Roots and Wings (Module 5)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ly, Many. 2008. Roots and Wings. New York: Delacorte. ISBN: 978385735001.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Grace has grown up not knowing much about her family and her family's past (even who her father was) because her mother won't tell her anything. Then, when her grandmother passes away, they return to where her mother grew up to have a Cambodian funeral. While there, Grace is confronted with her mother's and grandmother's past, and she must learn how to allow her past to inform her future.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Roots and Wings is a contemporary fiction novel focused on the experiences of on a first generation Cambodian American girl, Grace, who has grown up with only her mom and grandmother. These two women are also the only other Cambodians Grace has ever really had in her life. The book centers in many ways around this point of not knowing any other Cambodians, even though she knows her mother spent her time after immigrating to the US in a Cambodian community in St. Petersburg, FL. Grace's main drive in wanting to go back to St. Petersburg is also to discover who her father is and try to meet him.

The book is written in a way that interweaves the world of Cambodian Americans now with experiences earlier in Cambodia. The atrocities that many experienced are handled gently while not veering away from the ugliness of war. Ly manages not only to share these stories but also shows how those experiences have shaped the Cambodian refugees in American and their children, who may not even know the stories. To enhance the reader's experience of this culture, khmer words and cultural details are found throughout the book. Some are explained, while others need to be inferred.

Many Ly has written a wonderful book that gives insight into the Cambodian American culture that very few have written about. She has created a relatable cast of characters that ring true and shares many details about the culture that progress the storyline as well as add historical facts. Grace navigates well what it means to be American and how her Cambodian culture has affected her in ways she never realized before. There is a great need for good Cambodian American literature, and Many Ly has definitely succeeded with this novel.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• 2008 Asian Pacific American Library Association Award Book
• Kirkus Reviews: "Replete with details depicting religious and social beliefs, Grace's quest for answers makes for an intriguing contemplation on life within Cambodian-American immigrant community, as well as a satisfying coming-of-age story."
• School Library Journal: "The author allows family secrets to unfold carefully and explores them with sincerity."
• Horn Book: “Replete with Cambodian historical and religious details, this thoughtful coming-of-age story is grounded in family and tradition.”

5. CONNECTIONS

• Many Ly's website has a biography page that is a fascinating look at her life fleeing from Cambodia an arriving in America. Use this website to begin an author study on Many Ly.
• A recent independent movie about Cambodia now can give students some perspective on the country. You can watch the trailer and get more information here: http://ariverchangescourse.com/. The Documentation Center of Cambodia is also a good place to get information on Cambodia's past and present. Students should be encouraged to study the culture of Cambodia before Pol Pot, during the terrible years of Pol Pot, and modern day Cambodia.
• Other young adult books about Cambodians:
  Crew, Linda. Children of the River. ISBN: 9780440210221.
  Keat, Nawuth with Martha Kendall. Alive in the Killing Fields: Surviving the Khmer Rouge Genocide. ISBN: 9781426305153
  Ly, Many. Home is East. ISBN: 9780307530899
  McCormick, Patricia. Never Fall Down: A Novel. ISBN: 9780061730955
  Ung, Loung. First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers. ISBN: 9780060856267