Words Between Us: A Tender Picture Book About Family, Food, and Love Across Generations for Children

by Angela Pham Krans, Dung Ho (Illustrator)

From Angela Pham Krans (Finding Papa) and Dung Ho (New York Times bestselling illustrator of Eyes That Kiss in the Corners) comes a poignant picture book that tenderly portrays the intergenerational bond between a boy named Felix and his grandma that’s cemented over food—and flash cards—when Grandma comes to live with Felix’s family from Vietnam. Perfect for fans of Drawn Together.

Felix and Grandma have always lived oceans apart—until the day Grandma arrives. Felix is so excited to meet Grandma and spend time with her.

Except she doesn’t know English!

And he doesn’t know much Vietnamese!

But maybe they can connect in other ways—like over their shared love of pizza.

One day, when Grandma gets lost and doesn’t know how to ask for help, Felix decides to teach her English. And by working together and teaching each other, they just might learn to share words as well.

This tender and heartwarming story from Angela Pham Krans and Dung Ho shows how love transcends language and how food and flashcards can bring family together.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Food, Language, Cultural, Childrens, Aapi

40 pages, Hardcover

Published October 3, 2023

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Generations. Words. Differences. Opportunities.

What happens when Felix finally gets to meet his Grandma from Vietnam and they don’t speak the same language?

Felix decides to show his Grandma his world, and she decides to show him hers – without words. But one day when they are out and about together, he loses her, and realizes because she is lost, this is an opportunity to teach her English – using picture cards.

This book is about the beauty of learning – not just what adults can teach children, but what children can teach adults.

Reading Level: Ages 4 – 8 years – Pre-school – Grade 3rd

[SaraKat · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story about a loving, multi-generational, Vietnamese family. The relationship between the Grandmother and Grandson is the ideal that all families can hope for. One of the main ideas of the story is how scary it can be to be lost and not able to ask for help. Learning a new language helps Grandma feel more safe since she is able to ask for help. The illustrations are lovely.

[D.K. Ryland · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story about the special relationship between grandmother and grandson. Felix is such a sweet and kind character and Pham expertly builds the relationship between him and his Grandma who has come to live with him from Vietnam. Sweet, charming, and heartfelt - this picture book is a must read!

[Christine Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet story! The emotions come across nicely, and the story is well-structured. It struck me how effortless the illustrations depicted diversity and how beautifully the illustrations accompany the story. This is such a lovely book!

[McKenzie Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

For more bookish opinions, visit my blog: Craft-Cycle

A beautiful picture book about language, heritage, and the bond between a grandmother and grandchild. I love the way Felix and his grandmother connect across generations, languages, and cultures, sharing things they enjoy with each other.

Felix is so excited for his grandmother to come to America and meet him for the first time. They spend time together and learn from one another. But when they get separated at a festival, his grandmother can't ask for help because no one around her understands Vietnamese. Felix takes it upon himself to make sure his grandmother doesn't have to be scared again.

I love how Felix helped empower his grandmother by teaching her English. It was such a sweet moment and it was wonderful to see their relationship deepen.

As always, Ho's artwork is beautiful. Wonderful, bright illustrations that bring Felix and his family to life.

At the start of the book is a glossary of Vietnamese terms with their pronunciations. There is also a recipe for Felix's grandmother's Vietnamese pizza (bánh tráng nướng) at the end.

A fantastic read. Pairs well with Minh Lê's Drawn Together.

[Maritere Rodriguez Bellas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up with a grandmother that didn’t speak English. Her heritage language was Spanish. She knew I spoke English and would enjoy when I shared English words with her. It’s a memory I cherish. My husband’s Greek grandmother also knew very little English, and he would teach her words in English so she could communicate with others. They were very close.

WORDS BETWEEN US is an ode to the amazing bond that can form between a child and a grandparent, regardless of language. Yet a story that confirms how language has a role in solidifying and strengthening that bond. A gifted writer, Angela Pham Krans has penned a sweet and relatable story that highlights language and culture. A story that reminds us that family relationships can be nurtured by something as simple as learning words from each other. Beautifully illustrated by Dung Ho, I also love how Felix and Grandma shared their culture and their interests with each other, helping them both feel loved and validated. A picture book that will delight children from any cultural background!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty cute book. The illustrations were cute and colorful and I generally liked the story. My favorite page was probably the one where the boy and grandmother are at the fair and have lost one another, separated on different pages. Even if you weren't able to read any of the words, the emotions and plot were still clear to understand.

I also liked that they start the book with a glossary of Vietnamese words and how to pronounce them. And the ending with the "Vietnamese pizza" was pretty adorable. Small critique but I feel like it's a little unrealistic that this family would have a gecko, but this is just a personal take. I loved the relationship between the boy and the grandma and I thought it was clever to have him teach her some English.

