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Reviewed by:
  • Escaping the Tiger
  • Maggie Hommel
Manivong, Laura. Escaping the Tiger. Harper/HarperCollins, 2010 [224p]. ISBN 978-0-06-166177-8 $15.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 6-9

It is a moonless night in 1982 when twelve-year-old Vonlai and his family fee their home in Laos and escape to Thailand. Their relief at safely crossing the Mekong River dissipates, however, when they they're placed in a Thai refugee camp, the conditions in which are scarcely better than in Communist-ruled Laos. Hunger, disease, corruption, and the constant threat of violence plague the refugees, but Vonlai clings to the hope that he will one day live in the United States. Several years go by as Vonlai attends, and grows too old for, the camp's school, plays soccer, makes friends, and learns to live with next to nothing, as the mentorship of a battered and ancient Royal Lao Army ex-colonel inspires Vonlai to continue dreaming of the future. Author Manivong, whose Laotian-born husband spent time in a Thai refugee camp as a teenager, provides a careful and affecting portrayal of the suffering of everyday people in Laos during this brutal time period. Straight-forward [End Page 345] writing and ample dialogue make the book readable, and the engaging characters keep the reader immersed from start to finish. This is a personal story focusing firmly on Vonlai's experience, but additional context will also enable it to become a valuable historical supplement in explorations of the Vietnam War and its aftermath in Southeast Asia. This is a moving story that breathes life into a chapter of twentieth-century history that may be little known to young readers. A brief explanatory note is included.

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