Children of the River (Laurel-Leaf Contemporary Fiction) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "For a brief time, it seemed the New Year had brought good fortune to the household of Tep Naro in the Cambodian village of Ream:..." (more)
Key Phrases: rally girls, Younger Aunt, Phnom Penh, Khmer Rouge (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A Cambodian girl who fled her country struggles to fit in to an American lifestyle. In PW 's words, "The resolution comes smoothly and plausibly, offering a moving look at the way in which a survivor of great tragedy. . .faces young adulthood." Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up-- Forced to flee from the dreaded Khmer Rouge several years before, 17-year-old Sundara struggles daily to reconcile the cultural conflicts she encounters as a refugee in Oregon. When handsome, popular Jonathan asks for help with a report on her native land, she is unable to refuse, even though as a Khmer girl, she is to have no discourse with boys. Risking censure by her family, she agrees to sit with Jonathan during lunch in the school cafeteria. Jonathan, for whom everything has always been easy, is intrigued with Sundara's elusiveness and honestly moved to sympathy and love after learning her story. When Sundara's aunt expresses rage and shame about the chaste romance, the conflict-ridden girl is eventually launched into a severe emotional crisis. Crew deftly applies ironic juxtaposition to convey the cultural leaps that a refugee must attempt. Americans pray publicly to win a football game; Sundara importunes silently for the survival of her parents and sister in a land which kills babies for sport. Crew's characterization is excellent. The Cambodians are each portrayed as individuals with flaws and follies, but never are they denied their inherent dignity. Their perserverance, hard work, and family unity see them through many stressful adjustments. The plot is well-structured, allowing profound concepts to be simply and beautifully presented. Dramatic tension melds past and present, pain and hope seamlessly together so that readers are swept effortlessly to a most believable and emotionally satisfying conclusion. Crew entertains without trivializing and instructs without sermonizing. She salutes the resilience and basic goodness of humankind which triumphs in some way even under the most inhumane circumstances.
- Cindy Darling Codell, Belmont Junior High School, Winchester, Ky.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Laurel Leaf (August 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440210224
• ISBN-13: 978-0440210221
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (90 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #114,350 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book, March 6, 2005

By	Brandon "Thresher" (Medford, Oregon USA) - See all my reviews

Not every person in the world can say that they have gone through the crisis of moving to a new country, leaving behind their family, and trying to keep a baby no older then a few days old alive. Sundara is one who can. Children of the River is a story that looks into the lives of Cambodians trying to stay alive while a group of Communists invade and try to communize the country of Cambodia.
The setting takes place mostly in Willamette Grove, Oregon but starts out in Cambodia during the attack of the Khmer Rouge (the group of communists). The main character, Sundara, who is only thirteen at the time of the attacks, is forced to leave her family and go to America with her aunt and uncle. In America, Sundara learns and tries to adapt to the customs of the Americans but has a hard time fitting in. After being in America for a while, Sundara meets an American football player who she comes to like. She knows though that she cannot be seen with him or be with him because of the Cambodian tradition, which do not allow any relationships between any non Khmer boy and that all marriages are arranged. But, she slowly begins to give way to the customs and she finds herself and Jonathan (the white American football player) in love. Fighting traditions and family, Sundara struggles to choose between Jonathan and her Cambodian ways.
After reading this book I could not help but notice one extremely well inscribed theme: "Never judge a person by looking at them." I have never read a book that has ever used this theme so profoundly. In most ways it jumped out at me, which made me realize how the society in America is centered on this one idiom. This book challenges its readers to "see not only with their eyes but in other ways as well." An extremely well written book by Linda Crew could only deserve my utmost recommendations for a young adult audience, mainly to open their eyes to the world that we live in outside of their city and country boundaries.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Book, December 13, 2004

By	Katy - See all my reviews

Children of the River, by Linda Crew, is an excellent book. It illustrates the numerous ways that cultural differences influence the lifestyles of many people in the U.S. It tells the story of Sundara, a young girl from Cambodia, who flees to the U.S. escaping the violence and chaos of her home country. She must leave behind her family, her brother and sister, and her childhood sweetheart, Chamroeun. In America, she meets an American boy, Jonathan, who accepts and embraces her cultural differences. Sundara must struggle with keeping true to her Cambodian way of life, and the grief of not knowing whether or not her family is still alive. It is a moving story that I enjoyed reading and definitely recommend.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Classroom Potential, April 18, 2001

By	Nicole Mathewson (Waterville, OH USA) - See all my reviews

"Children of the River" is an intriguing story about the adventure of a Cambodian refugee family and their struggle to survive and find contentment in American culture. Readers both sympathize and identify with the ups and downs of Sundara's experience. This book is definately a page turner; the high drama is entertaining, and yet it seriously portrays the plight of a teenage outsider trying to fit in.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I hope to use it in my classroom someday. The story is fun and will maintain the intrest of young readers. From an educational stand-point, "Children of the River" contains excellent discussion possibilities. Under careful supervision and consideration the issues of race, dating, family, culture, popularity, and many other concerns that are relevant to teens can be addressed in relation to the Sundara's plot. Not only do these dicussions have the potential to provide important insights in the lives of the students; but they also motivate the students to read for a full comprehension of the literature. This book provides students with a diverse perspective on life and will hopefully expand and challenge their world view. Excellent book!!!