Mèo and Bé
Just before the United States enters the Vietnam War, eleven-year-old Bé and her three-footed kitten Mèo must rise above the injustices of war to find the comfort, safety, and love of a found family.
Eleven-year-old Bé hasn't spoken a word since her mother left. She hangs on to the hope that one day they will be reunited, but after two years of waiting, it's becoming more difficult. Her father--who is now frail and helpless after a stroke--can do little to protect her from her stepmother, Big Mother, who treats Bé like an animal and a servant. Thankfully, Bè has a secret friend, her little kitten Mèo, to comfort her in the worst of times. Maybe if she just steers clear of Big Mother and is obedient, everything will be okay.
Unfortunately, Big Mother has other plans. She accuses her of stealing, and Bé is drugged and sold. When she wakes up, she finds herself in a locked underground bunker being held captive with a group of young women. Bé is too young to understand why they're prisoners, but at least she still has Mèo! He was hiding in her shirt when she was taken. As weeks pass, Bé makes a friend her own age, Ngân, even without speaking, and Mèo becomes a solace for the women--being available for cuddles and catching the mice that annoy them.
Suddenly, a violent uprising enables the imprisoned women and girls to escape, only to realize the wider world of war is just as dangerous. Can Bé and Mèo, and their newfound friend, Ngân, find their way to a safe place they can call home--even though the world is literally exploding all around them?
A beautiful literary work, full of kindness and compassion amidst the devastation of war.
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Doan Phuong Nguyen was born in Vietnam and immigrated to the United States when she was in elementary school. Her debut middle grade novel Mèo and Bé was praised by #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Niven as "Heart-wrenching, hopeful, and heartwarming." After growing up in the South, she settled in the Midwest. Doan Phuong loves anything pink and cute but enjoys writing incredibly sad, emotionally evocative novels. She received her MFA in Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her debut middle grade novel, Mèo and Bé, was a 2024 Notable Book for a Global Society and a 2023 Freeman Book Award Honorable Mention. Find her at doanphuong.com.
"Heart-wrenching, hopeful, and heartwarming. Extraordinarily deep and lovely. Please read Mèo and Bé and fall in love like I did." -- Jennifer Niven, #1 New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places
"An eye-opening story of a little girl's strength and resilience amid family trauma and war-torn Vietnam. As she struggles to survive and regain her loved ones and her voice, Bé and her faithful kitten Mèo will win your heart." -- Tonya Duncan Ellis, author of the bestselling Sophie Washington series
"It's a stunning debut by Vietnamese author Doan Phuong Nguyen about growing up in Vietnam amid war and is sure to make you smile, cry, and then smile some more. She knocked this one out of the park." -- George Jreije, author of the Shad Hadid series
"An underrepresented topic on most shelves, this page-turner explores a girl's search for love and connection while providing a unique and necessary historical perspective." -- School Library Journal
"This moving debut novel, based in part on the experiences of members of Nguyen's family, features well-developed characters, vivid depictions of wartime Vietnam, and a sense of everyday life for ordinary Vietnamese people during this period...An unsparingly brutal but ultimately uplifting story; readers will cheer as Bé finally finds her voice." -- Booklist
"This powerfully wrought portrayal of grief and perseverance sensitively depicts an underrepresented perspective of life in Vietnam during the war." -- Publishers Weekly
Freeman Book Award for East and Southeast Asian Children's Literature Honorable Mention 2023 - National Consortium for Teaching About Asia
Notable Books for a Global Society Winner 2024 - International Literacy Association (ILA)
Society of Midland Authors Award Honor 2024 - Society of Midland Authors
