By Tho Pham Sandra McTavish
To escape a war, an eleven-year-old boy must survive the sea.
In their powerful middle-grade novel, “The Cricket War,” co-authors Tho Pham and Sandra McTavish offer a gripping, semi-autobiographical account of a young boy’s flight from his homeland. Set in 1980, the story introduces us to eleven-year-old Tho, whose childhood in South Vietnam is filled with soccer games and training pet crickets to fight. This fragile peace is shattered by the looming threat of conscription into the Communist army, forcing his family to make the heart-wrenching decision to send him away. What follows is an unforgettable journey across the South China Sea, as Tho, alone and vulnerable, faces pirates, starvation, and the vast, unforgiving ocean in a desperate search for safety. It is a tale of survival that captures the profound loss of home and the enduring strength of the human spirit.
The narrative plunges readers into the tense atmosphere of post-war Vietnam and the mass exodus of the “boat people.” Themes of family, sacrifice, and identity are woven throughout Tho’s voyage and his eventual time in a Filipino refugee camp. This book is an invaluable window into the lived experiences of refugees. It moves beyond headlines and statistics, fostering a deep and personal empathy by allowing them to walk in Tho’s shoes, to feel his fear, his loneliness, and his flicker of hope. The story provides a powerful context for understanding the courage and resilience required to leave everything behind for the mere chance of a future.
The authenticity of “The Cricket War” is its greatest strength, born from the collaboration between Tho Pham, who lived this experience, and his childhood friend and former teacher, Sandra McTavish. The novel, a recipient of the Freeman Book Award, stands as a testament to the importance of bearing witness to history. It belongs in every classroom and library not only as a compelling work of historical fiction but as a bridge to understanding the ongoing stories of displaced people around the world. “The Cricket War” is a book that will stay with readers long after the final page, a resonant and timely reminder of the high price of freedom and the quiet courage of a child who refuses to give up.
