1949 – 1987
In the mid-20th century, Asia was shaken by devastating conflicts. The Korean War (1950-1953) divided the Korean Peninsula into North and South Korea, with a tense standoff that continues today. The Vietnam War (1955-1975) saw North Vietnam, supported by communist allies, fighting South Vietnam and the United States, leading to the unification of Vietnam under communism. Meanwhile, Cambodia faced its own tragedy with the Cambodian Genocide (1975-1979), during which the Khmer Rouge regime, led by Pol Pot, caused the deaths of nearly two million people. These conflicts left lasting scars on the region and shaped the political landscape of Asia.
Picture books
Peacebound Trains
Story of a family’s escape at the beginning of the Korean War
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Half Spoon of Rice: A Survival Story of the Cambodian Genocide
Story of two boys surviving the Cambodian Genocide together
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The Wall
Story of a father and son finding a special name on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
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When Spring Comes to the DMZ
Story juxtaposing the natural beauty of the DMZ with its military function after the Korean War
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A Song for Cambodia
Inspiring true story of a boy in a Cambodian work camp
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Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam
Gripping story about an American soldier’s experience fighting in Vietnam
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Dear Onyang
Poignant story of a boy and his family being evacuated from their North Korean home
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The Lotus Seed
Story of a Vietnamese refugee girl starting her new life in America
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Chapter books
Inside Out and Back Again
Award-winning coming-of-age novel about a Vietnam War refugee girl making a new life in America
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The Land I Lost: Adventures of a Boy in Vietnam
Engaging stories about a boy’s life in Vietnam before the war
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Cracker!: The Best Dog in Vietnam
Story of a dog and her soldier fighting in the Vietnam War
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The Vietnam War: An Interactive Modern History Adventure
Choose-your-own-adventure book set during the Vietnam War
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The Korean War: An Interactive Modern History Adventure
Choose-your-own-adventure book set during the Korean War
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My Name Is America: The Journal Of Patrick Seamus Flaherty, United States Marine Corps
Fictional diary of a young soldier fighting in the Vietnam War
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Where Have All the Flowers Gone?: The Diary of Molly MacKenzie Flaherty
Fictional diary of the soldier’s sister grappling with the war from home
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The Clay Marble
Story of a refugee family fleeing the conflict in Cambodia
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Water Buffalo Days: Growing Up in Vietnam
True story of the author’s boyhood in Vietnam before the war
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Echoes of the White Giraffe
Story of a Korean girl surviving the Korean War separated from her family
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Goodbye, Vietnam
Gripping story of a girl and her family escaping Vietnam after the war
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Shooting the Moon
Novel about a girl at home seeing the Vietnam War through the photos that her soldier brother sends home
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The Weight of Our Sky
Story of a Malaysian teen finding her mother during conflict
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Non-fiction books
What Was the Vietnam War?
Accessible introduction to the Vietnam War
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The Vietnam War: The Definitive Illustrated History
Photo-rich reference about the Vietnam War
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Cold War Correspondent
Excellent graphic novel telling the true story of a Korean War journalist
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America and Vietnam: The Elephant and the Tiger
Engaging introduction to the Vietnam War and its impacts
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Vietnam War: Primary Sources
Collection of primary sources from the Vietnam War
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Death at Kent State: How a Photograph Brought the Vietnam War Home to America
Exploration of a famous photograph of slain protesters and its impact on perception of the Vietnam War
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