While his parents struggle with English, Tiến doesn't have the words to describe what he's going through in Vietnamese. Their common language is their love for fairytales & each other. I love that this GN doesn't rely on the familiar Asian immigrant tropes to tell a story of love and belonging. The children's inner struggles with what to tell & not to tell their parents is another heartening aspect I adore. This quote from Tiến's mom contemplating leaving her mom back in Vietnam also moved me to tears: "Was it worth the last eight years of my mother's life? And what sort of daughter does that make me?"