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In a Village by the Sea Hardcover – Picture Book, May 12, 2015

by Muon Van (Author), April Chu (Illustrator)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 46 ratings
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Written in a spare, lyrical style using fresh, evocative imagery, Village by the Sea tells the story of longing for the comforts of home. A perfect book for teaching about diverse cultures and lifestyles through rich pictures and words, moving from the wide world to the snugness of home and back out again.

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  1. Reading age
    3 - 8 years, from customers
  2. Print length
    28 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    Kindergarten - 3
  5. Dimensions
    10 x 0.28 x 9.25 inches
  6. Publisher
    Creston Books
  7. Publication date
    May 12, 2015
  8. ISBN-10
    1939547156
  9. ISBN-13
    978-1939547156
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2—This is a magical story set in Vietnam, with moody and emotive illustrations. With a classical storytelling structure and lyrical text, the narrative describes a fisherman at sea thinking of his home, as the images draw viewers in closer and closer, first to the house, then to the kitchen, and onward until finally they focus on a tiny brown cricket in a tiny hole painting a tiny picture of the very same fisherman at sea dreaming of home while waiting out a scary storm. The illustrations are lovely, with an amazing use of perspective, changing the viewpoint on every page and conveying the simple tale of a fisherman longing for the warm home, wife, baby, and dog that are waiting for him. The text pairs beautifully with the detail of the images, which offer plenty to pore over. VERDICT A delightful and quiet read that effectively evokes the book's setting.—Sharon McKellar, Oakland Public Library, CA

Review

"In circular fashion, this simple story's narration unfolds, with great power behind the few words on each page."―starred, Kirkus Reviews



"A lovely, resonant portrait of family life that hums with quiet magic."―starred, Publishers Weekly

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Creston Books; Illustrated edition (May 12, 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 28 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1939547156
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1939547156
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 3 - 8 years, from customers
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Kindergarten - 3
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.5 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 10 x 0.28 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 46 ratings

About the authors

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  1. April Chu

    April Chu

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    April Chu began her career as an architect with a degree from the University of California, Berkeley, but decided to return to her true passion of illustrating and storytelling. She remembers coming home from school every day, spending hours drawing whimsical characters in her notebook, and creating outlandish stories while watching cartoons, and she hasn't stopped drawing and creating stories since. April lives and works in Oakland, California. Visit her online at aprilchu.com.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Muon Thi Van

    Muon Thi Van

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Mượn Thị Văn is the author of many acclaimed picture books. From her debut, IN A VILLAGE BY THE SEA (2015), to her latest, IF YOU WANT TO BE A BUTTERFLY (2023), her books have earned many distinctions, including a California Book Award, an Irma Black Honor, and a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. Her recent book WISHES, with Victo Ngai, received the Margaret Wise Brown Prize and was named the #1 Best Picture Book of 2021 by BookPage. Her books have been translated into numerous languages, including Vietnamese, Korean, Nepali, Sepedi, Hindi, Tamil, and German. Mượn Thị Văn lives and works in California.

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
46 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

A. T.
5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely pictures
Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2020
Verified Purchase
enjoyable to read
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome book to keep for the ages
Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2018
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My son can listen to this story over and over. Beautiful binding and great illustrations
One person found this helpful
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Craig Adams
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Illustrations and Lovely Story
Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2018
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This book is a treasure. Wonderfully illustrated. A simple, elegant, moving story of family and home.
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Dione Basseri
4.0 out of 5 stars Hopefully your house has its own cricket painting your loved ones home
Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2016
For an awkward moment, I thought this book was taking a rapid shift in genre, with no explanation, as we get to the painting cricket. But, luckily, it all comes back around and makes quite an interesting circle of a tale.

The artwork reminds me a bit of Chris Van Allsburg, which I certainly mean as a compliment. It's a realistic style that doesn't strive for photo-realism. More lines, less shading. Though there are some impressive bits of detail, such as the wood grain of the flooring and the realism of the waves. Muon Van either spent plenty of time at sea or they references a whole lot of pictures of stormy waves.

While I wouldn't generally pick this out for a household or gift purchase, I would advise it for a public library purchase. I'd also say, if you have sailors or fishermen in the family, it deserves a closer look. Hopefully your house has its own cricket painting your loved ones home.
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funnana
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book and simple
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2015
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Beautiful book and simple, lovely story. Book arrived in record time and was enjoyed by my 5 year old grandson. This is a keeper and I plan to donate it to his preschool when he "graduates" to kindergarden.
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omri
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best children's books I had the pleasure to read
Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2015
Verified Purchase
One of the best children's books I had the pleasure to read. We have it as a present to our friends' 4 yo daughter, and both her and our friends adored it!
One person found this helpful
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Mindy
3.0 out of 5 stars Few Words
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2015
Verified Purchase
Beautiful illustrations, but not a lot of words. It's a very simple book for a child 6 or younger. It's a sweet story and a lot can be inferred from the pictures, however I was hoping to learn more about the family's culture.
2 people found this helpful
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Karin E
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful
Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2016
Verified Purchase
Beautiful book: incredible illustrations. I wish it had more words and more story to it, but otherwise we love the pictures. Great for 1 year old.
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Top reviews from other countries

Hazelrah
5.0 out of 5 stars By far the most beautiful children’s book I have bought.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 17, 2020
Verified Purchase
Such a beautiful book. The illustrations are lovely and although it’s not a wordy book, it still tells a lovely heartfelt story. There is also a lovely dog on nearly every page. Cannot recommend this book enough. If you’re specifically looking for a multicultural book, put this one at the top of your list. Worth every penny.
One person found this helpful
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omri
5.0 out of 5 stars This is one of the best children's books I have ever read
Reviewed in Canada on June 12, 2015
Verified Purchase
This is one of the best children's books I have ever read. It is stimulating an exciting and beautifully illustrated. A must buy!!!
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LizR
5.0 out of 5 stars LOVE this book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 17, 2021
Verified Purchase
And more importantly the 2year old it was bought for loves it too. She especially loved the familiarity of waiting for Daddy to come home.
This is a book you will never tire of.
Such a treat.
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Instant Classic
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 29, 2016
Verified Purchase
I am a childminder and bought this book to show children how people live in different parts of the world. This is beautifully illustrated and engages children with it's lyrical story. This is the type of book you would save for the grandchildren and is truly an instant classic.
One person found this helpful
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