The happiness of Kati...........

The Happiness of Kati (Kwam Suk Kong Kati)

The winner of this year S.E.A. (South East Asian) Write award, Thailand's most prestigious literary honor, was announced on August the 31st, 2006. Selected from 64 submissions of novel works, the 10 finalists has been judged by the committee and it's definitely a difficult task to finally present the award to "The Happiness of Kati," a short novel written by a veteran translator Ngarmphan "Jane" Vejjajiva, which also won an award from England and was selected by the Junior Library Guild (USA) to be added in their prestigious "reading list" to recommend to the states-wide librarians.

The Happiness of Kati tells a story of a nine-year-old girl named "Kati" who stays with her grandparents in a friendly neighborhood faraway from a hectic and busy city life. Kati is a clever and optimistic girl who contends with all aspects of her life except for one thing - she could hardly remember her mother who left her with her grandparents since she was only 4 years old. She always wonder why her mother left her and why haven't she ever seen her father. Chapters by chapters, the story reveals itself like the peeling of an onion layers by layers as we follow Kati through her unforgettable journey from the old fashioned house by the canal to a bungalow by the sea and an apartment in the big city. The readers would smile, laugh and cry along with Kati as the truth about her family emerges.

ความสุขของกะทิที่ตีพิมพ์ในสหรัฐอเมริกา

Nine-year-old Kati has always lived with her grandparents in the house by the river. Every day she goes to school, brings offerings to the monks, and plays with Tong, the abbot's nephew. She is happy enough, but something -- someone -- is missing.

Kati has not seen her mother for nearly five years, and no one will tell her where she is, until the day she receives some shocking news from Grandmother: Her mother is very ill with Lou Gehrig's disease and has suffered from it for many years. Would Kati like to go see her?

And so Kati travels to the house by the sea to spend the last weeks of her mother's life with her. There she learns the reason why her mother gave her up and also finds that she has a decision...to meet the father she's never known.

A singular story of love, hope, and renewal, set against the lushly exotic background of Thailand, The Happiness of Kati is a profoundly touching novel that reminds us of how very brave, and very wise, children can be.

P.S. There has already been a sequel of "The Happiness of Kati" under the title "Finding the Moon" and the third installment of "Kati" series will be published soon