The Secret of the Jade Bangle

“Engaging and empowering”–STARRED review, Nonstop ReaderA charming early chapter book series that explores Vietnamese culture and identity through the eyes of the Nguyen siblings, with elements of the supernatural, spirituality, and social justice woven in. I, Anne Nguyen, believe in ghosts. Not the kind of ghosts that hide in dark corners and yell boo! Not scary ghosts, but family ghosts. Organized and introspective nine-year-old Anne Nguyen misses her Grandma Nội, a lot. But even though Grandma Nội passed away, it doesn’t mean she’s disappeared. When Anne and her younger siblings Jacob and Liz are given gifts passed on to them by Grandma, Anne soon realizes that hers–a beautiful jade bangle–has a secret power. One that might just give her the strength to stand up to her ballet teacher, who treats her differently than her white classmates, and embrace her Vietnamese identity through cooking Grandma’s recipes. No matter how difficult things get, Anne learns that the love of her ancestors is always with her.