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The Stone Goddess
Award-winning author Minfong Ho tells the story of Nakri's struggles during the Communist takeover of Cambodia in the 1980s.
Twelve-year-old Nakri's beloved home in Cambodia is shattered when the nation's capital is overrun by government rebels. Her family is forced to flee, and she and her siblings end up in a children's labor camp, separated from everything they've ever known. At long last, Cambodia is liberated and Nakri's family sets out for America, a place to begin again. There, Nakri learns that she can leave Cambodia behind, but the memories will be a part of her forever.
Twelve-year-old Nakri's beloved home in Cambodia is shattered when the nation's capital is overrun by government rebels. Her family is forced to flee, and she and her siblings end up in a children's labor camp, separated from everything they've ever known. At long last, Cambodia is liberated and Nakri's family sets out for America, a place to begin again. There, Nakri learns that she can leave Cambodia behind, but the memories will be a part of her forever.
201 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
16 people are currently reading
315 people want to read
About the author
Minfong Ho
28 books46 followersMinfong Ho is an award-winning Chinese-American writer. Her works frequently deal with the lives of people living in poverty in Southeast Asian countries.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
August 1, 2013
While the full brutal horrors of the Khmer Rouge weren't fully exposed to give younger readers an intro slight glimpse of what the people of Cambodia suffered without destroying their innocence, this still had a lasting impact that will remain with me for many years after I finished the last page, a message of resounding hope through even the darkest years in our history. Its' account triumphs through its' sheer beauty like the dancing apsaras through the churning sea that became the focal point of this book.
The story of Nakri and her family is symbolic of thousands of Cambodians, whose suffering didn't end with the leaving of their horrific past in Cambodia but who also had to face a whole new struggle while still dealing with the trauma no child should have to have witnessed in a new lifestyle-the lucky ones who by a miracle managed to survive the unconquerable yet still had to deal with the grief of those who didn't escape.
This book takes us to an exotic world with a horrific past, highlighting many people's ignorance of others' suffering that come into their country looking for a better future while we only seem concerned about what has happened in our own lives.
Through Minfong Ho, Cambodia and its' vibrant people live on once again. The apsaras have kept dancing into a lighter world.
The story of Nakri and her family is symbolic of thousands of Cambodians, whose suffering didn't end with the leaving of their horrific past in Cambodia but who also had to face a whole new struggle while still dealing with the trauma no child should have to have witnessed in a new lifestyle-the lucky ones who by a miracle managed to survive the unconquerable yet still had to deal with the grief of those who didn't escape.
This book takes us to an exotic world with a horrific past, highlighting many people's ignorance of others' suffering that come into their country looking for a better future while we only seem concerned about what has happened in our own lives.
Through Minfong Ho, Cambodia and its' vibrant people live on once again. The apsaras have kept dancing into a lighter world.
June 11, 2008
I really enjoyed reading this multicultural book. It seemed like it was historical fiction as well because it was based on the Vietnam War and the fight against communism. I was really emotionally attached to this book and I felt for the Cambodian refugees. I have never had an experience like that but my father served a mission where there were many Cambodian refugees and this might be what their story might be like. Also, any immigrant could feel the way this family did when they came to the United States. My parents both came to the United States- my father when he was a child, and my mother when she was in college. It must have been difficult for them to adjust and it might have felt somewhat like what this family felt.
One thing I did not like was that the ending was cut short. I thought it would go on to talk about how they ended up in America. It just stopped at a point where Nakri had adjusted to her new environment a little and started dancing again, preserving her culture.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book.
One thing I did not like was that the ending was cut short. I thought it would go on to talk about how they ended up in America. It just stopped at a point where Nakri had adjusted to her new environment a little and started dancing again, preserving her culture.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book.
July 11, 2020
I absolutely love this book. It is a really heavy book, but I think I would still recommend it. I read it for the first time as a fourth graders, and I definitely wouldn't recommend anyone read it that early. I wasn't traumatized or anything, but I wasn't able to understand the more heavy themes the book portrayed and was able to get a lot more out of it when I read it again a lot older.
May 27, 2015
Sad and touching story about a family torn apart during the Cambodia Civil War.
March 21, 2025
This book was so amazing, I even cried reading it. It made me rethink all the things I take for granted. Genuinely life altering.
October 29, 2024
3.5 stars. Heavy. Grim.
I felt anxious while reading the first 2/3 of this story. Everything was so dark and hopeless. Children torn from their parents, made to slave in work camps without enough food to eat. Dehumanizing treatment by the Khmer Rouge.
