The Clay Marble by Minfong Ho

This historical fiction novel is set in the 1970s in Cambodia during the effects of the Vietnam War The protagonist, a young Cambodian girl named Dara is victim with her family as they are directed to leave their home and to head to the Border of Thailand to gather supplies and restore their lives before returning to the war-torn homeland in Cambodia. Dara's father had been killed, and her mother, brother and extended family members set off with numerous other refugees to find food and shelter near the border. The plot takes the reader into more desolate lands where Dara and her family meet other refugees who are struggling. Dara's brother joins the army and saddens Dara who feels neglected now. The struggle for Dara and her family to keep the family together drives the plot. One of Dara's new-found friends makes her some clay marbles which Dara later treasures, because her friend dies in one of the refugee camps near the border. The clay marbles symbolize hope, however. Dara realizes the treasure in the hopefulness shared by her late friend. Dara's family is given rice in Nong Chan to take back with them to their homeland. Soon the effects of the war dwindle, and it is safe for Dara's family to return home and to again plant rice and to restore their harvest. Dara realizes the hope of the marble is not required to to make wonderful things happen. She realizes that the hope and joy in her now is a lasting result from the traumatic experiences she had shared with family and new friends.