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Fly Free
When you do a good deed, it will come back to you. Mai loves feeding the caged birds near the temple but dreams that one day she'll see them fly free. Then she meets Thu and shares the joy of feeding the birds with her. This sets a chain of good deeds in motion that radiates throughout her village and beyond. Set in Vietnam, Roseanne Thong's inspiring story is elegantly illustrated with watercolor on wood by Eujin Kim Neilan.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
3 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
May 9, 2017
What's good about it:
FLY FREE! is a book about kindness. A young girl performs various kind acts throughout her day, showing that compassion is within the reach of all of us--no matter what our situation. The artwork is appealing and unique, and paints a nice image of time and place.
What's not so good:
The imagery that bookends the story is one of people buying birds in a marketplace so they can be re-released--a longstanding Buddhist custom. While the release of these birds is rooted in compassion, it isn't really humane: merchants capture wild birds and cram them into cages just so someone can pay to release them. It's definitely a bad deal in terms of both animal welfare and conservation--a far more compassionate thing to do for birds is just to leave them and their habitats alone.
FLY FREE! is a book about kindness. A young girl performs various kind acts throughout her day, showing that compassion is within the reach of all of us--no matter what our situation. The artwork is appealing and unique, and paints a nice image of time and place.
What's not so good:
The imagery that bookends the story is one of people buying birds in a marketplace so they can be re-released--a longstanding Buddhist custom. While the release of these birds is rooted in compassion, it isn't really humane: merchants capture wild birds and cram them into cages just so someone can pay to release them. It's definitely a bad deal in terms of both animal welfare and conservation--a far more compassionate thing to do for birds is just to leave them and their habitats alone.
February 6, 2014
The book may be based on the Buddhist philosophy of Karma, but the idea of "paying it forward" is also a Christian precept: Luke 6:30-31: "Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you."
This story is a good example of "paying it forward" as each person who receives a gift, gives a gift to another person. Each gift meets a specific need of that person. And, of course, Mai's desire to set the sparrows free is admirable.
One question I have: if it is such a good Buddhist deed to set animals free, why does the vendor keep sparrows captive for sale? Doesn't the vendor want to do good Buddhist deeds as well?
The illustrations are interesting: watercolors over board, so that the texture of the board shows through in the paintings.
This story is a good example of "paying it forward" as each person who receives a gift, gives a gift to another person. Each gift meets a specific need of that person. And, of course, Mai's desire to set the sparrows free is admirable.
One question I have: if it is such a good Buddhist deed to set animals free, why does the vendor keep sparrows captive for sale? Doesn't the vendor want to do good Buddhist deeds as well?
The illustrations are interesting: watercolors over board, so that the texture of the board shows through in the paintings.
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December 9, 2014Fly Free is about Mai, a young girl growing up in Vietnam and learning about the importance of doing good deeds for other people. Mai is in town and sees some birds held captive and she wants nothing more but to free them. She then sees an oxcart driver and gives him water. The oxcart driver then gives a little old lady a ride to town because it was the right thing to do. Eventually, the circle comes back to Mai with people doing good deeds and someone pays for the birds to be set free. I think this book exemplifies a good demonstration for children to be kind to others even if they do not get something in return. It is natural for kids to not want to share and help their friends because they are still going through their egocentric stage but this book sets a good example.
Thong, R., & Neilan, E. (2010). Fly Free! Honesdale, Pa.: Boyds Mills Press.
Thong, R., & Neilan, E. (2010). Fly Free! Honesdale, Pa.: Boyds Mills Press.
April 29, 2015
Fly Free! Written by Roseanne Thong and illustrated by Eujin Kim Neilan is a book about how good deeds get passed around and eventually work their way back to you. A young girl wants birds in a cage to be released but doesn’t have enough money to pay for them. She does a good deed for someone and then they do one for someone else. Eventually the chain of good deeds makes it back to the girl and someone releases the birds for her. The book takes place in Vietnam and in the author’s note, Thong shares that the book is based off of the idea of Buddhism and karma. This book does a great job at provoking thought about other cultures and makes the reader want to learn more about Buddhism. Along with being though provoking, the story is heartwarming and entertaining. This is a great book for kids and will show them the importance of being kind to one another.
