A Different Pond

In the hush before dawn on a silver Minneapolis pond, young Bao and his father slip through mist to cast lines not for sport, but for supper—a ritual that weaves Economic Justice and Immigration Rights into each gentle tug on the fishing pole. As Bao waits with hopeful breath, his father’s quiet stories of a faraway pond in Vietnam bloom like lanterns against the early sky, illuminating a journey across oceans and memories that no map can contain. Thi Bui’s evocative, graphic-novel art captures every ripple and father-son glance, while Bao Phi’s poetic prose crackles with honest warmth, honoring the courage it takes to leave home and build a new life in America. Together, they reveal how a simple catch can sustain a family and how storytelling nourishes souls just as surely as shared meals. Rich with cultural wisdom and tender resilience, this Caldecott Honor Book invites classrooms, library storytimes, and community reading circles to embrace narratives that bridge old worlds and new—offering students and families a vivid lesson in compassion and the enduring power of hope. Bring this unforgettable picture book into your circle: ask your local library or bookstore to carry A Different Pond and cast its light across every child’s world.