One Step at a Time: A Vietnamese Child Finds Her Way

About the Book

An affecting sequel to Last Airlift: A Vietnamese Orphan's Rescue from War. Tuyet cannot believe her good fortune. Brought up in a Vietnamese orphanage and rescued from the invading North Vietnamese army, she has been adopted by a kind and loving family in Canada. Tuyet feels safe at last as she adjusts to a new language and unfamiliar customs. But polio has left her with a weak leg, and her foot is turned inward, making walking painful and difficult. There is only one answer; she must have a series of operations. Her dread of doctors and hospitals brings back troubling memories of helicopters, a field hospital, and another operation in Vietnam. It won't stop Tuyet, despite her fears and her overwhelming shyness. She has always dreamed of having two straight legs, of walking and running, of playing with other children, of owning a pair of shoes that actually match. Now that she has been given a chance, Tuyet is determined to do what it takes to finally stand on her own two feet.

Table of Contents:
Chapter One—The Night Before.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Chapter Two—Red Shoes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Chapter Three—The Hospital.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Chapter Four—Black Button.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Chapter Five—Home Again.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Chapter Six—Brady Bunch.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Chapter Seven—Church.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Chapter Eight—August 6, 1975.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Chapter Nine—Can You Walk, Tuyet?.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Chapter Ten—Strength.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Chapter Eleven—One Step at a Time.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Chapter Twelve—The Hardest Things.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Historical Note.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i Further Resources for Parents and Teachers.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv Author’s Note.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

About the Author :
Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch's award-winning books for young people include Last Airlift, a Red Cedar Information Book Award winner and OLA Red Maple Honour Book. Its sequel, One Step at a Time, won the OLA Silver Birch Non-Fiction Award. Her YA novel Dance of the Banished is a Junior Library Guild Selection for 2015. In 2008, in recognition of her outstanding achievement in the development Ukraine's culture, Marsha was awarded the Order of Princess Olha. She lives in Brantford, Ontario.

Review :
Readers [who enjoyed Last Airlift] will be just as riveted to this quieter but no-less-moving story as Tuyet bravely dreams of being able to run and play ... The Horn Book Magazine An inspiring story that will appeal to a wide audience. School Library Journal Readers of this moving refugee story will celebrate as well. Kirkus Reviews Along with the true personal story, the facts about polio across the globe, past and present, will grip readers. ALA Booklist Tuyet's quiet perseverance is inspiring ... Publishers Weekly The cover of the book and the red shoes pictured take on a very special meaning by the end of this heart-warming book that will leave readers in tears. International Reading Association Reading Today Online One Step at a Time is a good choice for sensitive young readers interested in non-fiction about other children, other cultures, and recent history ... The book is likely to encourage many questions and wide-ranging discussion in a reading group, and the story is highly likeable. Resource Links "...as a poignant story of compassion, perseverance and recovery, Skrypuch's writing provides a platform for opening a dialogue on the repercussions of war and violence, as well as global health in regard to polio. As such, the story is perfect for bringing together multiple generations of readers." The International Examiner Skrypuch ... does a good job of portraying Tuyet's feelings as she faces the uncertainties of a new country, a new home and frightening surgery. Winnipeg Free Press Step by step, Skrypuch shows with forthright clarity how Tuyet becomes her own very best hero. Booksdragon, Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center Readers 8 to 11 years old will marvel at Tuyet's perseverance and laugh at moments when she reveals her unfamiliarity with Canadian customs, such as when Tuyet doesn't understand why her first-ever birthday cake is 'on fire.' Good News Toronto