When Vithy is separated from his brother Mang while trying to cross the Cambodian border into Thailand, he doesn't know how to continue. Mang had always been there to take care of Vithy, even to orchestrating their escape from the Big Paddy where they had been held captive for months. Now, faced with a treacherous journey and danger at every turn, Vithy longs for Mang's guidance. As he makes his way towards the border, Vithy gradually discovers that he too is capable of making wise decisions. Set in post-Vietnam War Cambodia, the story of Vithy's plight and growing self-reliance is both suspenseful and credible. (Age 11 and older)

In Cambodia after the Vietnamese War, Vithy learns to overcome social upheaval, a hostile jungle, and his own inability to trust, in order to rescue his older brother.