This book came off to me a little bit like an afterschool special. It is what people call an "Important book" - about a topic that is rarely addressed in YA literature, the Khmer Rouge regime, and also about the life of immigrant and refugee families in the US. These are important topics that are way off the radar of the average teen, so this book is consciousness-raising and information-giving. Unfortunately, though, in my opinion, the writing itself wasn't strong enough to lift it from an educational, important book to a really awesome story / piece of literature that also happens to be educational. That said, though, it would be an excellent tie-in to a history class or a unit on social justice at in a school setting.