Last flight

This 1975-set fictionalization--based on the author's family's experiences of boarding the final commercial flight out of Saigon--remains moving and powerful decades after the event. An unnamed child narrator describes navigating the city's busy streets, which echo with the sounds of sandals and motorbikes. "Ba taught me,/ 'Don't be afraid.'/ Ma taught me,/ 'Just walk. Don't stop.'/ ...Somehow, we always made it." When war brings new sounds, Ba, employed by Pan Am Airways, promises, "When it's time, we will go to America." But soon "Saigon is falling," and after obstacles complicate the family's departure, creativity and kindness help them get on the last flight. Digitally colored illustrations from Phumiruk render the landscape and figures in architectural detail, while lean, lyrical prose from Giang supplies a suspenseful full-circle arc. An author's note concludes. Ages 4--8. (Apr.)

A Vietnamese family's escape from impending war. In 1975 Saigon, a young girl--based on the author's older sister Linh--and her family cross a bustling street. It's intimidatingly busy, but Ba and Ma taught her, "Don't be afraid….Just walk. Don't stop." And with a deep breath, they make it. But soon the "slap slap of sandals" and "buzz hum of motorbikes" are joined by the new sounds of war--like warning whistles and booms. "Saigon is falling," and the family, like many others, attempts to leave. Drawing from her and her family's experience fleeing Vietnam, Mai Giang relied on accounts from Linh and others to tell this fictionalized story of the last commercial flight out of Saigon before its surrender to North Vietnam. Ba's company, Pan Am, promised to fly the family to America, but bureaucracy and logistics complicate things as conflict grows. With the help and kindness of others, including Ba's boss, Mr. Topping (who is Black), one last flight departs--with the protagonist and her family on it. Bringing the narrative full circle, with a deep breath, the family crosses the street to their new home. Mai Giang's sensory-filled prose gently and evocatively communicates a personal wartime story. Phumiruk's clean, soft illustrations, done in Photoshop and pencil, bring to life a gamut of emotions. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A moving and illuminating story of family, war, courage, and newfound home. (author's note, facts about the flight, photo of author and her family, bibliography) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.