when I just want to be focusing on the actual story. It doesn't disappear into the background enough, and I'm constantly aware of it. I'm also not a fan of third-person, present-tense writing. I'm not sure a child as young as her (she's in the midst of losing her teeth, so she's likely in the 5-7 age range) would come up with a creature that's so representative of so many marginalized groups as a result, that part comes across as the adult author speaking through his child character, and it's not subtle.

Thuy's made-up creature is a little heavy-handed. At first, I didn't really see what making animal tracks had to do with overcoming bullying it becomes more clear later, but I'd be afraid little kids might lose interest-or the point-by then. I read the book after having forgotten what the synopsis said it was about, and I didn't really get the theme from the actual reading. There really isn't much objectively wrong with it. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Capstone for the opportunity to read this book. She is learning about courage and perseverance, and the power of her imagination, and I love her and her family more with each reread. Thuy’s story tackles the impacts of bullying but also highlights the importance of having a supportive family. While I don’t think I would have appreciated this book as a child, adult me loves its messages. This imagined creature has footprints shaped like hearts, which I absolutely adored. I loved Basia Tran’s illustrations, particularly Thuy’s Arti-Thuy-Ngoc-osaurus. Then Thuy imagines the best animal of all. “I want to be the biggest and strongest and scariest monster,” Thuy says, “so that if kids at school make fun of me for having two moms, or tell me to go back to where I come from, or call me names, or bother me because I’m a girl, I can make them stop!” Together Momma Arti, Momma Ngoc and Thuy talk about which animals are strong and which are their favourites. She continues to imagine other animals and makes their footprints her own as she arrives home. When she sees a lone bird, she imagines what it would be like to be able to fly away from danger and recreates its footprints in the snow. She is angry and upset, but on her way home she notices her “jagged footprints”. I’ve read this book so many times that I’ve lost count but each time I’ve tried to write my review I haven’t known what I wanted to say about it.

My Footprints by Bao Phi