Today is moving day.
Ba opens the window, pulls the curtains
back, and stretches his arms to the sky.
Má gently brushes her hair and clips it back.
My siblings rush out of bed one by one, smiling brighter
than the sun and wider than the window in our bunkhouse.
I stay underneath the blanket.
"Can we stay a little longer?" I beg.
“Nonsense! We have been praying for this day
for so long, and now it’s here!” Má exclaims.
Copyright © 2023 by Hà Dinh; Illustrated by Bao Luu. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.