The Words We Share

Written and illustrated by Jack Wong

Reviewed by Shanna Bernier

As an anglophone Quebecer I am regularly asked, while speaking French, if I come from the US, or if I’ve moved here from Ontario. Well-intentioned Francophones are both surprised and perhaps bemused by my thick English accent when I speak French, with relatively high fluency. These moments generally don’t bother me, because I am happy to share my pride at the privilege of bilingualism. I feel comfortable in my identity as an anglophone Quebecois, and in general, my linguistic abilities afford me more opportunities than my unilingual peers. The tiny feeling of discomfort in my belly when I am asked where I am from likely pales in comparison to the obstacles and questioning newer Canadians feel when they are quizzed on their origins because of their accents, or the difficulties they face expressing themselves in the language of the majority.

            The Words We Share is a brand-new children’s picture book, written and illustrated by Jack Wong. Wong is based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, was born in Hong Kong and raised in Vancouver. His stories reflect his own experiences as a first-generation Canadian, navigating a new country, and new languages as a young child. 

            The Words We Share tells the story of Angie Tang, and her dad who have recently moved to Canada. Mr. Tang speaks only Cantonese, with a limited ability to understand or express himself in English. Young Angie has quickly learned and adapted to her new locale, and has begun helping her father translate lots of things. She helps him navigate in public, ordering from restaurants, and receiving packages. She even helps him in his custodian job when he is tasked with making signs for the office he cleans: “Please don’t leave food to rot in the fridge.”

            Angie feels empowered and excited to help her father, and only a little bit annoyed when she needs to help him, instead of doing something more fun. This is a common story of immigrant children, who are, by the grace of public schools and more flexible brains, able to master a new language with much greater efficiency than their parents. This can create some challenging situations for immigrant families, as parents might not understand the communications from the school, might not be able to assist with their children’s homework, or talk to their children’s friends. Children become bridges of translation and Angie is a perfect example of the burdens and gifts such a role might entail.

            After helping her dad, Angie decides to engage in some entrepreneurship, and offers her Cantonese-English translation to small business owners in their Chinatown neighbourhood. She is able to help several local business owners, but then she encounters a situation where she doesn’t have the language skills necessary, and she makes a mistake. Her father surprises her by being able to help, and Angie is reminded that she is not alone, and that her dad has many gifts and skills.

            About half of all Quebecois people consider themselves English-French bilingual. This is already significantly higher than the national Canadian average of only 18%, according to the 2021 census data.  It is worth noting that more than half of immigrants who live in Quebec can carry on a conversation in both official languages of Canada, as well as in their own mother tongue. This represents hundreds of thousands of people who can communicate, to some degree, in three or more languages. What a tremendous gift to our communities! How often do immigrants get discounted because of assumptions and prejudice? Where is the reward and recognition for such a tremendous linguistic gift?

 In The Words We Share we see, in just a few pages, the tremendous pressure that can be placed on immigrant children, as they navigate a new linguistic reality. This book provides insight into that space, showing newly-arrived children that they are not alone, and also providing a valuable perspective for a kid growing up with the privilege of understanding the words around them. I recommend this book, available in the new releases section at the Lennoxville Library, to kids of all ages.

Lennoxville Library News

Help make great summer programs for kids a reality!

It’s time to start thinking about summer!!  

From June through August, the Library will offer a spectacular series of free programs and workshops for children ages 5-15 as a complement to our regular Saturday morning kids’ activities at the Farmer’s Market in Square Queen.

Led by skilled professional facilitators, the workshops will feature themes such as magic, robotics, rocketry, storytelling, photography, animals, art, and more. 

We hope to fund this program with support from the Lennoxville Participatory Budget. All residents can vote for the project of their choice.

Join us Tuesday, February 13th at 6pm in the Salle Amédée-Beaudoin to learn more.