I loved this book! It was heartwarming and a powerful reminder of the tragedies of the Vietnam war, and the realness of what it was like to be a Cambodian refugee in America. The story shows the struggles of Sundara, a Cambodian girl who had to flee with her uncle and aunt's family to escape the tragedies of the Vietnam war. Now living a new life in America, Sundara is trying to be a proper Cambodian girl and push away the grief of her lost family and the child that died in her arms. And one day against all odds, Sundara falls in love with an American boy, and she wonders how she will ever be able to follow the Cambodian way of waiting for an arranged marriage when she feels so powerfully drawn to him. Sundara has little hope for a happy ending, but she's willing to try and get one, even if it means going against her family's age-old customs. And even in the midst of war, there is joy and good news on the horizon.
Children of the River
By Linda Crew
| Interest Level | Reading Level | Reading A-Z | ATOS | Word Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 4 - 8 | Grades 3 - 8 | X | 4.3 | 54217 |
Having fled Cambodia four years earlier to escape the Khmer Rouge army, seventeen-year-old Sundara is torn between remaining faithful to her own people and enjoying life in her Oregon high school as a "regular" American.
ISBN-13: 9780440210221
ISBN-10: 0440210224
Published on 8/1/1999
Binding: Paperback