Forced to flee Vietnam to avoid police persecution, Mai and her parents, siblings, and grandmother travel with many other refugees by boat to Hong Kong. The journey is arduous, as the boat experiences mechanical problems and its overcrowded occupants suffer from hunger, thirst, and illness. Upon arrival in Hong Kong, the refugees are immediately sent to a holding center, where they await permission to travel to another country, or be sent back to Vietnam. This contemporary short novel contrasts the desperate situation of many economic and political refugees with their determination to lead safe and fulfilling lives. (Ages 9-12)