seemed a strange little aside.
It was published in 1989, but set even earlier, so it is describing 1970's Australia. This makes some aspects of life very incongruous to experiences today - most notably a teacher camping with her students! Most schools in Sydney would also be much, much more multicultural now than what is described here, but I remember similar experiences growing up.
Nam-Huong's teacher becomes sick, but I didn't feel this added anything to the story. It seemed a strange little aside.
July 20, 2022
Read this one to prep for school but was moved to tears by this story. The author gives kids an insight into what life can be like for refugee kids and the hidden trauma they experience through our protagonists voice. Beautiful opportunities to connect, reflect and be grateful.
September 17, 2012
BOOK REVIEW ABOUT ONION TEARS
This is a fantastic and interesting story of a little Vietnam refugee girl named Nam-Huong. She emigrated from Vietnamese to Australia with her grandfather by a small boat. She loses contacts with her family and her best friend for life ‘’little yellow cannery’’. Nam-Huong lived with Aunty and Chu-Minh because her family was in Vietnam. She started going to school but she has no friends because she’s really quite because of what happened to her in her past life. She met a teacher called Miss Lily.Miss Lily tries to listen to Nam-Houng and cheer her up.
Diana Kidd, wrote this book for children to read and enjoy. It might make them realize what they have and appreciate it. This gives the reader a idea of how hard it is to leave the people you love the most and live in a new country.
September 15, 2010
The book onion tears is so interesting story which was happen in veitnam and australia. Nam Huong is the lonely girl of this story. she have long story of her life which is wrote in this book(onion tears)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2014
I did not like it very much, it was boring and predictable.
May 20, 2018
This book is about a child who has recently left home, and travelled far to reach a safe country away from soldiers. She has left behind her family and is living with a foster/ adoption family. The book would be great for children to read to become more aware of refugees, creating a more inclusive classroom if any children can relate to their story. The other children at her school do not understand why she is so quiet, and are not so nice about her circumstance. This book could help children within a classroom to be kinder to others as they may not know their background.
The books uses letters from the child to different characters from her home town. Children could use this book as a basis when learning how to write their own letters.
The books uses letters from the child to different characters from her home town. Children could use this book as a basis when learning how to write their own letters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2024
3 but the beautiful kind.
Diab this one is for you. Takes me back to the time you tried quizzing me the spelling bee cuisine words in the staffroom a few weeks ago. I’m not that good. You also challenged me to add all my teacher reads on here. I’ll give you one but this was my own personal pursuit.
To be continued…
Diab this one is for you. Takes me back to the time you tried quizzing me the spelling bee cuisine words in the staffroom a few weeks ago. I’m not that good. You also challenged me to add all my teacher reads on here. I’ll give you one but this was my own personal pursuit.
To be continued…
October 2, 2018
I really like the book because I liked that she wrote to her canary
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 26, 2019
This book was not my favorite book, but I would made read it again. I think I shows how lucky we are in the USA!
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October 28, 2019Iluke it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2019
Read with the kids at school. Helped them empathise with people who are different.
October 27, 2021
its a good book
October 8, 2017
Its sad that her teacher gets sick and its nice of the girl to go visit her.
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September 17, 2012Author: Diana Kidd
Title: Onion Tears
Onion Tears is an excellent book that tells us about a refugee girl emigrating from Vietnam to Australia for a new life. She emigrated from Vietnam on a small boat and she lost contact with her family. When she immigrated to Australia, a wonderful and kind woman, Aunty (that’s what Nam-Huong calls her), took her as a daughter and let her live in her house. When Nam-Huong left home she never cried real tears, she only cried onion tears when cutting onions in her Aunt’s small restaurant.
In school Nam-Huong is a quiet and lonely girl that gets bullied in class by making fun of her name. Her only friend is the teacher Miss Lily; the students say her house is haunted because they all hate her. She never did anything about the bullying because she can’t talk and cry because she’s bottling everything inside her heart. Nam-Huong hopes that her family will be reunited again one day.
In my opinion this book will be very good for politicians to read
because it tells what asylum seekers go through. Personally I like this book because it tells us about how asylum seekers live and try to escape from wars, so I really recommend it for people to read.
