Vuthy Kuon, an illustrator of children's books, reads from his book, 'Mikey and the Monster Vacuum,' during a presentation Monday night at J.L. Everhart Magnet School. (Photo: Luisa Morenilla/News-Journal)Tuesday, February 27, 2007
By MAGGIE SOUZA
Longview News-Journal (Texas, USA)
It wasn't Vuthy Kuon's background that impressed the auditorium full of kids at J.L. Everhart Magnet School. Most of them fidgeted in their seats Monday night as Kuon talked about Cambodia, where he was born.
The Khmer Rouge (communists) wanted to ban reading because it didn't want people to have that power, Kuon told the group of elementary students. Anyone who even looked like he could read was in danger of being killed, he said.
But the crowd did not gasp at this. None of youngsters looked shocked, horrified or amazed.
No, the students didn't liven up until Kuon started reading his book, "Mikey and the Monster Vacuum."
Then they were howling with laughter, never taking their eyes off of Kuon and his book. Even parents and school staff members couldn't help but chuckle at Kuon's faces and voices, which grew more and more fantastic with each turn of the page.
Chandler Peoples, 8, loved the part where Mikey turned on the new vacuum cleaner, even after his mom put it off limits.
"It was fun," said Chandler, a second-grader.
Her mom, Wanda Morrow, agreed.
"I enjoyed this thoroughly," Morrow said.
"We're trying to get involved in reading and want her to do better," she added. "I hope this can help her to improve."
Getting kids and parents more interested in reading is part of the reason why school administrators had Kuon visit the school.
The other part was introducing the children to different cultures, explained Deb Wasson, who asked Kuon to speak at J.L. Everhart after seeing him at another school.
The show was everything she had hoped it would be, Wasson said afterward.
"I thought it was fantastic. I like the way that he involved the children in his presentation," Wasson said, referring to the second part of Kuon's performance, when he had a few audience members pose for a new-age illustration of Humpty Dumpty.
Becky Dent, a literacy coach at J.L. Everhart, also loved the show.
"It was wonderful," Dent said. "His expression was awesome."
The presentation helped interest kids in reading, a vital subject for them, she said.
"That's their life," Dent said about reading. "It's the background, the foundation for everything they do."
This is something that Kuon would have to agree with.
When Kuon came over to America in 1975, he didn't know a lick of English. That meant, of course, that he didn't know how to read.
By the time he hit second grade, Kuon had not only learned to read but was placed in the advanced reading group by his teacher. From that point on, he was a straight-A student, Kuon said, drawing a few murmurs from the crowd.
What makes Kuon's success as an author and illustrator more impressive is the fact that he came from a country with limited freedom and resources.
"You don't have the freedom of speech, the same kind of access to books and the media as you do here," Kuon said.
"You really notice the difference (in America)," he said. "You appreciate it. I want to try to share that."
The Khmer Rouge (communists) wanted to ban reading because it didn't want people to have that power, Kuon told the group of elementary students. Anyone who even looked like he could read was in danger of being killed, he said.
But the crowd did not gasp at this. None of youngsters looked shocked, horrified or amazed.
No, the students didn't liven up until Kuon started reading his book, "Mikey and the Monster Vacuum."
Then they were howling with laughter, never taking their eyes off of Kuon and his book. Even parents and school staff members couldn't help but chuckle at Kuon's faces and voices, which grew more and more fantastic with each turn of the page.
Chandler Peoples, 8, loved the part where Mikey turned on the new vacuum cleaner, even after his mom put it off limits.
"It was fun," said Chandler, a second-grader.
Her mom, Wanda Morrow, agreed.
"I enjoyed this thoroughly," Morrow said.
"We're trying to get involved in reading and want her to do better," she added. "I hope this can help her to improve."
Getting kids and parents more interested in reading is part of the reason why school administrators had Kuon visit the school.
The other part was introducing the children to different cultures, explained Deb Wasson, who asked Kuon to speak at J.L. Everhart after seeing him at another school.
The show was everything she had hoped it would be, Wasson said afterward.
"I thought it was fantastic. I like the way that he involved the children in his presentation," Wasson said, referring to the second part of Kuon's performance, when he had a few audience members pose for a new-age illustration of Humpty Dumpty.
Becky Dent, a literacy coach at J.L. Everhart, also loved the show.
"It was wonderful," Dent said. "His expression was awesome."
The presentation helped interest kids in reading, a vital subject for them, she said.
"That's their life," Dent said about reading. "It's the background, the foundation for everything they do."
This is something that Kuon would have to agree with.
When Kuon came over to America in 1975, he didn't know a lick of English. That meant, of course, that he didn't know how to read.
By the time he hit second grade, Kuon had not only learned to read but was placed in the advanced reading group by his teacher. From that point on, he was a straight-A student, Kuon said, drawing a few murmurs from the crowd.
What makes Kuon's success as an author and illustrator more impressive is the fact that he came from a country with limited freedom and resources.
"You don't have the freedom of speech, the same kind of access to books and the media as you do here," Kuon said.
"You really notice the difference (in America)," he said. "You appreciate it. I want to try to share that."
6 comments:
Great job, Vuthy. You represent our people. The world needs to hear more positive info about us. Children now learn learn more about Cambodia than before, both negative and positive information. I appreciate for what you have done in the name of Khmer. Thank you.
Chheam Khmer
KHMENG WAT KHNONG SROK
VERY BERY HORRY UGLY! STAY WHERE YOU ARE...
DREAM TO COME BACK UNTIL YOU DIG YOUR OWN GRAVE>>>
CAMBODIA IS FOR INSIDE CAMBODIA!
ALL OF YOU SHOULD NEVER FORGET MY ADVICE!
KHMENG WAT KHNONG SROK
Shatouk, KHMENG WAT KHNONG SROK.
hahaha. KWKS, what would you know? You Youn, monk wannabe scum. Stop pretending.
Who wanna be an ugly shit like you,
fool?
For those that do not know VUTHY. And for those that do. Like me. You can keep your stupid comments to yourselves. Vuthy is an outstandiing person all the way around. Not only is he extremely talented, he is very generous with his time and resources. You won't find another top-notch person as him; and especially a childrens book author who really brings the entertainment to life.
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