February 6, 2017
This book was selected as one of the books for the February 2014 - Kindness discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
interesting quote:
"At once, he understood how good deeds are passed from one person to the next. A wheel of kindness existed in people's hearts. It turned day and night, through cities, villages, and countryside, until it came back to its origin, making a full circle." (p. 29)
June 26, 2012
This story was an honor book for the 2010-11 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. This story was written to teach students the importance of doing good deeds. They learn how Mai's attempt to free the sparrows leads to many good deeds and eventually it returns to her. It's important for our children to learn the importance of this as they go on in life. This book would be good for any student K-3 or even all ages. The fact that there are only a few lines of words and an easy read would be very appealing to any student.
February 1, 2014
My children and I were awed by the gorgeous illustrations. The illustration of the sunset in particular captured our attention...I feel like I want to stare at it over and over...it is so calming. I love the refrain repeated throughout the book, "When you do a good deed, it will come back to you." I love the circular nature of the story, how each person does a good deed for someone who then pays it forward and finally, a good deed is done for Mai (who started it all) . Nice introduction to Buddhist belief in karma.
June 27, 2012
This would be targeted at a younger audience, grades K-3. The images are very bright and will keep both boys and girls on the edge of their seat because of the wonder if the birds will be set free. APALA Award 2010
February 10, 2014
I loved these beautiful illustrations that accompanied this story of sharing and kindness. Mai's sweet, simple gift is passed on in a lovely tale of how our kind actions help others and may, one day, return to help us.
May 29, 2024
Fly Free! Is a heartwarming, lesson-filled, moving, and powerful story! While reading this book, I was deeply touched. This book highlights the importance of kindness and the ripple effect good deeds can have. It teaches children that even if they do not see the impact their kind actions have, it does not make the impact any less substantial. In fact, there is a wheel of good deeds otherwise known as karma which eventually comes back to benefit the giver in a new and unexpected form. I love this message!
The stunning artwork, compassionate characters, and unique literary style blend together perfectly. This story is a work of art. Expertly crafted to intrigue the reader as a small individual moments come together to form a bigger picture, this book is captivating.
Mai is caring young Vietnamese girl. As a Buddhist she dreams of buying a cage of birds she passes daily so she can set them free. Although her family does not have the money to pay for their release, she hopes each day for their freedom and brings them food to eat. One day she meets Thu, another young girl. She offers her some bird seed so she can feed the birds too and sings an impactful song. This action causes a chain of good deeds. Each person sings the song after the good deed is performed reminding the others to pay it forward when they can.
The stunning artwork, compassionate characters, and unique literary style blend together perfectly. This story is a work of art. Expertly crafted to intrigue the reader as a small individual moments come together to form a bigger picture, this book is captivating.
Mai is caring young Vietnamese girl. As a Buddhist she dreams of buying a cage of birds she passes daily so she can set them free. Although her family does not have the money to pay for their release, she hopes each day for their freedom and brings them food to eat. One day she meets Thu, another young girl. She offers her some bird seed so she can feed the birds too and sings an impactful song. This action causes a chain of good deeds. Each person sings the song after the good deed is performed reminding the others to pay it forward when they can.
September 6, 2017
Creative, beautifully drawn illustrations help to tell a story of kindness. Told through the actions of people, this book displays a chain of good deeds: telling a message that "...when you do a good deed, it will come back to you!" Thus, for young students is weaves an interesting tale, taking place in a foreign land, that will help to teach them the importance of kindness and compassion. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book: not only for it's message of the importance of thoughtfulness and care for others, but also because of its use of beautiful, colorful imagery, and culture to spread that message.
July 21, 2021
This circle story uses a chain of simple interactions between individuals with repetitive phrasing “When you do a good deed it will come back to you.”
Offering patterns of empathy and generosity, each character takes note of someone in greater need, someone whom they have the power to uplift and support.
Within each scene there are moments of gentle joy, portrayed on expansive and richly illustrated images in earthy tones and with subtle textures. A brief author’s note at the back connects the pattern within the story to the Buddhist a principle of the wheel of life, that we are all connected in ways we may never notice or know, but in ways that matter deeply.
