New York : Scholastic Press, 2009.

My name is Matt Pin
and her name, I remember,
is Phang My.
His name
I will never say,
though forever I carry his blood
in my blood,
New York : Scholastic Press, 2009.

My name is Matt Pin
and her name, I remember,
is Phang My.
His name
I will never say,
though forever I carry his blood
in my blood,
forever his bones
stretch in my bones.

Lamenting and unspoken are the opening lines of Matt Pin, a child of the Vietnam War. Abandoned by her husband and totally unnerved, Phang My his Vietnam mother, begs the American soldiers to rescue her son.
Years later he is adopted by an American family who loves him dearly. In spite of his newly found succour, Matt still bleeds from within. Besieged with guilt, his anguish seems ingrained.
This novel in verse tells the story of Matt, and his yeaning to be accepted, his dilemma in trying to comprehend the complexity of his mother’s love and sacrifice and his turmoil to choose candour over silence.
More than just baseball, this book is suitable for secondary school and would support the subjects of adoption, war and prejudice.

Janice Rodrigues