153:
with Soka, work for Mr. Bonner, a farmer. Sundara also works Mr. Bonner's fruit stand at the market. There, she meets
Jonathan, a boy her age, who attends the same school and seems very sweet. Sundara cannot help herself from admiring him. Soon he befriends her, asking if he can interview her about her life in Cambodia. Sundara is shy about her family history and has trouble opening up to him, but the two soon fall for each other. Soka has trouble accepting Sundara's crush and makes her promise that she will not talk to Jonathan anymore. Sundara soon finds out Chamroeun has been killed. She almost breaks down, but Jonathan comforts her. She tells him that she hasn't been able to cry since she left Cambodia.
378:
160:
Cathy finds out about
Sundara's friendship with Jonathan, and is not happy. Cathy tries to confront Sundara, who does not want to face Cathy. Sundara has trouble understanding Jonathan's relationship with Cathy. She finds herself confused about a lot of things, such as girls showering together after
156:
As
Sundara starts to adapt to American ways, she learns that her new friend Jonathan is popular at school. Jonathan's girlfriend, Cathy Gates, says she is the only one who understands Jonathan. According to Cathy, "Jonathan and I have been going together since the ninth grade. We have something very
152:
Sundara eventually makes it to
America, where she seems to understand American ways, but not the reasons behind them. To Sundara's dismay, a teacher, Mrs. Cathcart, reads her poem assignment aloud to the class. It is about her having to leave Cambodia, and all the people dying there. Sundara, along
164:
One night, her cousin Ravy tells
Sundara that Jonathan was injured during a football game. Sundara goes to see him in the hospital, where Jonathan tells Sundara he dislikes Cathy's attention. He also admits to Sundara that he loves her. Sundara is not able to get her mind off Jonathan. She is also
172:
When Moni, her friend from
Cambodia, takes a trip with her to collect bottles, Sundara notices a broken doll. The doll reminds her of her aunt's dead baby, making her collapse into hysterics. Sobbing, Sundara is dragged home by Moni and taken inside. After her grandmother claims the baby girl's
168:
Everything changes when
Jonathan's father goes on a mission trip to Cambodia, due to his son's annoyance that they don't do more to help. Jonathan is ashamed that he yelled at his father, and wishes he hadn't. It becomes harder for Sundara and Jonathan to see each other after that.
157:
special between us". As
Sundara and Jonathan become closer, they start eating lunch together, and he asks her to the movies. Sundara realizes she is becoming more American. Sundara and her friend Moni have dinner. They are reminded that back in Cambodia all marriages are arranged.
145:, the Cambodian capital. Sundara's is friends with a charming and smart boy named Chamroeun. Sundara falls in love with Chamroeun, but he goes to fight in the war as a soldier. Sundara flees from Cambodia with her aunt, Soka, her grandma, and her uncle, Naro, to escape from the
315:
Linda Crew researched
Cambodia before writing the book to include more accurate information about the culture: "I knew nothing about the history and culture of Cambodia, so I spent a year in research before I ever started writing the first rough draft of the book."
327:
has been praised for its ability to help young readers understand international affairs. One reviewer remarked that "this novel has helped young adults understand the experience of
Cambodian refugees settling in the United States after the Vietnam conflict."
34:
149:. She leaves her remaining family behind in Cambodia, which she regrets later in the novel. Sundara's aunt Soka's newborn baby dies while they're traveling on a small, very cramped ship, which devastates Sundara.
221:
Naro's wife and Sundara's strict aunt, is stuck on her Khmer ways. She seems to care more about who Sundara marries than how she really feels. Soka is also said to think of Sundara as a responsibility and not as
552:
350:
477:
577:
331:
Another theme that is portrayed throughout the novel is the "basic goodness of humankind which triumphs in some way even under the most inhumane circumstances."
567:
165:
told that Jonathan is quitting the football team, due to what Sundara has told him about Cambodia. Cathy is upset after realizing that Jonathan likes Sundara.
562:
557:
572:
537:
191:
Sundara's friend, though he constantly teases and flirts with her. He is very caring and gentle towards her. He tells Sundara that he loves her.
252:
A friend of Sundara who came to America from Cambodia after Sundara arrived there. She understands Cambodian ways and how Sundara is feeling.
98:
215:: Jonathan's girlfriend. She is very popular and seems to dislike Sundara, but furthermore dislikes Jonathan and Sundara's relationship.
547:
506:
355:
125:
is a young adult novel by Linda Crew published in 1989. It follows a young girl who moves to the United States to escape from the
383:
485:
542:
532:
340:
20:
197:: Married to Soka, Sundara's aunt. He takes care of Sundara and loves her, and is more open to change than Soka.
368:
126:
246:
When Sundara moves to America, Kelly becomes one of her close friends, and is somewhat like Moni.
240:
Sundara's grandmother is very strict about the way Cambodia was and the beliefs she holds dear.
512:
502:
346:
105:
93:
439:
258:
A Chinese boy that Soka is thinking would be a good husband for Sundara. Sundara hates him.
228:
Sundara's younger cousin who loves the American ways. He is very involved in her life.
33:
526:
146:
203:: Sundara's teacher. She reads a poem that Sundara wrote out loud to the class.
373:
209:: Very accepting of Sundara. They are curious about her life back in Cambodia.
142:
44:
516:
484:. The College of Education, University of Texas at Austin. Archived from
234:
Ravy's younger brother who is very similar to Ravy, but a bit more quiet.
138:
112:
173:
spirit has taken over Sundara, the women all pray for a release on her.
270:
A Cambodian boy who was arranged to marry Sundara. Sundara loved him.
185:
A teenager from Cambodia, who has just started a new life in America.