Offering patterns of empathy and generosity, each character takes note of someone in greater need, someone whom they have the power to uplift and support.
Within each scene there are moments of gentle joy, portrayed on expansive and richly illustrated images in earthy tones and with subtle textures. A brief author’s note at the back connects the pattern within the story to the Buddhist a principle of the wheel of life, that we are all connected in ways we may never notice or know, but in ways that matter deeply.
October 22, 2021
A picture book that's a lot like Pay It Forward. A girl does a good deed to some one. That person does a good deed to someone else, etc. So it continues and comes back to the original little girl.
The world is a better place.
The one thing that I don't like is that the song/book encourage you to do the good deed SO that it will come back to you.
The world is a better place.
The one thing that I don't like is that the song/book encourage you to do the good deed SO that it will come back to you.
October 17, 2018
This is a multicultural book that shows the culture and traditions in Vietnam. It's a tale that teaches about being giving and kind towards others, and that kindness will come back to you and all pass on to others. I think it's a good book for children of all ages, to treat others with kindness, and it also teaches about a different culture.
December 15, 2022
In the book Fly Free! By Roseanne Thong and Eujin Kim Neilan I found that this is a great book to expose children to what different cultures look like. Exposing them to what a Buddhist Temple looks like, the significance of the birds. Along with that the books lesson behind it is good deeds will be rewarded back by the universe.
January 24, 2025
I love the main theme that runs throughout this book that when you do a good deed, it comes back to you. It was the perfect gate to let me bear my testimony on that fact. I 100% believe that when you do a good deed, you will get blessings. Though we may not be able to see the blessings we receive and though the blessings from the good deed may not come for a long time.
February 6, 2018
A nice story about a girl who wants to free the birds. She does a kind deed, then that person does a kind deed, and it passes on down until it ends up back at the first person. A man comes to pay to free the birds b/c of a kind deed, and thus the girl gets her wish.
February 16, 2019
Beautiful illustrations painted on wood explain how kindness can be passed in a circle around a community.
April 23, 2019
A message of peace, a message of nurturing the wheel of kindness in our hearts and paying it forward. Beautifully narrated and illustrated.
November 6, 2018
I like these beautiful illustrations of this book and it also tells us that how our good actions help others and may, one day, return to help us.
March 20, 2020
Realistic Fiction
Fly Free! is a great book about a young girl who starts a circle of good deeds that eventually comes back to her. It begins when she befriends the birds caged in front of the Temple. All she wants is for them to be free, and little does she know that her acts of kindness eventually lead to just this.
Fly Free! is a great book about a young girl who starts a circle of good deeds that eventually comes back to her. It begins when she befriends the birds caged in front of the Temple. All she wants is for them to be free, and little does she know that her acts of kindness eventually lead to just this.
June 13, 2013
Audience: Primary
Genre: Reality Fiction
Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature
Text-to-World Connection
Fly Free! is a story about how one good deed leads to another. In the story, a Vietnamese girl, named Mai, does something nice for another girl. Then, that girl does something nice for a gentlemen. The good deeds continue to be passed on until one day a monk does something nice for Mai. This book exemplifies the Buddhist belief that the effects of doing good deeds will come back to you some day, just like a boomerang. The chain of good deeds becomes a circle. The effects of doing good deeds was also portrayed in the movie, Pay It Forward, in which people's lives were changed because someone went out of their way and did something nice for them. In the movie, the recipients of the good deeds in turn paid it forward and did something nice for someone else. In the the real world, there are sporadic incidents when people do good deeds for others, especially during times of crisis, but most of the time people tend to take care of their own needs here in the United States. One time, though, my oldest son drove his car through the drive-thru at Burger King and the lady in the car in front of him paid the cashier for his meal, before he had a chance to drive up to the drive-thru window! He did not know the lady; she was a stranger. If everyone in the world constantly did good deeds for others, what a difference this would make to the world we live in. People would be so much happier. What if countries of the world did the same thing; that is, did good deeds for other countries? Perhaps the world leaders would learn to trust each other, rely on each other, and be at peace, knowing that other countries were looking out for them. But, unfortunately, in the real world, if forced to make a choice, countries, in the end, will look out for their own citizens and their own interests. Fortunately, the United States does have a few true and faithful allies today, such as the United Kingdom and Japan, but the U.S. still has far too many enemies.
