Award-Winning Children's Book: A Different Pond by Katie Stockmal

katiestockmal — 2025-10-15 00:39:24 UTC

A Different Pond by Bao Phi, illustrated by Thi Bui
Copyright Year: 2017

katiestockmal — 2025-10-15 00:39:25 UTC

Caldecott Medal: 2018
Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature (APALA): 2017-2018
Charlotte Zolotow Award: 2018
Boston Globe–Horn Book Award: 2018
Minnesota Book Award: 2018
Ezra Jack Keats Book Award: 2018

Link:

katiestockmal — 2025-10-15 00:39:25 UTC

Bao Phi

katiestockmal — 2025-10-15 21:04:29 UTC

katiestockmal — 2025-10-15 21:09:25 UTC

I selected this book to represent diversity because I believe the story gives a very powerful message, and helps readers understand what it is like being in an immigrant family facing poverty.

katiestockmal — 2025-10-15 21:11:34 UTC

Characters:

The Young Boy: The narrator, who is a Vietnamese American.
The Father: The boy's dad, who is a Vietnamese immigrant.

Setting: The story happens by a little pond during the early hours of the morning before sunrise.

Problem: The family is facing poverty and trying to survive together.

Events:

The father and the young boy go on a fishing trip early in the morning.
The father tells a story about living in Vietnam and the war.
After fishing, they bring the fish home for them to eat later for dinner.

Solution: There is food on the plate, since the son and father went fishing together.

Theme: When times are tough, family always has each other.

katiestockmal — 2025-10-15 21:11:48 UTC

Somebody: The young boy

Wanted: To go fishing with his father so their family can be fed.

But: The immigrant family is poor, and the father has to work two jobs.

So: They go fishing before sunrise, where the father tells the young boy about his past in Vietnam.

They then take the fish back to their home to eat it for dinner.

Finally(theme): The young boy learned about his father's childhood and the effort his family puts in to provide for their household.

Summary:

The young boy wanted to go fishing with his father so their family could be fed, but they are poor and the father has to work two jobs, so they go fishing before sunrise, where the father tells the young boy about his past in Vietnam, and then, they take the fish back to their home to eventually eat it later. The young boy learned about his father's childhood and the effort his family puts in to provide for their household.

katiestockmal — 2025-10-15 21:16:06 UTC

The Young Boy:

1. Helpful

2. Curious

The son is helpful and curious because he assists his father when they go fishing and asks him questions about his life in Vietnam.

The Father:

1. Hard-working

2. Hopeful

The father is hard-working and hopeful because he catches fish for his family to eat, and he is positive even when they are in poverty.

katiestockmal — 2025-10-15 21:16:41 UTC

Right There: Where do the son and father go fishing?
- The father and son go fishing together at the pond.
Think and Search: Why does the father and son go fishing early in the morning?
- The father has to go work, and the food is expensive to buy in the U.S.
Author and Me: What does the boy learn from going fishing with his father?
- He learns about his father's upbringing, the importance of family, and sacrifices made during hard times.
On My Own: What traditions do you have with your family?
- For every holiday, I go to my grandma's house and I cook with my mom.