129:. She becomes friends with an American boy, Jonathan McKinnon.
106:
501:. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers.
452:
Moloney, James (23 March 2005). "Vietnam / Cambodia".
264:
A field owner that employees Sundara and her family.
351:
Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
104:
92:
84:
76:
66:
58:
50:
40:
476:Vijaya Vavilikolanu. Jennifer E. Moore (ed.).
471:
469:
467:
553:Novels about immigration to the United States
62:Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers
8:
26:
19:For the unrelated 2019 Philippine film, see
32:
25:
396:
7:
478:"Book Review: Children of the River"
578:Children's books about immigration
14:
568:Children's books set in the 1970s
356:International Reading Association
563:Children's books set in Cambodia
376:
137:Sundara Sovann is a 12 year old
558:Children's books set in Oregon
1:
384:Children's literature portal
341:American Library Association
21:Children of the River (film)
594:
573:Children's books about war
538:American children's novels
343:Best Book for Young Adults
18:
288:Jonathan's football coach
31:
454:Library Media Connection
16:1989 novel by Linda Crew
369:Young adult literature
27:Children of the River
548:1989 children's books
499:Children of the River
440:Children of the River
358:Children's Book Award
325:Children of the River
122:Children of the River
543:Novels set in Oregon
533:1989 American novels
497:Crew, Linda (1989).
349:Honor Book from the
306:Friend of Chamroeun
141:girl growing up in
28:
304:Cristian Carolino:
294:Friend of Jonathan
286:Coach Hackenbruck:
207:Jonathan's Parents
300:Friend of Sundara
282:Moni's boyfriend.
118:
117:
99:978-0-440-21022-1
77:Publication place
585:
520:
490:
489:
473:
462:
461:
449:
443:
437:
431:
428:
422:
419:
413:
410:
404:
401:
386:
381:
380:
379:
108:
68:Publication date
36:
29:
593:
592:
588:
587:
586:
584:
583:
582:
523:
522:
509:
496:
494:
493:
475:
474:
465:
451:
450:
446:
442:. LindaCrew.com
438:
434:
429:
425:
420:
416:
411:
407:
402:
398:
393:
382:
377:
375:
365:
337:
322:
313:
298:Kobe Gutierrez:
179:
135:
127:war in Cambodia
69:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
591:
589:
581:
580:
575:
570:
565:
560:
555:
550:
545:
540:
535:
525:
524:
507:
492:
491:
488:on 2010-06-20.
482:Books R4 Teens
463:
444:
432:
423:
414:
405:
395:
394:
392:
389:
388:
387:
372:
371:
364:
361:
360:
359:
353:
344:
336:
333:
321:
318:
312:
309:
308:
307:
301:
295:
292:Jaypee Gloria:
289:
283:
277:
271:
265:
259:
253:
247:
241:
235:
229:
223:
216:
210:
204:
198:
192:
186:
178:
175:
134:
131:
116:
115:
110:
102:
101:
96:
90:
89:
86:
82:
81:
78:
74:
73:
70:
67:
64:
63:
60:
56:
55:
52:
48:
47:
42:
38:
37:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
590:
579:
576:
574:
571:
569:
566:
564:
561:
559:
556:
554:
551:
549:
546:
544:
541:
539:
536:
534:
531:
530:
528:
521:
518:
514:
510:
508:0-440-21022-4
504:
500:
487:
483:
479:
472:
470:
468:
464:
459:
455:
448:
445:
441:
436:
433:
427:
424:
418:
415:
409:
406:
400:
397:
390:
385:
374:
370:
367:
366:
362:
357:
354:
352:
348:
345:
342:
339:
338:
334:
332:
329:
326:
319:
317:
310:
305:
302:
299:
296:
293:
290:
287:
284:
281:
278:
276:Soka's sister
275:
272:
269:
266:
263:
260:
257:
254:
251:
248:
245:
242:
239:
236:
233:
230:
227:
224:
220:
217:
214:
211:
208:
205:
202:
201:Mrs. Cathcart
199:
196:
193:
190:
187:
184:
181:
180:
176:
174:
170:
166:
162:
158:
154:
150:
148:
144:
140:
132:
130:
128:
124:
123:
114:
111:
109:
103:
100:
97:
95:
91:
87:
83:
80:United States
79:
75:
71:
65:
61:
57:
53:
49:
46:
43:
39:
35:
30:
22:
498:
495:
486:the original
481:
457:
453:
447:
435:
430:Crew, p. 156
426:
421:Crew, p. 133
417:
408:
399:
330:
324:
323:
320:Major themes
314:
303:
297:
291:
285:
279:
273:
267:
261:
255:
249:
243:
238:Grandmother:
237:
231:
225:
218:
212:
206:
200:
194:
188:
182:
171:
167:
163:
161:gym class.
159:
155:
151:
136:
121:
120:
119:
412:Crew, p. 79
403:Crew, p. 91
347:Golden Kite
147:Khmer Rouge
527:Categories
391:References
280:Chan Seng:
268:Chamroeun:
262:Mr.Bonner:
177:Characters
143:Phnom Penh
45:Linda Crew
256:Pok Simo:
219:Kem Soka:
189:Jonathan:
139:Cambodian
59:Publisher
517:24304470
460:(6): 42.
363:See also
195:Tep Naro
183:Sundara:
133:Synopsis
113:24304470
51:Language
311:Writing
274:Valinn:
222:family.
54:English
515:
505:
335:Awards
244:Kelly:
41:Author
250:Moni:
226:Ravy:
213:Cathy
85:Pages
513:OCLC
503:ISBN
232:Pon:
107:OCLC
94:ISBN
72:1989
88:240
529::
511:.
480:.
466:^
458:23
456:.
519:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