As a final note, the author, Roseanne Thong, got the idea for writing Fly Free! when she was on vacation in Vietnam. While she was visiting this country, she witnessed a family paying for the release of some birds. This intrigued her. In the beginning of the story, Fly Free!, Mai wishes she had money so that she could pay for the release of some birds. In the end, though, it is the monk that does a good deed for Mai by granting her wish and making it possible for the birds to fly free. Buddhists believe that birds will be reincarnated and become higher beings in their next life. Therefore, the Vietnamese people are perceived as doing a good deed for the birds, as the birds' release elevates the birds' chances of being reincarnated to a higher level. The releasing of birds really does happen in Vietnam, as more people in Vietnam belong to the Buddhist religion than any other religion. Although they may not always succeed, the Buddhists of Vietnam aspire to live their lives as it is portrayed in this book.
Genre: Reality Fiction
Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature
Text-to-World Connection
Fly Free! is a story about how one good deed leads to another. In the story, a Vietnamese girl, named Mai, does something nice for another girl. Then, that girl does something nice for a gentlemen. The good deeds continue to be passed on until one day a monk does something nice for Mai. This book exemplifies the Buddhist belief that the effects of doing good deeds will come back to you some day, just like a boomerang. The chain of good deeds becomes a circle. The effects of doing good deeds was also portrayed in the movie, Pay It Forward, in which people's lives were changed because someone went out of their way and did something nice for them. In the movie, the recipients of the good deeds in turn paid it forward and did something nice for someone else. In the the real world, there are sporadic incidents when people do good deeds for others, especially during times of crisis, but most of the time people tend to take care of their own needs here in the United States. One time, though, my oldest son drove his car through the drive-thru at Burger King and the lady in the car in front of him paid the cashier for his meal, before he had a chance to drive up to the drive-thru window! He did not know the lady; she was a stranger. If everyone in the world constantly did good deeds for others, what a difference this would make to the world we live in. People would be so much happier. What if countries of the world did the same thing; that is, did good deeds for other countries? Perhaps the world leaders would learn to trust each other, rely on each other, and be at peace, knowing that other countries were looking out for them. But, unfortunately, in the real world, if forced to make a choice, countries, in the end, will look out for their own citizens and their own interests. Fortunately, the United States does have a few true and faithful allies today, such as the United Kingdom and Japan, but the U.S. still has far too many enemies.
As a final note, the author, Roseanne Thong, got the idea for writing Fly Free! when she was on vacation in Vietnam. While she was visiting this country, she witnessed a family paying for the release of some birds. This intrigued her. In the beginning of the story, Fly Free!, Mai wishes she had money so that she could pay for the release of some birds. In the end, though, it is the monk that does a good deed for Mai by granting her wish and making it possible for the birds to fly free. Buddhists believe that birds will be reincarnated and become higher beings in their next life. Therefore, the Vietnamese people are perceived as doing a good deed for the birds, as the birds' release elevates the birds' chances of being reincarnated to a higher level. The releasing of birds really does happen in Vietnam, as more people in Vietnam belong to the Buddhist religion than any other religion. Although they may not always succeed, the Buddhists of Vietnam aspire to live their lives as it is portrayed in this book.
July 16, 2013
Fly Free!
Audience: K-2 and older
Genre: Multicultural picture book, Asian
Award:
•Asia/Pacific American Award for Literature (APAAL) 2010-2011 Honor Book
•The Society of School Librarians International 2010 Honor Book Award in Language Arts-picture books
•2011 Notable Books for Global Society List
Review: This is another story that touches my heart! I love reading these types of books to my children when they are young because I want them to emulate the values and actions of kindness performed by the characters. This story makes for substantive discussion and empathizing.
The story is about Mai, a young girl who is visiting a Buddhist temple at dawn. She longs to free the sparrows in the cage by the temple gates. She can only afford to feed them. To free them would take more money than her family can spare. However, to set an animal free was a good deed and the Buddhist way.
