The Secret of the Jade Bangle

Written by Linda Trinh · Illustrated by Clayton Nguyen

Part of the The Nguyen Kids series

A jade bangle reveals a secret power, helping Anne embrace her identity and confront prejudice.

4.1 Goodreads · 189 ratings

128 pages· 6,699 words· Est. 52 min read-aloud· 530L

$19.99Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Nine-year-old Anne Nguyen discovers her late Grandma Nội's jade bangle holds a secret power. As Anne navigates challenges with her ballet teacher's bias, she finds strength in her Vietnamese heritage and family recipes. With her siblings, Anne learns that the love and guidance of her ancestors are ever-present, empowering her to stand up for herself and embrace her cultural identity. Will Anne's newfound courage help her overcome the obstacles she faces and honor her family's legacy?

From the publisher

“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.

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