But when the family (what’s left of it) finds themselves in America, my heart lifted a bit. I felt like I was getting true glimpses of understanding what it is like to be an immigrant. The author herself was a US immigrant, so I’m guessing that her personal experience is what really makes her writing shine here.
Since this is a middle grade novel, there are things that keep it from being overwhelmingly depressing. The main character is not completely alone. A thread of endurance and resilience born from her Buddhist faith weaves through the story. The ending is satisfying and hopeful.
I felt anxious while reading the first 2/3 of this story. Everything was so dark and hopeless. Children torn from their parents, made to slave in work camps without enough food to eat. Dehumanizing treatment by the Khmer Rouge.
But when the family (what’s left of it) finds themselves in America, my heart lifted a bit. I felt like I was getting true glimpses of understanding what it is like to be an immigrant. The author herself was a US immigrant, so I’m guessing that her personal experience is what really makes her writing shine here.
Since this is a middle grade novel, there are things that keep it from being overwhelmingly depressing. The main character is not completely alone. A thread of endurance and resilience born from her Buddhist faith weaves through the story. The ending is satisfying and hopeful.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2019
The Stone Goddess by Mingfong Ho was a great book. It talks about the family and life of Nakri and
and how two Cambodian Sisters named Teeda and Nakri love to dance however their town/home is taken over by a group called Khmer Rouge[Ankar}and are now forced to go somewhere else, far from their home. Then the Ankar take Teeda, Boran, and Narki to a camp where they have to work{slaves} for about four years. Then Narki family meets relief workers that help them immigrate to America and they start a new life. I gave this book a 4 stars because I felt that there were some questions that were left unanswered to the audience. But overall this is a good book and i would recommend for everyone to read this book
and how two Cambodian Sisters named Teeda and Nakri love to dance however their town/home is taken over by a group called Khmer Rouge[Ankar}and are now forced to go somewhere else, far from their home. Then the Ankar take Teeda, Boran, and Narki to a camp where they have to work{slaves} for about four years. Then Narki family meets relief workers that help them immigrate to America and they start a new life. I gave this book a 4 stars because I felt that there were some questions that were left unanswered to the audience. But overall this is a good book and i would recommend for everyone to read this book
February 24, 2020
it's good
July 22, 2022
Beautiful coming of age story of a strong young girl and all she over comes in a war torn country. Interlaced with beauty and wonder. A favorite from my elementary years.
January 16, 2023
A really good book over all and it's also good if you want to learn more about Cambodia's history. Be prepared to cry.
February 15, 2021
Good book
July 4, 2011
I have read many war and refugee stories. Few hold the delicate balance of The Stone Goddess. When dealing with crimes against humanity, authors face a challenge to bring enough detail to demonstrate the horrors of the crimes without having these events become the actual story. Too often authors rely on the gore and violence of war to create a relationship with the reader. This reliance depersonalizes the narrative and leaves the story a mere skeleton of what it could have been. This is NOT the case with Minfong Ho. Through the gentle dance of the apsara goddess Minfong Ho brings to life a stirring story of sisterly love and loss.
Ho gives the reader enough details to understand the backdrop of the story (1975-1979 "social engineering of the Khmer Rouge under Pol Pot) without letting the surrounding settings consume the story. In place of a dependence on gore and violence (which she could have easily relied on to tell the story) Minfong focuses on Nakri. The author has created a character that feels both real and likable. Her affection for her older sister broke my heart. The moments of tenderness shared by the sisters while enduring forced labor were written with such finesse.
When Nakri begins school, I was taken aback by Minfong's ability to describe with such clarity the impossibilities that so many of our refugee students face. I left the book with an immediate desire to call up all my students for an emergency summer book club. I wanted them to see their stories reflected with the sensitivity that Ho brings to Nakri's experience. The character of Nakri sounded like so many of my students, when they describe the disoriented feelings of being new to country, language, culture and school. Nakri felt like one of my students. I left the story thinking, "Minfong HO really gets this." Yet, she was not cliche nor did she fall back on stereotypes. She allowed Nakri to tell the story from her voice that just happens to be all too familiar.
What touched me the most was the loving gestures and admiration the family members had for one another. Moreover, I found the metaphor of the apsara goddesses apt. The notion that life, art and beauty can be born from chaos and destruction gives me hope. I have seen first hand how narratives, painting, dance and music help one to make sense of suffering (or at least bring a level of balance).
