Crossing the Farak River

The men come at night. The first Hasina knows of it is her aunt’s voice, urgent, full of fear. ‘Up, up. Get up! ‘ The second thing is smoke. Then there is a scream. ‘Run,’ her father shouts. ‘And don’t stop!’ Hasina races deep into the Rakhine forest to hide with her cousin Ghadiya and her little brother, Araf. When they emerge some days later, it is to a silent, smouldering village. Their own house has not been burnt down but where are the rest of her family? Perhaps they have been gathered up and taken away … or worse. So many Rohingyas are gone, how will she survive? Will her parents return? Hasina must find the courage to save her family amid the escalating conflict that threatens her world and her identity.

Reviews

‘An authentic tale of fear, pain and suffering but above all else, courage. The drama and tension draw the reader in till the very end.’
— Libby Gleeson, author of Mahtab’s Story

‘The author, aware that ethnic and religious divisions are easily sown by the media, ignorance, and fear, packs a great deal of information into this compelling story that will educate readers on a real, ongoing situation while also building empathy.’
— Amina Chaudhri, Booklist

‘Fast-paced and accessibly written, Crossing the Farak River tackles an important topic frequently in the news but little explored in fiction. It is a poignant and thought-provoking introduction for young readers to the military crackdown and ongoing persecution of Rohingya people, from the perspective of a brave and resilient protagonist.’ (From Annick Press)
— CBC Books, Canada Broadcasting Corporation, 21 middle-grade and YA books to read in spring 2020, 4/5/2020

‘This title offers high readability and lends itself to nonfiction pairings exploring the cultural history and governance of Myanmar. A must-purchase for all middle grade libraries focused on building a diverse collection featuring complex world issues and #OwnVoices authors.’
Monica Cabarcas, School Library Journal – *starred review 3/1/2020

‘An urgent, timely narrative’
Kirkus Reviews, 4/7/2020

‘Hasina is an engaging and interesting main character . . . Hasina puts a personal face on [political situation in Myanmar], helping readers both understand and empathize with the situation. Crossing the Farak River is . . . an amazing adventure set in an interesting and foreign environment with a memorable and admirable young woman as the protagonist. Highly recommended.’
CM Reviews, *starred review, 02/14/20

‘Every moment of hope in the narrative seems to vacillate with a moment of despair, making Crossing the Farak River an engaging page-turner that also brings much-needed context and understanding to a country that for some 50 years had been considered a pariah state under military dictatorship.’
Heather Camlot – Quill & Quire, 06/25/20

‘Hasina is a strong, courageous character who fights for her family in this captivating account of the crisis in Myanmar.’
– OmniLibros, 03/25/20

‘A well written and evocative novel that will offer young readers a starting point to learning more about the Rohingya, Myanmar and how intolerance can lead to the most inhuman actions.’
– LibrisNotes, 09/12/21

Awards

Joint Winner – South Asia Book Award 2021
Past Awards, 2021

Joint Winner – Freeman Award – Young Adult / High School Literature 2020
The National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA)

Joint Winner – USSBY Outstanding International Books List 2021, Best International Books Award 2021
The United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) Outstanding International Books (OIB)
(about the award)