Mai notices Thu and her beautiful red slippers. She offers Thu her bird- seed and whispers, “Fly free, fly free, in the sky so blue. When you do a good deed, it will come back to you.” Thu leaves the temple and performs a good deed by giving her slippers to a girl with no shoes. This cycle goes on throughout the story as each person repeats the song willingly “paying it forward.” In the end, a man who has been blessed understands this cycle of kindness and gives all of his money to set the sparrows free. Mai is present to open the cage door.
Quote promoting visual imagery: “It was early morning, and the sun had just risen round and red as a parasol. The earth under Mai’s toes was cool, but the sun’s first rays cast a warm, golden glow on pagoda eaves. Mai looked for the familiar cage of sparrows for sale by the temple gates.”
Rationale: I chose this quote because if perfectly promotes visualization with one caveat. I think some of our students need to have some background knowledge activated or schema developed in order to adequately visualize the story. For instance, I would want to demonstrate or show pictures of a parasol. I would clarify what a pagoda is and show where the eaves are. This book has beautiful illustrations, but some of the vocabulary is rich with description and may need to be clarified for students to appreciate and imagine the story. Some examples are: cradling a foot, drawing water from a well, business was brisk, a lone monk with an alms bowl, and acupuncture.
Another quote that I find memorable but that relates more to the theme of the story is: “A wheel of kindness existed in people’s hearts. It turned day and night, through cities, villages, and countryside, until it came back to its origin, making a full circle.”
I enjoy this book and hope to add it to my children’s picture book library at home.
Audience: K-2 and older
Genre: Multicultural picture book, Asian
Award:
•Asia/Pacific American Award for Literature (APAAL) 2010-2011 Honor Book
•The Society of School Librarians International 2010 Honor Book Award in Language Arts-picture books
•2011 Notable Books for Global Society List
Review: This is another story that touches my heart! I love reading these types of books to my children when they are young because I want them to emulate the values and actions of kindness performed by the characters. This story makes for substantive discussion and empathizing.
The story is about Mai, a young girl who is visiting a Buddhist temple at dawn. She longs to free the sparrows in the cage by the temple gates. She can only afford to feed them. To free them would take more money than her family can spare. However, to set an animal free was a good deed and the Buddhist way.
Mai notices Thu and her beautiful red slippers. She offers Thu her bird- seed and whispers, “Fly free, fly free, in the sky so blue. When you do a good deed, it will come back to you.” Thu leaves the temple and performs a good deed by giving her slippers to a girl with no shoes. This cycle goes on throughout the story as each person repeats the song willingly “paying it forward.” In the end, a man who has been blessed understands this cycle of kindness and gives all of his money to set the sparrows free. Mai is present to open the cage door.
Quote promoting visual imagery: “It was early morning, and the sun had just risen round and red as a parasol. The earth under Mai’s toes was cool, but the sun’s first rays cast a warm, golden glow on pagoda eaves. Mai looked for the familiar cage of sparrows for sale by the temple gates.”
Rationale: I chose this quote because if perfectly promotes visualization with one caveat. I think some of our students need to have some background knowledge activated or schema developed in order to adequately visualize the story. For instance, I would want to demonstrate or show pictures of a parasol. I would clarify what a pagoda is and show where the eaves are. This book has beautiful illustrations, but some of the vocabulary is rich with description and may need to be clarified for students to appreciate and imagine the story. Some examples are: cradling a foot, drawing water from a well, business was brisk, a lone monk with an alms bowl, and acupuncture.
Another quote that I find memorable but that relates more to the theme of the story is: “A wheel of kindness existed in people’s hearts. It turned day and night, through cities, villages, and countryside, until it came back to its origin, making a full circle.”
I enjoy this book and hope to add it to my children’s picture book library at home.