I hope I can get enough money to order a classroom set. I would love to experience this story with my students and see their reactions. Until then, I fear I will be having a few unsettling dreams with Nakri and Teeda dancing in them.
Ho gives the reader enough details to understand the backdrop of the story (1975-1979 "social engineering of the Khmer Rouge under Pol Pot) without letting the surrounding settings consume the story. In place of a dependence on gore and violence (which she could have easily relied on to tell the story) Minfong focuses on Nakri. The author has created a character that feels both real and likable. Her affection for her older sister broke my heart. The moments of tenderness shared by the sisters while enduring forced labor were written with such finesse.
When Nakri begins school, I was taken aback by Minfong's ability to describe with such clarity the impossibilities that so many of our refugee students face. I left the book with an immediate desire to call up all my students for an emergency summer book club. I wanted them to see their stories reflected with the sensitivity that Ho brings to Nakri's experience. The character of Nakri sounded like so many of my students, when they describe the disoriented feelings of being new to country, language, culture and school. Nakri felt like one of my students. I left the story thinking, "Minfong HO really gets this." Yet, she was not cliche nor did she fall back on stereotypes. She allowed Nakri to tell the story from her voice that just happens to be all too familiar.
What touched me the most was the loving gestures and admiration the family members had for one another. Moreover, I found the metaphor of the apsara goddesses apt. The notion that life, art and beauty can be born from chaos and destruction gives me hope. I have seen first hand how narratives, painting, dance and music help one to make sense of suffering (or at least bring a level of balance).
I hope I can get enough money to order a classroom set. I would love to experience this story with my students and see their reactions. Until then, I fear I will be having a few unsettling dreams with Nakri and Teeda dancing in them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2009
The Stone Goddess also follows a child sent to labor camps by the Khmer Rouge, but this story follows Nakri, a 12-year old living in the capital city of Phnom Penh. Nakri's family fled the city when the soldiers invade, going to live with her grandparents in a small village. But they were still not safe. She was forced to go to a labor camp with her older sister and brother. Nakri's sister was trained in classical Cambodian dance, and this beautiful, almost spiritual dance provided an emotional rock for Nakri.
The story is riveting, and at times horrifying as you watch the soldiers threatening Nakri's sister and brother, and you realize how many children were dying. Eventually, Nakri and her brother reunited with their parents and emigrated to the United States. But Nakri struggled. "I should have felt happy with this new life, but there was an air of unreality to it all, as if my eyes were floating above me, and watching me go through the motions of living hero."
The author of The Stone Goddess, Minfong Ho, was born in Burma and grew up in Thailand, working in 1980 in refugee camps on the Thai-Cambodian border. It is clear through her novel that she empathizes deeply with Khmer refugees like Nakri. It's a powerful story that would captivate tweens and teens (grades 5 and above) who want to know more about this hard period of history and how one family struggled to survive.
The story is riveting, and at times horrifying as you watch the soldiers threatening Nakri's sister and brother, and you realize how many children were dying. Eventually, Nakri and her brother reunited with their parents and emigrated to the United States. But Nakri struggled. "I should have felt happy with this new life, but there was an air of unreality to it all, as if my eyes were floating above me, and watching me go through the motions of living hero."
The author of The Stone Goddess, Minfong Ho, was born in Burma and grew up in Thailand, working in 1980 in refugee camps on the Thai-Cambodian border. It is clear through her novel that she empathizes deeply with Khmer refugees like Nakri. It's a powerful story that would captivate tweens and teens (grades 5 and above) who want to know more about this hard period of history and how one family struggled to survive.
August 25, 2009
The Stone Goddess is about a Cambodian girl named Nakri who is taken away from her mother, father, grandmother, and grandfather. But her older brother and sister, Boran and Teeda were taken with her to go work in the rice feild for their new government. This book takes place in Cambodia, Asia and the setting is dry, with a lot of fice fields. Nakri's main internal conflict is that she has to deal with being seperated from her family and home, especially her sister (hint, hint). Nakri's main external conflict is that she has to live in the extreme conditions of a work slave in the rice fields, with little food, water, and hope.
During reading this book, I made a Text-to-Text connection. Nakri working as a slave reminded me of Amari in Copper Sun by Sharon Draper. Amari also has been taken away from her family to work as a slave. In both texts, the characters both had to deal with being seperated from their families, and working in fields.
I would defenalty give this book six stars if I could. It kept me on the edge of my couch and made my heart stop, and my jaw drop! Even though Nakri was in pain both inside and out through the whole story, it was amazing. I would recommened this book to someone who loves to read and about suspense mixed in with sadness.
