The Clay Marble, Minfong Ho

Following the brutal execution of her father, a twelve-year-old Cambodian girl named Dara and her family must flee their farm for the safety of a refugee camp on the Thai border. At first, life in the camp is a return to normalcy as new friendships are made and her older brother even falls in love. A Vietnamese bombing of the camp, however, changes everything. Temporarily separated from her family and bereaved of one of her new friends, Dara finds new courage and wisdom as she confronts her brother's militarism and helps persuade family members to return home to the farm.

Related Readings

from Cambodia—history by Miriam Greenblatt

The Shaping of The Clay Marble—personal essay by Minfong Ho

from Toys Made of Clay—informative nonfiction by Hannelore Schäl and Ulla Abdalla

from Children of the River—excerpt from the novel by Linda Crew

from Old World Monkeys—natural science by Ann Elwood

Study Guide (PDF)