July 13, 2013
Audience: Primary
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Quote: "The monk nodded his thanks, his orange robe streaming behind him like the sun's rays. As he walked off, a song drifted on the morning breeze...Fly free, fly free, in the sky so blue. When you do a good deed, it will come back to you." (pp.22-23)
The reason that I chose this quote is because the first sentence has a great description of the monk, and it uses a simile to compare the monk's orange robe with the sun's rays. This first sentence is a good visual for a reader, which also includes a mental picture of the monk nodding his head because he is thankful that a woman gave him a bowlful of rice in the story. The reason that I chose the rest of this quote is because the girl, Mai, was Buddhist, and it was a good deed to set animals free in her culture. Mai visited birds who were trapped in a cage and she wanted to free them, but she did not have the money. Mai began saying the last two sentences in this quote because of the trapped birds and her culture. These two sentences were repeated throughout the entire story as one good deed was passed onto another person. I also enjoyed this quote because every time that it was repeated, it made me think about these birds that Mai wanted to free, and an image was painted in my head of the birds gaining their freedom and flying high in the sky. The last sentence of the quote gives a good visual by showing that people who do good deeds eventually receive their own good deed.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Quote: "The monk nodded his thanks, his orange robe streaming behind him like the sun's rays. As he walked off, a song drifted on the morning breeze...Fly free, fly free, in the sky so blue. When you do a good deed, it will come back to you." (pp.22-23)
The reason that I chose this quote is because the first sentence has a great description of the monk, and it uses a simile to compare the monk's orange robe with the sun's rays. This first sentence is a good visual for a reader, which also includes a mental picture of the monk nodding his head because he is thankful that a woman gave him a bowlful of rice in the story. The reason that I chose the rest of this quote is because the girl, Mai, was Buddhist, and it was a good deed to set animals free in her culture. Mai visited birds who were trapped in a cage and she wanted to free them, but she did not have the money. Mai began saying the last two sentences in this quote because of the trapped birds and her culture. These two sentences were repeated throughout the entire story as one good deed was passed onto another person. I also enjoyed this quote because every time that it was repeated, it made me think about these birds that Mai wanted to free, and an image was painted in my head of the birds gaining their freedom and flying high in the sky. The last sentence of the quote gives a good visual by showing that people who do good deeds eventually receive their own good deed.
December 2, 2013
Fly Free is a picture book by Roseanne Thong and is illustrated by Enjin Kim Neilan that teaches young children about a couple of the Vietnamese traditions and how they practice Buddhist traditions. There is a young girl named Mai and she starts practicing kindness and good acts because as a Buddhist she believes in karma. Eventually, all of her good acts bring good karma back to her and she receives money from her friend to set some sparrows free at the end of the story, which is a tradition in their culture. The book also displays how good acts of kindness and how one should “pay it forward” which leads to a “wheel of kindness” as they call it in the book. Mai and some of the other characters sing “Fly free, fly free in the sky so blue. When you do a good deed, it will come back to you!” This book is well-written and is much more like a story than just plainly telling the reader about Vietnamese people and the Buddhist religion. It connects to real cultural details and ideas though such as karma, reincarnation, and the wheel of life. The book lightly touches on cultural issues like how the Vietnamese do things in a more old-fashioned manner and that they are poor and sometimes cannot even afford shoes. The purpose of this book is to teach a little about Vietnam and to help spread good acts of kindness. The characters in this book are gracious and have peculiar relationships.
Thong, R. (2010). Fly free! (E. Neilan, Illustrator). Honesdale, PA: Boyd Mills Press, Inc.
Thong, R. (2010). Fly free! (E. Neilan, Illustrator). Honesdale, PA: Boyd Mills Press, Inc.
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September 30, 2015I want to talk about the cover of this book first, it is a picture of sun rise, and there are several birds in the view.A little girl was bracing the sun. It really shows the topic which is Fly Free.On the first page, there are an intoduction and a sentence which is "Fly free, fly free, inthe sky so blue. When you do a good deed, it will come back to you" on the dusk jacket.And then on the next page,here is a picture same as the cover. On the first page of the story, there is a spread, and the words are under the picture.The space is not in write but in burlywood.That makes me comfortable and relaxed. On the next page, there is also a spread, but the words come to the right side of the picture.And the words come to the left of the picture on the next page.And then right again, and below the picture again. It keeps changing until the last page, the words are on the picture,and the words are the same as what it is on the dusk jucket.The end echos the beginning.If I always read the words at the same place, it will getting borin.But Changing the position of words makes me feel interested.Readers like to read something out of expectation.
About the content of this book, I want to say it is a meaningful story. It is similar to the movie Pay it Forward. It tells children to do good indeeds.
About the content of this book, I want to say it is a meaningful story. It is similar to the movie Pay it Forward. It tells children to do good indeeds.
