The Nguyen Kids: The Mystery of the Painted Fan

The third instalment of an exciting new series about a family of Vietnamese Canadian kids connecting with their Grandma Nội, The Mystery of the Painted Fan focuses on the youngest Nguyen: Jacob

Jacob is a creative kid who contains multitudes. He loves to play hockey and perform the fan dance. He wants to wear his áo dài tunic to school because it makes him feel special but he is always being told that he can’t or he shouldn’t want to do the things that are perceived as feminine in the Vietnamese culture. Through his gift of a hand painted fan from his late Grandma Nội, Jacob begins to learn more about himself and how he wants to exist in the world.

We are HUGE fans of The Nguyen Kids series. The Bee has gobbled up all three stories and can’t wait to read the fourth and last installment in the series. These stories are so special because they give readers a real understanding and insight into the Vietnamese culture and what it’s like to be second generation kids living in Canada. We especially love how, in this story, Jacob is on a journey of self exploration and learning about who he is as a person as well as a Vietnamese Canadian.

This story validates so many young people's experiences. We are still so concerned and focused on the binary that it is very hard to see past outward appearances. We make assumptions about the person inside. This book addresses these concerns head on when other people in the Vietnamese community make Jacob feel small and invalidate his choices because they are not masculine enough. Although it comes from a place of concern, it still makes Jacob feel less than. I love that it’s the connection to his grandmother and her gift to him that helps him discover himself and build his cconfidence.

Clayton Nguyen’s illustrations are amazing. He allows readers to see how Jacob transforms throughout the story and really reflects the pain and the joy that Jacob experiences throughout the book.