Children of the River

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Summary: Secrets Behind Diversity
Review: This is an excellant book in which a shy, yet determined young Cambodian girl is forced to leave behind her life, love, and family to go to a strange new country where she doesn't even know the native language. She is forced to assimilate and learn everything American, yet she doesn't want to lose her culture or values. This book shows how diverse America is, and what it carries with it.

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Summary: Sundara's Journey
Review: Children of the River by Linda Crew is a very good book. I think it shows the struggles that could be going on inside someone, when they have to adapt to a new country and have a conflict of cultures including memories of a terrifying past, in an understanding way. The style of writing narrates the book and especially the characters' emotions and conflicts in a very compelling way that draws you into the book. The story is about a young Cambodian girl named Sundara who escapes with her aunt's family from the frightening threat of the Khmer Rouge invasion of Cambodia. Her family starts up a new life in America but the horrors she saw in her city in Cambodia still haunt her and she misses her country and her parents and siblings a lot. She also feels torn between her native culture and traditions and her new exciting American life which includes an American boy she loves. I would recommend Children of the River because the culture that is shown in the book is very interesting and because the characters seem very real and you get drawn into the book. The culture is shown in places all through the book and you learn interesting little things about Sundara and her family's beliefs and traditions as you are reading it. Events and the characters' emotions are shown with great detail and understanding, like when Sundara's aunt finds out that Sundara has been very upset inside about how hard she treats her and that Sundara thinks that her aunt blames her for the death of a baby. This is a very powerful part of the book. Someone may disagree with my recommendation of this book because they may say that the book is too dramatic, and so this would make it unrealistic. An example of this could be when Sundara kind of has a crying fit and half faints and has so stay in bed for a while. Her Grandmother thinks it is the spirit of the dead baby that haunts her but it is because Sundara has been so worried and tortured by the thought that her aunt blames her for the death of the child, and by memories of things in Cambodia. Things like this may be dramatic but I think they're still realistic because in a culture like Sundara's, where children are encouraged to not speak openly of their emotions and have to hold them inside themselves, then it can be very upsetting when there is a conflict. I recommend this book, it's an amazing and gripping read. I loved it!

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Summary: a memorable book
Review: I first read children of the river when I was in middle school, and have never forgotten it. Many of the themes in the book are ones that I experienced myself and which are in many ways unique to living in a nation of immigrants -- internal cultural conflict, a longing for a clearcut place in the world, and above all, longing for, as Sundara says "all that is rightfully mine." That phrase has stuck in my memory; it said what I always longed to. I wanted to live the heritage of my ancestors, and felt I had a right to, but couldn't because of the reality of living in America. And yet I still love America, the land where I was born. This book helped me see that young people from many cultures all over the US and Canada shared my difficulty, and so I didn't feel so alone. Having a my best friend read it also helped her to understand the conflict of being bicultural in my life. I highly recommend this book for all American young people.

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Summary: Children of the River
Review: I was very happy someone got the guts to say how everybody is alike in someway. I thought it was the best book I ever read. You told how she was not allowed to see Amercian boys, I thought that was really bad because she was locked up by her aunt and uncle. I was wandering did Sundra and Johnathen get together? I hope to God they did. I hope you write a book like that again somethime soon.

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Summary: original love story
Review: children of the river is a story about a cambodian girl who is forced to move to america to get away from a war. she comes leaving here leaving her friends and family not knowing anyone but the people she is living with(her aunt, uncle, and grandmother). she falls in love with an american boy but is not allowed to see him because it is against their costomary ways of life. but of course she sneaks off and falls in love with him.

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Summary: Children Of The River
Review: It's about a girl named Sundara she has to leave her home in Cambodia. She comes to America in search to find a new home. When she comes she meets a American boy named Jonathan and she falls in love with him. But Cambodian girls can't date Americans of any other boys. Their parents find their husband for them.

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Summary: Children of the River- What I have to say about it!
Review: I loved the book considering it was a love/history kind ofthing. It showed the power of love, what can happen and it all. I donot think that it was at all a disturbing thing to (the main character), justbecause she met a white boy who "helped" her does not mean he " rescued " her. Thanks!

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Summary: Great book!
Review: I had to read this for school, and I didn't think I'd enjoy ithas much as I did. I would reccomend this book. Besides having a niceplot, it's really accurate. :-)

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Summary: Children of the River
Review: This book started out great. As I read further I started to become bored. On the other hand it is a good a story line. It is about a girl, Sandara, that likes this boy named Jonothon. To find out what happens read the book Children of the river.

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Summary: You have to read this book!
Review: We had to read this book for school. At first i was like oh great this is going to be another boring book right? wrong. as i started reading it i started reading ahead. as it turns out it is one of the best books i've ever read. i hope the author makes another one b/c i absolutely love this one. if you have a chance of reading it pick it up and i'll garentee you that you wont be able to put it down!