Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 06/01/2023 *Starred Review* Pham’s (Sumo, 2012) extraordinary memoir just might be the toothsome gift we didn’t know we needed. Pham was five when his family escaped Vietnam by boat. His earliest memory originates then, in the taste of the rice ball he ate after his family survived a vicious pirate attack (the black space in this sequence is particularly powerful): “the saltiness of the fish . . . the sweetness of the rice” endures. Over eight chapters, Pham highlights personally iconic foods to encapsulate certain portions of his life thus far, beginning and concluding with “rice and fish” eaten in vastly different situations, first as that vulnerable child and decades later during a citizenship celebration with his family. In between, Pham recalls bánh cu?n (rice rolls) in the Thai refugee camp; their first American meal of steak and potatoes; the strawberries and potato chips that epitomized becoming “officially American”; the Salisbury steak of free school lunches; the ham-and-cheese croissant signaling the family’s hope for financial independence; and a reconnection with his Vietnamese heritage in com t?m d?c bi?t (broken rice platter). Pham presents his predominantly six-panel pages in earthy tones of browns, greens, and grays. His depiction of gaining English and losing Vietnamese via parallel text bubbles is brilliant. Gene Luen Yang (Pham’s Level Up (2011) cocreator) makes a delightful cameo. Pham’s endnotes—a comical, poignant Q&A—add even more delectable delight. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.

Booklist - 06/15/2023 *Starred Review* Pham’s (Sumo, 2012) extraordinary memoir just might be the toothsome gift we didn’t know we needed. Pham was five when his family escaped Vietnam by boat. His earliest memory originates then, in the taste of the rice ball he ate after his family survived a vicious pirate attack (the black space in this sequence is particularly powerful): “the saltiness of the fish . . . the sweetness of the rice” endures. Over eight chapters, Pham highlights personally iconic foods to encapsulate certain portions of his life thus far, beginning and concluding with “rice and fish” eaten in vastly different situations, first as that vulnerable child and decades later during a citizenship celebration with his family. In between, Pham recalls bánh cu?n (rice rolls) in the Thai refugee camp; their first American meal of steak and potatoes; the strawberries and potato chips that epitomized becoming “officially American”; the Salisbury steak of free school lunches; the ham-and-cheese croissant signaling the family’s hope for financial independence; and a reconnection with his Vietnamese heritage in com t?m d?c bi?t (broken rice platter). Pham presents his predominantly six-panel pages in earthy tones of browns, greens, and grays. His depiction of gaining English and losing Vietnamese via parallel text bubbles is brilliant. Gene Luen Yang (Pham’s Level Up (2011) cocreator) makes a delightful cameo. Pham’s endnotes—a comical, poignant Q&A—add even more delectable delight. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 06/01/2023 Gr 9 Up—In this graphic memoir, Pham shares with readers memories of his family's immigration to the U.S. and their efforts to achieve "the American Dream." Each chapter is framed around a specific food that is central to his memory of critical points in his life. Starting with his first memory at five years old, Pham relates his family's experience of fleeing Vietnam by boat and being given rice and fish by a passing ship. Other chapters focus on the family finally making it to the U.S. (celebratory meal of steak and potatoes), Pham attending an English-speaking school for the first time (cafeteria-served Salisbury steak), and reconnecting with his Vietnamese heritage through a friend (shared meal of Co'm tâ' m d– c bi t). Throughout, Pham's mother shines as the hero of the story, even if his younger self was not fully aware at the time of everything she did to protect his childhood. This can be seen in small moments, such as her treating Pham and his brother to expensive potato chips and in more extreme situations like the powerful scene in which she shields his vision and calmly talks him through a horrendous and brutal pirate attack. Pham's detailed artwork and expert use of the graphic novel format will doubtlessly transport readers into each compelling memory. VERDICT A delicious series of memories full of hope and human connections despite the hardships of immigrating to a new home.—Amanda Melilli - Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.