The Cambodian Dancer
“The energy of the dance shown light into the shadows.”
The Cambodian Dancer, written by Daryn Reicherter, is a non-fiction children’s story about Sophany Bay - a dancer and refugee from Cambodia. After fleeing her home, Sophany teaches dance to children to preserve and celebrate Cambodian culture and customs. This beautifully illustrated book is a story of injustice, resilience, and pride.
Stories like these are important for children to read for so many reasons. My neighbor, who is Cambodian and teaches traditional Cambodian dance, shared this story with me. Her daughter’s teacher sent it to their house as part of a collection of books the children would read. According to my neighbor, her daughter was so excited to see this book and exclaimed, “She’s like me, Mommy!”
“She just like me” is a powerful statement that says a lot. The little girl who said this felt seen and valued by her teacher. She received a message that she was important and stories about her life matter. She is seeing her place in a bigger world.
When children see themselves represented in the books they read, it helps to develop positive self-perception by validating their culture, likeness, and personality traits, etc. The opposite can also be true. Never seeing yourself in stories or only seeing people like you represented negatively can have disastrous effects on your self-image. Representation matters.
Children need to know about what is happening in the world around them because this is their world, too. They will inherit all that this world is and we cannot shelter them from it. Non-fiction stories about real-life heroes like Sophany inspire conversations about injustice and what can be done about it, resilience, and joy after tragedy.
Reading-fiction stories like this help children to develop critical thinking and empathy. Books have the power to offer children an important glimpse into the world that they might not otherwise have. We hope this book leads you to more questions, more reading, and more joy.
Some things to think about…
Do a little research about Cambodian Dance. There are so many videos online if you can’t see a live performance. Try to mimic their slow, intentional movements. Notice the music. How does it make you feel? What story do you think the dance is telling?
What brings you joy? Think about something you absolutely love - maybe a hobby or special interest. How can you share that with someone else? Can you teach them a craft or skill? Try it!
illustrations by Christy Hale