Title: Onion Tears
Onion Tears is an excellent book that tells us about a refugee girl emigrating from Vietnam to Australia for a new life. She emigrated from Vietnam on a small boat and she lost contact with her family. When she immigrated to Australia, a wonderful and kind woman, Aunty (that’s what Nam-Huong calls her), took her as a daughter and let her live in her house. When Nam-Huong left home she never cried real tears, she only cried onion tears when cutting onions in her Aunt’s small restaurant.
In school Nam-Huong is a quiet and lonely girl that gets bullied in class by making fun of her name. Her only friend is the teacher Miss Lily; the students say her house is haunted because they all hate her. She never did anything about the bullying because she can’t talk and cry because she’s bottling everything inside her heart. Nam-Huong hopes that her family will be reunited again one day.
In my opinion this book will be very good for politicians to read
because it tells what asylum seekers go through. Personally I like this book because it tells us about how asylum seekers live and try to escape from wars, so I really recommend it for people to read.
September 1, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️ GOOD
At its heart, this is a story about grief, change, and learning how to live with feelings that don’t have neat solutions. Kidd writes these moments with real sensitivity, trusting young readers to understand complex emotions without spelling everything out. The sadness in the book feels honest, but it’s never overwhelming, there’s warmth and hope threaded all the way through.
The characters feel incredibly real, especially in the way they process loss and confusion. Nothing feels exaggerated or artificial, which makes the emotional moments land even harder. Kidd captures that awkward in between stage of childhood, when you’re old enough to feel deeply but not always old enough to explain what’s going on inside you.
What really stands out is Kidd’s writing style. It’s simple, clear, and quietly beautiful. She knows exactly when to hold back and when to let a moment breathe, which gives the story its lasting impact.
Onion Tears is a tender, thoughtful read that treats young readers with respect and emotional intelligence. It’s the kind of book that helps you understand your own feelings a little better, and that’s a powerful thing at any age.
At its heart, this is a story about grief, change, and learning how to live with feelings that don’t have neat solutions. Kidd writes these moments with real sensitivity, trusting young readers to understand complex emotions without spelling everything out. The sadness in the book feels honest, but it’s never overwhelming, there’s warmth and hope threaded all the way through.
The characters feel incredibly real, especially in the way they process loss and confusion. Nothing feels exaggerated or artificial, which makes the emotional moments land even harder. Kidd captures that awkward in between stage of childhood, when you’re old enough to feel deeply but not always old enough to explain what’s going on inside you.
What really stands out is Kidd’s writing style. It’s simple, clear, and quietly beautiful. She knows exactly when to hold back and when to let a moment breathe, which gives the story its lasting impact.
Onion Tears is a tender, thoughtful read that treats young readers with respect and emotional intelligence. It’s the kind of book that helps you understand your own feelings a little better, and that’s a powerful thing at any age.
July 16, 2012
Onion Tears is a beautiful book about a young refugee girl coming to terms with her new life. Immigrating on a small boat from Vietnam, Nam-Huong loses contact with all of her family and is taken in by "Aunty". The only tears she can shed are those when cutting onions in her aunty's small restaurant. The book illustrates the lack of comprehension by classmates, some of the coping strategies of those who have to flee their homes, and the hope that one day family will be reunited.
Although written for children, this book will touch the hearts of every reader. It is rooted in truth, incorporating the stories of a number of young South-Esat Asian students who had emigrated to Australia, making it even more poignant.
In the classroom this is a book to promote discussion on immigration and refugees. I am looking forward to sharing it with a high school ESL class of young immigrants to Australia.
Although written for children, this book will touch the hearts of every reader. It is rooted in truth, incorporating the stories of a number of young South-Esat Asian students who had emigrated to Australia, making it even more poignant.
In the classroom this is a book to promote discussion on immigration and refugees. I am looking forward to sharing it with a high school ESL class of young immigrants to Australia.
October 12, 2015
Diana Kidd's short novel Onion Tears provides an evocative account of Nam-Huong's life, after fleeing war in Vietnam. Re-settled in Australia, she lives with 'Aunty' and Chu Minh, a chef in Aunty's restaurant. Grief and trauma have left Nam-Huong mute, as she tries to make sense of past and of her new life, neither of which are easy. I have to admit a weakness for mute characters in literature. One reason is that writers have to work extra hard when characters cannot simply speak. One device Diana Kidd uses to give Nam-Huong voice, is a series of letters she composes to the swallows that she imagines are the same ones passing by her family in Vietnam. A really beautiful and emotional story, I have read this several times and think it is excellent for explaining many hardships of a refugee experience to children.
