• Age: 12 to 18
• Grade: 8 to 12
• Reading age: 12 to 18

Thirteen-year-old Yen and her family have survived a war, famine and persecution. When a powerful flood ruins their village in rural Vietnam, matters only get worse. With the help of neighbors and family, they decide to take the ultimate risk on a chance for a better life.

Nhung N. Tran-Davies is a physician and advocate for social justice through education. Her family came to Canada as refugees from Vietnam in 1979, and in 2013 Nhung founded the Children of Vietnam Benevolent Foundation. She spoke at the UN's International Organization on Migration in Geneva as part of their "I am a Migrant" campaign to help reduce hate speech and promote tolerance. Nhung and her family live outside Edmonton, Alberta.

Nhung N. Tran-Davies' profile page

• Short-listed, Red Maple Award

★ "While certainly a suspenseful action story, A Grain of Rice is a sobering read, which gives insight into the…struggles of refugees past and present."

Quill & Quire, starred review

Debut author Nhun Tran-Davies immerses the reader in this deeply moving fictionalized account of her family's escape from Vietnam following the fall of Saigon.

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

"A gripping account of the refugee experience…The action never flags, and Yen's feistiness makes her an engaging and empathetic character."

Booklist

"Debut author Nhun Tran-Davies immerses the reader in this deeply moving fictionalized account of her family's escape from Vietnam following the fall of Saigon."

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

"The descriptive narrative [has] a strong sense of immediacy; the author's portrayal of the mother's dedication, generosity and persistence is spot on."

The Horn Book

"The descriptive narrative [has] a strong sense of immediacy; the author's portrayal of the mother's dedication, generosity and persistence is spot on."

The Horn Book

"Based on events from the author's childhood, this fictionalized narrative offers a gripping account if the refugee experience."

Booklist