When Heaven Fell (by Carolyn Marsden)
common sense media says
Snapshot of Vietnamese culture past and present.
parents & educators say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this book is about recollections of the Vietnam War from the perspective of a Vietnamese family, including loved ones dying, bombs dropping, and villages destroyed. A mother, pregnant by an American soldier and fearful for her daughter's life, gives up her child for adoption in America. There are few books that suitably describe this important piece of history for young readers, but this one has accomplished this through the eyes of a likeable Vietnamese 9-year-old girl. Though she was not yet born during this time, she is very curious and asks many questions. The reader learns of traditions, customs, and ways of life that are inherent in Vietnamese culture.
Violence:
Memories described of bombs dropped, children and other loved ones killed, land mines, mothers having to run in fear, villages burned.
Sex:
Grandmother tells granddaughter that she had a baby by American soldier who then left her.
Language:
Vietnamese words integrated into text. Glossary at the end.
Consumerism:
Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
Not applicable.
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