Mai's Áo Dài

Celebrity fashion designer Thai Nguyen from Netflix’s Say I Do joins forces with bestselling creators Monique Truong and Dung Ho in this irresistibly charming picture book about embracing your heritage and the traditions that tie generations together—centered around the Vietnamese New Year, Têt.

It’s nearly Têt, and Mai can’t wait to celebrate Lunar New Year with family at her beloved grandmother’s home. With the perfect dress: a poofy, sparkly Cinderella dress that makes Mai look like the movie star she dreams of being! But when Mai’s father tells her she must wear áo dài, the traditional Vietnamese outfit, to her bà nôi’s party, Mai is disappointed. Stars don’t wear áo dái, she thinks. Then Ba tells her the story of a true star, her very own Bà Nôi’s, who sewed beautiful, highly sought after áo dài in Vietnam, then brought her magic with her when she immigrated to the United States.

So maybe stars wear áo dài after all! But how can Bà Nôi know what Mai’s wearing when she’s lost her eyesight? Ba tells her every áo dài is sewn with love, and you don’t have to see love to know it’s there.