I honestly can't recall the last time I read a children's book as heartwarming and emotional as "The Dragon's Song". It is co-authored by Binh Pham and R.M. Clark. This book is written with mostly middle-schoolers in mind. Trust me when I say this, they will love it. This book illustrates the story of a young boy, Bao, and his voyage from South Vietnam to the United States. He undergoes this trek as an expatriate, not long after the collapse of his country, at the hands of an oppressive Communist system. The storyline, and history of Vietnam, is more than enough to hold my interest in this unique tale. This book, however, takes things a notch further since it literally portrays Binh Pham's actual life experiences.
In a political landscape where Communism is threatening the way of life for the Vietnamese people, Bao's family is fearful of falling prey to Communist soldiers. Regrettably, their fears become a reality when his parents are apprehended by said soldiers, right before his very eyes. Through sheer determination, Bao escapes and seeks solace with his uncle's family. He lives with them for a couple of years. His uncle's family then orchestrates a plan for him and his cousin to take the perilous journey to the United States, where their extended family in the U.S. is waiting to care for them. Not only is the journey an extremely dangerous one for these children, but they travel under horrific conditions. It is truly a heartwarming tale of survival and self-discovery. I rate this novel 5 stars. I would have given it 10 stars if I could.
This book will certainly help young readers (and adults who love YA books) to sympathize with the challenges that youths from other cultures experience. Not only is this book educational, but it also conveys many important life-lessons that we as readers ought to consider. It educates the reader without coming off as superficial or redundant. Truth be told, it has the opposite effect. In actuality, the more you read this book is the more you will want to continue reading it. The storyline is simple and children will be able to understand it. The language is appropriate. Both children and adults will enjoy reading this book. As such, I won't hesitate to recommend it to children and adults who love reading children's historical fiction. It will even inspire them to do their own research on Vietnam's rich culture, and learn more about this fascinating country.