April 24, 2016
Fly Free by Roseanne Thong is a story about a young named Mai who lives in Vietnam. Every morning Mai looks for the familiar cage of sparrows for sale by the temple and wants to set them free. According to Buddhist tradition, it was a good deed to set an animal free. Mai believes in karma. Throughout the story she practices kindness and at the end of the story it comes back to her because the birds she loves are set free. Kindness is passed from one character to the next starting with Mai, Thur, a young girl, Ong Hai, then an old woman and lastly a monk. One of the main themes in the story is how acts of kindness lead to good things. This is seen at the end of the story when the monk realizes how good deeds are passed from one person to the next through the “wheel of kindness”. This would be an excellent book to use in the classroom to teach students about kindness. Throughout the story, the characters are kind to one another and in return the birds are set free. Another reason this book could be used in the classroom is because it teaches students about Buddhist and Vietnamese cultures. For example, it is a good deed to set an animal free. The illustrations are beautifully done with watercolor on done. The illustrations reinforce the text and help readers learn about Buddhist and Vietnamese cultures.
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April 22, 2014Fly Free is a picture book by Roseanne Thong and is illustrated by Enjin Kim Neilan, which educates young children about Buddhist and Vietnamese traditions. One of the characters is Mai, a young girl, who practices Buddhism. She believes in karma so she practices kindness and good acts to fulfill the practice. By the end of the story all of her good acts bring good karma back to her. She receives money from her friend in order to set the sparrows free. Setting the sparrows free is a tradition in the Vietnamese culture. One of the major themes in this book is how acts of kindness leads to good things in the book there are references to “”pay it forward” which leads to the “wheel of kindness.” The book title also plays a key rile in this picture book, Mai and some other characters sing “Fly free, fly free in the sky so blue. When you do a good deed, it will come back to you!” which reinforces the theme of picture book. Beautifully written, this story helps students learn about Vietnamese and Buddhist cultures through a story rather than facts just being read off. It teaches the reader how the Vietnamese like to do things the old-fashioned way. The main purpose is to educate the reader on how spreading acts of kindness is contagious.
April 25, 2014
Fly Free is a picture book by Roseanne Thong and is illustrated by Enjin Kim Neilan, which educates young children about Buddhist and Vietnamese traditions. One of the characters is Mai, a young girl, who practices Buddhism. She believes in karma so she practices kindness and good acts to fulfill the practice. By the end of the story all of her good acts bring good karma back to her. She receives money from her friend in order to set the sparrows free. Setting the sparrows free is a tradition in the Vietnamese culture. One of the major themes in this book is how acts of kindness leads to good things in the book there are references to “”pay it forward” which leads to the “wheel of kindness.” The book title also plays a key role in this picture book; Mai and some other characters sing “Fly free, fly free in the sky so blue. When you do a good deed, it will come back to you!” which reinforces the theme of picture book. Beautifully written, this story helps students learn about Vietnamese and Buddhist cultures through a story rather than facts just being read off. It teaches the reader how the Vietnamese like to do things the old-fashioned way. The main purpose is to educate the reader on how spreading acts of kindness is contagious.
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April 26, 2015Fly Free is a picture book by Roseanne Thong and is illustrated by Enjin Kim Neilan, which educates young children about Buddhist and Vietnamese traditions. One of the characters is Mai, a young girl, who practices Buddhism. She believes in karma so she practices kindness and good acts to fulfill the practice. By the end of the story all of her good acts bring good karma back to her. She receives money from her friend in order to set the sparrows free. Setting the sparrows free is a tradition in the Vietnamese culture. One of the major themes in this book is how acts of kindness leads to good things in the book there are references to “”pay it forward” which leads to the “wheel of kindness.” The book title also plays a key role in this picture book; Mai and some other characters sing “Fly free, fly free in the sky so blue. When you do a good deed, it will come back to you!” which reinforces the theme of picture book. Beautifully written, this story helps students learn about Vietnamese and Buddhist cultures through a story rather than facts just being read off. It teaches the reader how the Vietnamese like to do things the old-fashioned way. The main purpose is to educate the reader on how spreading acts of kindness is contagious.
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