Thirteen-year-old Yen and her family have survived a war, famine and persecution. When a powerful flood ruins their village in rural Vietnam, matters only get worse. With the help of neighbors and family, they decide to take the ultimate risk on a chance for a better life.
Debut author Nhun Tran-Davies immerses the reader in this deeply moving fictionalized account of her family's escape from Vietnam following the fall of Saigon.
– CM: Canadian Review of Materials
"A gripping account of the refugee experience…The action never flags, and Yen's feistiness makes her an engaging and empathetic character."
– Booklist
"Debut author Nhun Tran-Davies immerses the reader in this deeply moving fictionalized account of her family's escape from Vietnam following the fall of Saigon."
– CM: Canadian Review of Materials
★ "While certainly a suspenseful action story, A Grain of Rice is a sobering read, which gives insight into the…struggles of refugees past and present."
– Quill & Quire, starred review
"The descriptive narrative [has] a strong sense of immediacy; the author's portrayal of the mother's dedication, generosity and persistence is spot on."
– The Horn Book
"Based on events from the author's childhood, this fictionalized narrative offers a gripping account if the refugee experience."
– Booklist
"The descriptive narrative [has] a strong sense of immediacy; the author's portrayal of the mother's dedication, generosity and persistence is spot on."
– The Horn Book
Red Maple Award | 2020 | Short-listed
