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Children's Fiction Asia

Crossing the Farak River

by (author) Michelle Aung Thin

Publisher
Annick Press
Initial publish date
Apr 2020
Category
Asia, Prejudice & Racism, Emigration & Immigration
Recommended Age
11 to 18
Recommended Grade
6 to 12
Recommended Reading age
11 to 18
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781773213989
    Publish Date
    Apr 2020
    List Price
    $18.99

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Description

Fourteen-year-old Hasina is forced to flee everything she knows in this gripping account of the crisis in Myanmar.

For Hasina and her younger brother Araf, the constant threat of Sit Tat, the Myanmar Army, is a way of life in Rakhine province—just uttering the name is enough to send chills down their spines. As Rohingyas, they know that when they hear the wop wop wop of their helicopters there is one thing to do—run, and don’t stop. So when soldiers invade their village one night, and Hasina awakes to her aunt's fearful voice, followed by smoke, and then a scream, run is what they do.

Hasina races deep into the Rakhine forest to hide with her cousin Ghadiya and Araf. When they emerge some days later, it is to a smouldering village. Their house is standing but where is the rest of her family? With so many Rohingyas driven out, Hasina must figure out who she can trust for help and summon the courage to fight for her family amid the escalating conflict that threatens her world and her identity.

Fast-paced and accessibly written, Crossing the Farak River tackles an important topic frequently in the news but little explored in fiction. It is a poignant and thought-provoking introduction for young readers to the military crackdown and ongoing persecution of Rohingya people, from the perspective of a brave and resilient protagonist.

About the author

MICHELLE AUNG THIN was born in Burma, now Myanmar, in 1962, the year of the military coup, and left with her parents when she was an infant. She grew up in Canada, and now calls Australia home, where she teaches at RMIT University in Melbourne.

Michelle Aung Thin's profile page

Editorial Reviews

“The author, aware that ethnic and religious divisions are easily sown by the media, ignorance, and fear, packs a great deal of information into this compelling story that will educate readers on a real, ongoing situation while also building empathy.” —Booklist, 02/15/20

Booklist