Book Review: My Footprints

 

Written by: Bao Phi, Illustrated by: Basia Tran
Published by: Capstone Editions, September 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1684460007

Plot Summary

Thuy feels different than the other kids at school. She is both Vietnamese-American and has 2 moms. The other kids at school make fun of her. On her way home, she observes different animals and alters her own footprints in the snow to look like those of the animals she sees. When she gets home, she and her moms talk about what they think the strongest animal must be.

Critical Analysis

Bullying, unfortunately, is a theme that will resonate with many people. Thuy likely feels different from the other students in her school because of her heritage. The illustrations in the book show that the other students are white, while Thuy's skin and facial features are different. This on its own could be enough to make her feel isolated, but on top of that, she also has 2 moms. It is the nature of kids to think that different equals weird or strange sometimes. This, potentially coupled with comments from other parents at the school that have been overheard by their children, lead them to taunt Thuy for her different family structure. In this way, Thuy is having to live the theme of bridging cultures, not only from her Vietnamese culture to the American one in which she lives, but also between the LGBTQ+ culture that she is a part of because of her parents, and the more "traditional" family model.

After Thuy is bullied, she walks home upset and alone. This feeling of loneliness is also one that is shared by many immigrants. Feeling torn between two worlds or like there isn't anyone who understands you and your feelings is common. Thuy's walk home is symbolic of her feelings of being alone at school since the other children are bullying her. But, it is also this time alone that allows her to closely observe the animals that are on her walk home. Her footprints change as her mood does- they start off jagged and rough, much like the feelings inside her must be.

She first sees a cardinal. It is winter and the cardinal is alone, so she asks why it isn't flying south with its friends. She thinks that the bird could fly into the sky if it was afraid. Perhaps Thuy also wishes that she had such an easy escape when things are hard at school. She models her own footprints to mimic the bird's and moves on.

Next, she passes a spot where she remembers seeing a deer once. She says that the deer looked out of place, but its family must have been close by. This is symbolic of Thuy herself. She feels out of place because of her culture and her family, but even though she may feel like she's in the wrong place or stands out too much, her family is always close by, physically and emotionally, to support her. She makes her footprints look like a deer's- "wanting to feel peaceful, quiet, left alone."

At home, her Momma Ngoc asks how school was, but Thuy doesn't want to talk about it. She decides to transform into a snow leopard who can easily hide or escape when it feels threatened. Again, these are qualities that Thuy wishes she had. She tries being a bear, who is strong, and then asks her mothers which animals they think are the strongest. Momma Arti says that many animals are strong in their own way. Thuy suggests a dragon and an elephant, and the truth comes out when she admits that she wants to be strong against the bullies at school. By talking about the strong animals, she's found an easier way to tell her moms about what is going on at school.

Momma Ngoc suggests that they play the game together because they are all stronger together. She likes the phoenix because it rises from the ashes, while Momma Arti's favorite is the Sarabha, part lion and part bird, an "unexpected combination of beautiful things." This inspires Thuy to invent her own combination in the Arti-Thuy-Ngoc-osaurus, which encapsulates all the qualities she wants (both physical and emotional). But, Thuy realizes that her family is the best "unexpected combination of beautiful things" because together they can be strong and support one another.

Review Excerpt

From Kirkus Reviews published July 1, 2019

". . . .the book sends a powerful message about the strength children can draw from their own cultural heritage. With this story about two moms joining their daughter through child-centered play to face adversity as one, Phi explains in his author's note, he hopes to nurture the marginalized and challenge "systems of harm." . . .Both a meaningful effort toward inclusion and a solid conversation starter about bullying." 

Connections

Students can use paint to make a footprint on a piece of paper and then turn it into an animal or other piece of art. 

Students can make up their own animal, like Thuy does in the book. They can combine features of other animals and create a drawing and a description of their animals.