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September 17, 2012Onion Tears by Diana Kidd
Onion Tears is a wonderful book, it’s about a young Vietnamese girl immigrating on a small boat to Australia. She loses connection with her family and she lives with a boy named Chu-Minh and her adopted Aunty in a small restaurant. Nam-Huong goes to school but she has no friends because she doesn’t talk (she is very quiet). She has a teacher named Miss Lily who tries to get Nam-Huong to talk.
I like the book a lot it made me sad for what happened to Nam-Huong but it made me happy towards the end. The book was awesome and fantastic it would help people understand what happens to refugees when they leave their countries.
Onion Tears is a wonderful book, it’s about a young Vietnamese girl immigrating on a small boat to Australia. She loses connection with her family and she lives with a boy named Chu-Minh and her adopted Aunty in a small restaurant. Nam-Huong goes to school but she has no friends because she doesn’t talk (she is very quiet). She has a teacher named Miss Lily who tries to get Nam-Huong to talk.
I like the book a lot it made me sad for what happened to Nam-Huong but it made me happy towards the end. The book was awesome and fantastic it would help people understand what happens to refugees when they leave their countries.
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October 23, 2014TW: Death.
A less advanced novel most suited to middle school students, Onion Tears depicts the life of Nam-Huong, a Vietnamese refugee living in Australia. After the death of her parents, Nam-Huong must adjust to life in Australia with only the support of her adoptive parents and her hostile classmates. Although this is a rather simple novel, its honest portrayal of the difficulties of being a refugee, and of experiencing trauma in general, presents an accessible and engaging text. Some students may already be familiar with the feelings of grief and confusion Nam-Huong must deal with, while others may find her struggle more removed from their experiences.
A less advanced novel most suited to middle school students, Onion Tears depicts the life of Nam-Huong, a Vietnamese refugee living in Australia. After the death of her parents, Nam-Huong must adjust to life in Australia with only the support of her adoptive parents and her hostile classmates. Although this is a rather simple novel, its honest portrayal of the difficulties of being a refugee, and of experiencing trauma in general, presents an accessible and engaging text. Some students may already be familiar with the feelings of grief and confusion Nam-Huong must deal with, while others may find her struggle more removed from their experiences.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2015
A short story about a refugee girl from Vietnam looking for her inner voice and inner peace.
From Nam's point of view, we see the hardship she and her family had gone through during the war in Vietnam to their escape to a new found land (I'm assuming it's Australia).
A beautiful tragic story of war-torn refugees finding a land full of hope and fresh start while embracing who they are and where they came from.
From Nam's point of view, we see the hardship she and her family had gone through during the war in Vietnam to their escape to a new found land (I'm assuming it's Australia).
A beautiful tragic story of war-torn refugees finding a land full of hope and fresh start while embracing who they are and where they came from.
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October 3, 2011The time i read the"onion tears" is that i first arrived USA. Settled in the new country, everything is new..i feel curious sometimes but also helpless. I felt the same feeling as Nam. Thus, this book really taugh me. Exactly strike my mind. This is a book that worth to reading.
August 10, 2012
Moving, extremely powerful and yet delicately written; I've read this book several times since it came out, and still felt I gained something from the latest rereading. Diana Kidd was a wonderful writer and is sadly missed, as both writer and friend.
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March 14, 2016this book is a bout Nam hung travelling with a little boat with her grandfather and leaving her mom and dad at Vietnam and she left Vietnam because there was a war going on their. And now she lives with her aunty and Chu minh and her teacher miss Lilly.
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April 18, 2016When reading this book I noticed that you really have to take your time to understand everything clearly. You have to infer a lot of times because it will not tell you what happens the book shows you.
I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
January 27, 2020
I love this book with all my heart
What a short read it was
And the story was so powerful. A book that everyone should and must read.
It tells a very important and not really talk about story in a different aspect compared to other books.
By far the best book i have read and enjoyed in a long time.
What a short read it was
And the story was so powerful. A book that everyone should and must read.
It tells a very important and not really talk about story in a different aspect compared to other books.
By far the best book i have read and enjoyed in a long time.
March 24, 2010
I just love this book because it is so inshresting. I like when chumen stils six domplings it is so lugny.
February 13, 2012
A good book for young readers dealing with different issues in the life of a refugee girl. Touching but simple enough for kids.
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September 17, 2012it was excellent and fantastic.
June 18, 2013
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews