Thirteen-year-old Yen and her family have survived the ravages of the Vietnam War and the ensuing famine and persecution. After a flood destroys their village, her family decides to take the ultimate risk on the high seas for a chance at a better life.

Praise for A Grain of Rice:

“Thirteen-year-old narrator Yen, her siblings, and her mother . . . escape Vietnam and experience a range of obstacles, from corrupt police to prejudice; aboard a refugee boat to Malaysia, they witness sickness, death, and piracy. The descriptive narrative is straightforward with a strong sense of immediacy.” (The Horn Book, 3 January 2019).

Based on events from the author’s childhood, this fictionalized narrative offers readers a gripping account of the refugee experience. . .the action never flags, and Yen’s feistiness makes her an engaging and empathetic character. (Booklist Librarians, January 2019).