Book Description
for Song for Cambodia by Michelle Lord and Shino Arihara
From The United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY)
Arn Chorn-Pond remembered the haunting sounds of his grandfather’s music and his mother’s melodies from before the Khmer Rouge stormed his village. Arn was wrenched from his family and taken to a children’s camp, where he slaved planting and harvesting rice. Vietnam attacked the Khmer Rouge four years later, allowing Arn to escape to Thailand, then America. The musical talent he developed during Pol Pot’s regime helped him survive the labor camp and assuaged his mind and spirit. Today, he assists Cambo dians to heal from the violence. Background on Cambodia and extensive author’s sources—books, films, interviews, and Internet sites—substantiate this informative biography. lmp