Overall not an instant classic but I enjoyed it for sure.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet story of a Vietnamese grandmother coming to live with her English speaking grandson and family. Felix is excited to have his grandmother come. He gives her a tour of the city, teaches her to play the drums, show her how to care for his iguana, while she shows him pictures of her village, teaches him Vietnamese songs and shows him how to garden. However, when he takes her to a festival and get separated, Felix offers to teach his grandmother English. Backmatter includes a recipe for Vietnamese Pizza.

[Vivian Kirkfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've done a bit of traveling overseas and I know how scary it can be to find yourself in a place where no one understands you. Author Angela Pham Krans finds a perfect way to capture that feeling - and give agency to the young child in the story who is able to help his grandmother gain confidence and the words she needs to express herself. The illustrations are captivating. Kids and adults will love this story that serves as mirrors and windows for the readers.

[Binxie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful story of multi-generational friendship and love. Ba comes to live with Felix and his family. Although they share a lot, Ba does not speak English. But with the loving help and encouragement of Felix, she learns the language. The illustrations reinforce the blend of the cultures, the love of the family, and the incredibly special relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren.

[Sylvia Chen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of lively, fun details and a wide range of heart-stirring expressions, WORDS BETWEEN US incorporates such excellent language immersion, relatable family culture and circumstances, and an empowering storyline. I love how it deftly captures really important topics such as learning a new language, helping to teach each other in practical ways, intergenerational relationships, keeping an open mind, and building bridges across cultures. Most highly recommended!

[Grace Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gentle and sweet story about compassion, growth, learning, and loving between a grandmother from Vietnam and her American grandson. The colorful and approachable yet evocative illustrations were friendly but still told an emotional story with care and tenderness. My favorite yet saddest part of the book was when the boy couldn’t find his grandmother and she didn’t know how to ask for help. But that moment jumpstarted the next act’s storyline and another way for the characters to connect on another level. Amazing storytelling 🫶🏻

[Tenesha L. Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading 'Finding Papa,' I had to grab 'Words Between Us' ASAP. And I was not disappointed! As a language lover, it was nice to learn some new words in a language I'd mostly only heard while going to middle and high school while I was growing up. Beautiful artwork and a recipe I'm dying to try are just bonuses!

[Margie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felix finally meets his grandmother who comes from Vietnam to live with his family. They learn ways to help each other with their respective languages which brings them even closer after Felix realizes he needs to help his grandmother learn English for her safety. This is a beautiful and heartfelt story, no matter where the grandmother might be from.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joining a group of picture books that explore a grandparent and their grandchild meeting later on in life due to distance (which also comes with speaking different languages), this book is a lovely celebration of the deep love and affection a Grandma and her grandson Felix have for each other and the ways they help each other.

[Steena Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This endearing book tells about a boy and his grandma who is visiting America for the first time and doesn't speak English. He helps her learn English words and they share many sweet moments of bonding. A delicious Vietnamese pizza recipe is included at the back, and I enjoyed making it with my kids. A beautiful intergenerational story about love, this book is a new family favorite!

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young boy and his grandmother learn to communicate and bond through food and words as his grandma begins to learn English after moving to the US from Vietnam.

We discussed being effective communicators as we read this.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A boy teaches his Vietnamese grandmother how to speak English, and she teaches him the universal language of love. Engaging illustrations show how this extended family maintains their cultural traditions in a busy, urban, multicultural environment.

[elstaffe]

Pull quote/note
"Felix taught Grandma the important words first.
'Cheese'
'Chee'" correct

"When she's not drawing, [Dung Ho] spends time cooking (eating), watching movies, and tending her plants." Legit parenthetical there

[KMitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very sweet story about an intergenerational Vietnamese family in the US. Recipe inside the back cover!

[Between Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing kids book!! Great story and great pictures 💖

[Awjtf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book!

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story of family and culture

[Mari]

I love the illustrations... and there are hijabis featured!
sweet book

[Alissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book because it talks about the Vietnamese culture while also a heartfelt story about a woman learning English.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

A boy meets his grandmother for the first time. She speaks another language. They get separated at a fair. They start teaching each other their languages. Cute.

[Alyssa Gudenburr · Rating 5 out of 5]

A warm fuzzy story about a grandmother who moves to the United States and the beautiful bond she forms with her grandson.

[Sophie Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that it was cute and teaches kids about a different language

[Lannie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book. A melding of English and Vietnamese seamlessly mixed together in this story about a child meeting their Vietnamese grandmother. They each learn the language of the other, and also some challenges in pronunciation in a lighthearted manner.

I LOVE that the book has the correct Vietnamese spelling with the correct accents, which is unfortunately quite rare. The end of the book also had a recipe for “peet suh” as well as bánh xèo, aka “Vietnamese pizza (kinda not really, but a sweet comparison).”

Highly recommend for foodies and Vietnamese readers young and young at heart!

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first time Felix got to meet his grandmother was the day she arrived from Vietnam to live with them. She couldn't speak English and he didn't know Vietnamese. They communicated fairly well, but the day they got separated at a festival and she couldn't ask for help in finding him, Felix knew he had to teach her to speak English. Their relationship grew stronger as they learned to communicate through words.