cover image Where the River Runs: A Portrait of a Refugee Family

Where the River Runs: A Portrait of a Refugee Family

Nancy Price Graff. Little Brown and Company, $17.95 (71pp) ISBN 978-0-316-32287-4

Graff and Howard ( The Strength of the Hills: A Portrait of a Family Farm ) affectingly present a Cambodian family that in 1983 entered the U.S. as refugees. Now living in Allston, Mass., Sohka Prek, her three sons and her mother, Sok Eng, are introduced as ``modern pilgrims,'' and are first pictured enjoying a classic Thanksgiving meal. We follow each through their daily schedules: the boys attend a local public school; their mother works for the state by day and takes English classes in the evening. After school, the brothers are cared for by Sok Eng, who cooks them Cambodian foods and uses her native language of Khmer. Graff delves into the tragic history of the Preks' move from their war-torn homeland. Though somewhat rambling and encumbered by lengthy sentences, her text offers stimulating insights into Cambodian beliefs and customs, especially in exploring how the Preks have assimilated their traditions into their new life. Howard's black-and-white photos neatly capture the everyday doings of this closely knit family as well as its members' determination and mettle. Ages 8-12. (May)