During reading this book, I made a Text-to-Text connection. Nakri working as a slave reminded me of Amari in Copper Sun by Sharon Draper. Amari also has been taken away from her family to work as a slave. In both texts, the characters both had to deal with being seperated from their families, and working in fields.
I would defenalty give this book six stars if I could. It kept me on the edge of my couch and made my heart stop, and my jaw drop! Even though Nakri was in pain both inside and out through the whole story, it was amazing. I would recommened this book to someone who loves to read and about suspense mixed in with sadness.
April 22, 2013
Cambodia in the 1970's. The Khmer Rouge has taken over bringing communism to the country. From Nakri Sokha and her family, it means fleeing from their home in the capital city of Phnom Penh. They flee to her grandparents' village where they first learn of the New Society. Her father is taken away by soldiers, and she and her older brother and sister are forced into a labor camp. After several years and many hardships, their family is reunited different than before. They flee to Thailand as refugees and try to rebuild their lives.
The story is told through Nakri who idolizes her older sister, Teeda. Both girls have been taught the traditional dance by their mother, and her sister's dream is to dance the dance of the apsara (the stone goddesses). The tradition of the dance and the stories it portrays are woven throughout the story and bring culture and local color to the plot. The dance symbolizes hope and making your way through the darkness into the light; "to live fully, with joy."
Well written and full of tradition and emotion, this book is a wonderful historical novel.
The story is told through Nakri who idolizes her older sister, Teeda. Both girls have been taught the traditional dance by their mother, and her sister's dream is to dance the dance of the apsara (the stone goddesses). The tradition of the dance and the stories it portrays are woven throughout the story and bring culture and local color to the plot. The dance symbolizes hope and making your way through the darkness into the light; "to live fully, with joy."
Well written and full of tradition and emotion, this book is a wonderful historical novel.
Read
January 5, 2011TCL call number: J Ho
no rating
I was captivated by this book -- I couldn't stop reading it until I finished it. It is a story told by the main character, Nakri (first person narrative), about her life in Cambodia, growing up during the terrifying reign of the Communist Khmer rouge, and her family's eventual migration to the United States. This book gives a very realistic glimpse into the life of a family immigrating to the U.S.
Nakri's story tells of the "long dark years of living in terror under the Khmer Rough, the struggle to escape, and then to adapt to a new life" in the U.S., where everything is different: clothes, weather, language, food, etc. Throughout the turmoil in her life, Nakri retains links to her Cambodian heritage and lost family members by dancing, as she did with her beloved sister before her world was shattered.
no rating
I was captivated by this book -- I couldn't stop reading it until I finished it. It is a story told by the main character, Nakri (first person narrative), about her life in Cambodia, growing up during the terrifying reign of the Communist Khmer rouge, and her family's eventual migration to the United States. This book gives a very realistic glimpse into the life of a family immigrating to the U.S.
Nakri's story tells of the "long dark years of living in terror under the Khmer Rough, the struggle to escape, and then to adapt to a new life" in the U.S., where everything is different: clothes, weather, language, food, etc. Throughout the turmoil in her life, Nakri retains links to her Cambodian heritage and lost family members by dancing, as she did with her beloved sister before her world was shattered.
September 7, 2011
Absolutely fantastic YP novel. Why it didn't make more of an impact is beyond me. It tells the struggle of one Cambodian girl and her family as the Khmer Rouge over take the country. One horrific fact - 1/4 of the Cambodian population died during this time. In equivalency terms that same as 15 9/11's happening every day for 4 years. 2 million out of 8 million died, beaten, killed, starved or died from the sheer exhaustion of working in concentration camps.
This highlights one of my major soap boxes, Why do we only teach about the Jewish holocaust and Anne Frank, our kids need to know about the multitude of Holocausts that have happened on every continent over the course of human history.
Note. This book is not longer in print - prepublication title was Gathering the Dew which comes from the myth of Mekhala a hindu goddess.
This highlights one of my major soap boxes, Why do we only teach about the Jewish holocaust and Anne Frank, our kids need to know about the multitude of Holocausts that have happened on every continent over the course of human history.
Note. This book is not longer in print - prepublication title was Gathering the Dew which comes from the myth of Mekhala a hindu goddess.
