Silk Umbrellas - Softcover

"A sensitive portrayal of a family in Thailand. . . . This gracefully told story will resonate with many young readers." — BOOKLIST (starred review)

Eleven-year-old Noi is learning to paint like her grandmother. She and her older sister, Ting, spend many rapt hours in the jungle watching as Kun Ya paints delicate silk umbrellas to sell at the market. But one day Kun Ma and Kun Pa announce that Ting must start working at a local radio factory to help support the family. As the days and weeks pass, Noi anxiously sees her own fate reflected in her sister’s constricting world. Can Noi find a way to master her fear of failure and stand up for her gift — and Kun Ya’s tradition — before the future masters her?

An American Library Association Top Ten Art Book for Youth Selection

A Bank Street College Best Children’s Book of the Year

Two starred reviews (BOOKLIST, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY)

Carolyn Marsden’s debut for young readers, THE GOLD-THREADED DRESS, received enormous critical acclaim and was named a BOOKLIST Top Ten Youth First Novel. Of SILK UMBRELLAS, she says, "This story was the first I ever wrote for children. It was inspired by time spent in northern Thailand with a woman who worked to protect the jungle and young factory workers." Carolyn Marsden has an MFA in Writing for Children from Vermont College.
From the Hardcover edition.