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Book Cover for: You Make the World, Muon Thi Van

You Make the World

Muon Thi Van

From the critically acclaimed author of Wishes comes a loving ode from a father to his young chiild about the inherent power they hold within themselves.

You Make the World is a fantastical journey between a father and child and the self discovery of the love and power within. Throughout their adventure together, the father describes his child's contagious energy and range of strong emotions as having the same intensity and beauty as the natural world. Muon Thi Van's acclaimed lyrical style shines in this poetic affirmation of one's own power. Award-winning illustrator duo, Phung Nguyen Quang and Huynh Kim Lien's stunning art captures the magic of imagination. Together, this book is a work of art in every sense of the way and truly sings from the pages.

Book Details

  • Publisher: Orchard Books
  • Publish Date: May 6th, 2025
  • Pages: 32
  • Language: English
  • Edition: undefined - undefined
  • Dimensions: 10.30in - 9.28in - 0.41in - 0.83lb
  • EAN: 9781338822045
  • Recommended age: 04-08
  • Categories: Family - General (see also headings under Social Themes)Asian American & Pacific IslanderBoys & Men

About the Author

Muon Thi Van 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, won the Margaret Wise Brown Prize and was named the #1 Best Picture Book of 2021 by BookPage. Her books have been translated into multiple languages, including Vietnamese, Nepali, Sepedi, and Tamil. Muon Thi Van lives and works in California.


Phung Nguyen Quang and Huynh Kim Lien are book creators who live and work together in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Quang and Lien are currently working on illustrations for a number of children's titles to be published in Vietnam and Europe. Some of their acclaimed picture book projects include Hundred Years of Happiness and The First Journey.

Pronunciation guides:

https: //school.teachingbooks.net/pronounce.cgi?pid=3054

https: //school.teachingbooks.net/pronounce.cgi?aid=39988

Praise for this book

Praise for Wishes:

"The collaboration between text and illustration is impressive; Van's lyrical and poetic writing gently propels the story forward, while Ngai's honest and detailed pictures depict the heartbreaking reality of separation and extend the tale beyond its words." -- The Horn Book, starred review

* "A seamless interweaving of elegant prose and atmospheric art marks this affecting immigrant narrative." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

* "This story of escape makes refugees' experiences more lucid and will summon deep feeling from readers." -- Booklist, starred review

* "A superb, beautifully moving collaboration of text and illustration." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "This rich and nuanced tale illuminates the closely held wishes of refugees the world over. It's unforgettable." -- BookPage, starred review

* "The author's choice of narrators elicits a surprising wealth of emotion, evoking distinct and tactile sensations of hardship, perseverance and hope upon arriving at a new shore. The understated wording is enhanced by the art of Victo Ngai (illustrator of Dazzle Ships), which is stylized though realistic, in a lush subdued palette." -- Shelf Awareness, starred review