Beautiful artwork punctuates this powerful story. The Paper Boat belongs in readers’ hands and I would gladly add it to my classroom library.

When I first read the book (through its pictures), I made up a story in my head. It reminded me of a potential teaching exercise of writing a story to pictures and then reading the author’s intent. I loved the use of ants as refugees, the completely visual storytelling, and thought the illustrations were superb.

Heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, tender, and nuanced - but above all, GORGEOUS. "The Paper Boat" illustrates a story inspired by the author's family's emigration from Vietnam in the midst of political unrest and the uprising of the Vietcong. Told from the perspective of a child, using a meaningful allegory that is further explained in the author's note, "The Paper Boat" dazzles with the beauty of its imagery and craft.

This is a beautiful illustrative journey of a family escaping war-zoned vietnam. This books is great for children of all ages and allows children to understand the difficult voyage of refugees without the complex conversation - instead only pictures.

I look forward to finding opportunities to use this in my own classroom.

Did I absolutely love this? Yes. Did it feel at times more like a piece of art for adults instead of a picture book? Also yes. The author's note at the end REALLY helps clarify what's going on. If I had gone into this completely blind I would have been very confused.

Obsessed with the gorgeous cut paper illustrations. The way of showing the ants' story within the larger frame of the family's story is both clever and moving. Because of the wordless nature, this book can be tailored to the intended audience. Read it with a preschooler by focusing in on the ant family and how they overcome the obstacles of their journey. Broaden the focus and age it up as part of a discussion about refugees or alongside learning about the Vietnam War.

This book is an incredible personal history that is relatable to so many. It tells that story of fleeing Vietnam inthe 1970s. The images will engage adults and children alike. I will definitely be purchasing a copy for my classroom and for my children at home.

This is another book I would like to have on my classroom shelf for my older students to look at and discuss. The book's illustrations are so beautiful and detailed; the little expressions on the faces of the ants is perhaps my favorite. I think the illustrations and the experiences of the little ants on the boat could help readers, young children and adults alike, understand more about the refugee experience. I also appreciated the author's note at the end of the story.

Can I also say, that I am really loving that children's books are seeking to introduce children to different cultures and compassion and diversity and understanding, more than just cute animals? One is never too young!

An interesting graphic novel without words- not my style but thought provoking. I did appreciate the explanation of the graphics at the end.

Wonderful wordless story. A beautiful story of the refugee experience. The art is wonderful. Would be a great story to share in a classroom.

The illustrations are the star of the show here. Beautiful collages capture the imagination & the harrowing nature of the refuge experience. Backmatter provides more context for this wordless story.

Wordless Book
I received an electronic ARC from Owlkids Books through NetGalley.
Powerful illustrations bring the reader along on this family's journey from Vietnam to Canada. The two sets of beings - human and ants - show the resilience and spirit needed to survive. Lam begins her family's story after the war is over. They were not safe from the Vietcong and had to flee. The gamut of emotions is clear in the faces and bodies on each page. The ants, too, show their resilience and adaptability as they float in the paper boat to safety. The colors used emphasize the danger and fear as they leave their home.
Strong story to help middle elementary and older readers connect with human strength.

As readers we put our faith in authors to see what we don't and say what we can't. Thao Lam creates a wordless story that needs to be read at least twice. Once slowly and silently, followed by the author's note and then once more so you can be in awe of what she has created with cut paper. The comparisons between ants and refugees is one that has never crossed your mind but after this book you won't be able to shake it.

The Paper Boat is a wordless story about a family fleeing Vietnam. It is also metaphorically told by ants escaping in a paper boat made by a child. As ants flee when their homes are threatened. This family must run as well.

The collage illustrations are beautiful and tell the story well

Without words, this book can be a useful tool for teaching inferencing and predicting.with elementary students.

Make sure to read the author’s note at the end.

Thank you to OwlKids and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

In this story, based on the author's family's escape from Vietnam at the end of the war, we learn how ants played a part in their survival.

This is a wordless picture book, and the author explains at the end how refugees are much like ants, and how when they escape a disaster they go to their new home and rebuild.

A very simple, yet powerful book. A good way to teach about the journey that refugees have to endure.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

"The Paper Boat"by Thao tells an emotional story of family's escape from Vietnam. As all refugee stories, the theme of danger and uncertainty jumps off the page. The story is geared towards older kids due to its mature themes. A nice addition to a growing library of refugee tales.

The Paper Boat is a wordless story that dictates the author's journey to escape his war-torn country. The illustrations are beautiful and packed with meaning and heart. The story is told in parallel to an ant family that was also trying to escape and find freedom. Both families face opposition and grave danger. In the end, they were able to start new lives in a safe, new place.

This wordless graphic novel portrays the escape of a family after the fall of the South Vietnamese government in the conclusion of the Vietnam War. It's paralleled by a story of ants escaping the same area. It's a tad abstract during your first read-through, but when you read the end notes and come back through for a second go-through, it's all a lot clearer and even more enjoyable. In all, this is a neat book, and I think the right middle school audience and maybe high school audience would appreciate it. With a little assistance, an elementary audience could enjoy it as well. I look forward to its publication.

Spectacular illustrations and a message amplified even further with a powerful author's note. This is a picture book for older readers, and may need additional support to be fully appreciated, but it's a phenomenal addition to conversations around refugees and immigration.

The Paper Boat by Thao Lam is a beautifully illustrated wordless story arranged in the style of a comic. Lam looks at the experiences of her own family through a story her own mother told to her as a small child, which ends up being a beautiful and accessible way to tell the story of her own family's refugee journey, as well as a side story of ants making their own similar journey. The art is truly phenomenal, but I wasn't too sure about the story until I read the author's explanation at the end, which really brought it all together in a touching way.

I would definitely recommend this for any teachers or parents looking for a way to make the Vietnam war and refugee stories accessible for children, especially for struggling readers who often get the most out of wordless stories. Overall, it's a touching story through beautiful illustrations and it shouldn't be missed.

Wordless Picture Book. I was excited to read this because of how much I enjoyed [book:My Cat Looks Like My Dad|40828086], though I knew it would be a very different tone. This book is wordless, told entirely through pictures. I have read several wordless picture books, but the thing is: the pictures just can't tell the story in this one. The author's note provided much needed context but it was in the back of the book. Added onto a dislike of ants due to the ones that come in my house every spring, this book was not for me. But it does add to the selection of refugee books available, this one focusing on the refugees fleeing Vietnam after the war officially ended but the Viet Cong were still looking for vengeance. Definitely not for the very young, and best read with an adult.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the digital advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.