Monday, July 14, 2025

The Words We Share by Jack Wong - ESSENTIAL

The Words We Share
by Jack Wong
. PICTURE BOOK.  Annick Press, 2023. $23. 9781773217970 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL 
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Angie's dad only speaks Cantonese. They have moved up to Canada and he relies on Angie to translate restaurant menus and interact with his community. He is able to get a job as a janitor and wants to create signs in English to remind people to clean up after themselves. Angie helps him create signs and sees that translating is a need that her whole community has. She begins helping others, but translates one sign at a laundry mat incorrectly. Will she be brave enough to make this right? Will people still want her to help them with their signs? 

I liked this story because it shows how kids can help newly immigrated families interact with their new community. Angie goes to school and therefore learns English faster than her dad. This book shows how many many people living in places like Little Chinatown have a hard time with language barriers, even though they have lived there for years. The characters speak Cantonese. 

A. Criswell, English Language Arts teacher 

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