October 22, 2008
My daughter choose to read this for a school project on understanding developing countries and we both enjoyed it and were educated by it. There is a beautiful story in this book about the love of sisters and families (it's not all sad)and I loved reading about the author's life at the back. How do genocides occur like the one the Cambodian Khmer Rouge committed (or Sudan or Rwanda)without a lot of notice by the world? It made me think of the Camobidan refugee who came to school knowing no English when I was in second grade. I wish we all had more understanding of what he and his family probably went through.
January 6, 2013
Lovely story of Cambodian girl Nakri who is training in the footsteps of her older sister to be a classical dancer. The Khmer Rouge turn their world upside down and Nakri spends the next few years in a "work camp". The novel depicts the tragedy and horror of Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge but manages also to find beauty and hope in its conclusions. Ho has a way of facing up to the realities of history without becoming fatalistic or pessimistic. A novel I would encourage my Middle School students to read but also adult readers.
May 23, 2010
I read this YA historical fiction narrative in one night. It beautifully paints a picture of a young girl's experience surviving the 1970s civil war in Cambodia and the resulting horrors and triumphs. I was touched by the family relationships and account of the protagonist's arrival as a refugee in the United States. This is a great primer for anyone who wants an engaging, personal account of what it meant to be Cambodian at this time.
September 10, 2012
It was a touching story of a little girl in Khmer Rouge Cambodia and how, as the story unfolded, she lost a number of her family members.
The book somehow reminds me of S. Javellana's Without Seeing the Dawn which documents the Japanese occupation of the Philippines.
It is just because there was nothing much happening on the first 90 to 100 pages of the book, which made me doubt a 5 so I'm giving it a 4.
Well written.
The book somehow reminds me of S. Javellana's Without Seeing the Dawn which documents the Japanese occupation of the Philippines.
It is just because there was nothing much happening on the first 90 to 100 pages of the book, which made me doubt a 5 so I'm giving it a 4.
Well written.
November 16, 2021
A powerful, moving story set against a background I'd never read about in detail. It split the difference between their harsh homeland the confusion of transplanting to America very well, something that really impressed me since I'm often indifferent to multicultural stories, finding them inaccessible. This reached across the divide and made me appreciate something completely different from my perception of life.
September 3, 2009
I really liked The Stone Goddess,but it wasn't what I expected.
It was very enchanting and special in a way. This book made
me sad because I felt like the character in the book. I think
the author wrote this book in a special way that makes people
laugh, cry, and feel happy and sad at different times. I'm glad I
read this book.
It was very enchanting and special in a way. This book made
me sad because I felt like the character in the book. I think
the author wrote this book in a special way that makes people
laugh, cry, and feel happy and sad at different times. I'm glad I
read this book.
February 5, 2010
Really amazing book. Covers the Khmer Rouge genocide and a family's subsequent settling in the US through the eyes of a young girl in a compassionate, artful way. As someone who works with refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants, I would very highly recommend this book to a YA reader or anyone else.
March 26, 2012
As part of my quest to find good independent reading books for my students, I've read a lot of young adult immigrant literature. The Stone Goddess fits perfectly in that genre and works well for that purpose. There's nothing about it that particularly stood out from that mold but it would be a great addition to the classroom library, especially if you have Cambodian students.
March 6, 2013
children's historical fiction takes on the Khmer Rouge. touching story of 2 sisters who leave Phnom Penh when the Khmer Rouge takes over. They move with their family to their grandparents village and are then relocated to a worker's camp. Their love for and training in classical Cambodian dance keeps them focused. Suitable for younger readers.
September 14, 2015
This was an extremely moving story which made me fall into the character's shoes .Nakri's voice was passionate and touching.Throughout
the book Nakri tries to maintain the beautiful heritage and culture of her country.From beginning to end,Nakri showed courage and emotion.Overall,
this was an excellent book
the book Nakri tries to maintain the beautiful heritage and culture of her country.From beginning to end,Nakri showed courage and emotion.Overall,
this was an excellent book
Read
February 4, 2016Settlement in the U.S. is confusing and difficult for Nakri but she soon finds solace in learning to play the flute and reacquainting herself with the classical Cambodian dance her mother had taught her. Description of apsaras (dancing goddesses) and classic Cambodian dance make this different from similar Cambodian stories. I didn't find the sense of fear and tragedy fully realized.
September 7, 2009
Great YA fic about a family that overcomes the hardships of life during the Khmer Rouge period in Cambodia. Loved the way it used dance to discuss the importance of courage and joy during difficult times.
August 22, 2008
This is a young readers book about a Cambodian family during the horrible Khmer Rouge massacres. The sister are traditional dancers and attempt to preserve this part of their identity as the world crumbles around them.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews