Age Level: 5 - 8

Tucked between Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam in Southeast Asia, Cambodia is a tiny country that survived immeasurable hardship in the 1970s. The Cambodian people are proof that even the most horrific experiences can’t destroy the human spirit. The Cambodian Dancer is the compelling true story of a woman who escaped the unspeakable brutality and death that befell her fellow countryman and eventually built a life for herself in the United States. A dancer and a teacher, Sophany was one of the few artists to survive the Khmer Rouge, and her survival has helped to keep the traditions of Cambodian dance alive today.

Winner 2016 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards - Silver for Multicultural Non-Fiction Picture Book.

Reicherter has written a gentle story that confronts diaspora, refugees, and survival through the eyes of a brave and talented young woman. -Asian Fortune News

Beautiful illustrations of dancers and ancient Cambodian temples along with a simple text make this a book that can be enjoyed at many levels. The poetic language hints at the cruelty of the Khmer Rouge without going into graphic detail so that you can decide how much history you want to share with your child. The book can become the basis for a deep conversation about the effects of war, and compassion for refugees and immigrants. It is definitely a book for our times. -Schools ‘N More