Listen, Slowly

This remarkable and bestselling novel from Thanhha Lai, author of the National Book Award–winning and Newbery Honor Book Inside Out & Back Again, follows a young girl as she learns the true meaning of family.

Listen, Slowly is a New York Times Book Review Notable Book and a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year!

A California girl born and raised, Mai can’t wait to spend her vacation at the beach. Instead, she has to travel to Vietnam with her grandmother, who is going back to find out what really happened to her husband during the Vietnam War.

Mai’s parents think this trip will be a great opportunity for their out-of-touch daughter to learn more about her culture. But to Mai, those are their roots, not her own. Vietnam is hot, smelly, and the last place she wants to be. Besides barely speaking the language, she doesn’t know the geography, the local customs, or even her distant relatives. To survive her trip, Mai must find a balance between her two completely different worlds.

Perfect for fans of Rita Williams-Garcia and Linda Sue Park, Listen, Slowly is an irresistibly charming and emotionally poignant tale about a girl who discovers that home and culture, family and friends, can all mean different things.

What happens when the vacation you’ve been dreaming of turns into a search for a grandfather you’ve never met?

• Fish out of Water: From paddleboards to water buffaloes, a California girl trades her beach vacation for a summer of navigating the hot, smelly, and completely unfamiliar world of her family’s Vietnamese village.
• Grandmother and Granddaughter Bond: Mai must help her grandmother find answers about the grandfather who disappeared during the Vietnam War, forging a connection she never expected.
• Humor and Heart: Laugh-out-loud moments mix with touching discoveries in a story about finding that home is more than just one place.
• A Summer in Vietnam: Experience the vibrant sights, sounds, and tastes of modern-day Vietnam through the eyes of a reluctant but hilarious tour guide.