Uncovering History: The Meaningful Impact of "The Cricket War" on Young Readers

Books that blend real events with imaginative storytelling can open young readers' eyes to important world events, helping them connect with history and gain a deeper understanding of the experiences that shape our world. The Cricket War by Thọ Phạm and Sandra McTavish is more than just a gripping historical fiction novel—it’s a powerful educational tool that invites young readers to explore themes of resilience, immigration, and the real-life impact of war. Inspired by Thọ Phạm’s real-life escape from Vietnam, this 2025 Red Maple Award nominee in the Forest of Reading® program offers young readers a powerful and meaningful way to connect with global history and human rights. Through Thọ’s eyes, students gain insight into the refugee experience while building empathy, critical thinking, and a deeper appreciation for the freedoms they may take for granted. Get a behind-the-scenes look at how this Red Maple–nominated title for Grades 7 and 8 was brought to life in our exclusive interview with co-author and educator Sandra McTavish, who shares how the book can spark meaningful classroom conversations and is both inclusive and accessible for English Language Learners.

At Teachers on Call, our team of in-person and online tutors encourage young readers, parents, and educators to seek out meaningful literature that supports both literacy development and real-world learning. The Cricket War stands out as a novel that not only engages reluctant readers but also sparks rich discussions across grade levels—from immigration and cultural understanding to the value of compassion in today’s world. In this blog, we explore why this book is making an impact in classrooms—and we’re excited to share an exclusive interview with co-author and educator Sandra McTavish, who offers insight into how the story came to life and how teachers can use it to inspire thoughtful reflection.

Celebrating Canadian Literature: The Forest of Reading Program and Its Annual Festival

The Forest of Reading, hosted by the Ontario Library Association, is Canada’s largest reading program, designed to inspire and engage young readers by connecting them with Canadian authors and illustrators. With categories for all age groups—ranging from the Blue Spruce Award for younger readers to the White Pine Award for high school students—this program offers a diverse selection of both English and French books. Each year, the Forest of Reading concludes with a lively and celebratory event in May at Toronto's Harbourfront Centre (235 Queens Quay West, Toronto, ON M5J 2G8), where young readers have the chance to vote for their favourite books and authors. This focus on voting is particularly meaningful to our tutoring community, as it encourages children to actively participate in a democratic process—a concept we’re passionate about, as seen in our recent blog on Empowering Future Voters.

About the Authors: Sandra McTavish and Thọ Phạm

Sandra McTavish is a former high school English teacher and the co-author of The Cricket War, her first novel. Throughout her teaching career, Sandra worked to engage young readers and inspire a love of literature. She now divides her time between Toronto and the family farm in Madoc, Ontario, where she lives with a few "pet" cows and barn cats. Sandra’s partnership with Thọ Phạm on The Cricket War have allowed her to bring Tho's powerful real-life experiences to young readers in an impactful and meaningful way.

Thọ Phạm is a refugee who was only twelve years old when he fled Vietnam, joining thousands of others on perilous journeys by boat. Thọ was adopted by a Canadian elementary school teacher, who helped him find a new home in Canada. Today, Thọ lives in Ottawa with his family and is the co-author of The Cricket War, a novel inspired by his own life-changing experiences as a Vietnamese refugee.

An Interview with Sandra McTavish on Collaboration, Compassion, and the Classroom Impact of The Cricket War

Collaborating with Thọ Phạm, who drew from his own experiences as a Vietnamese refugee, must have been both rewarding and challenging. Can you share how you approached this partnership and ensured his voice remained authentic throughout the narrative?

It was critical to me that Thọ and I were partners right from the start, and throughout every stage in the writing and development of our novel. While we knew each other as kids (after his arrival to Canada) and my parents are close friends with Tho’s adopted dad, he and I hadn’t been in touch as adults. So, it was important to earn Tho’s trust and respect, and I did that with the mantra “nothing about Thọ without Thọ.” 

We collaborated through many, many hours, mostly on the phone (we started this project before video conferencing was a ‘thing’), and I sent Thọ every draft. And there were many, many of them. We’d spend hours reworking dialogue or a paragraph to ensure that I had captured exactly how he would have talked or what he would have seen or experienced. Although the novel is fiction and some of the scenes didn’t happen to Thọ specifically, I always wanted the person Thọ to feel that the character Thọ was a realistic and authentic mirror image.

As a former high school English teacher, how has your background influenced your approach to writing for younger audiences?

When I taught high school English, one thing that shocked me was discovering that a) many of my students hated to read and b) many of them struggled to read. And most of the students in those categories happened to be male. So, I intentionally set out to grab readers—especially ones who hate reading and/or struggle—right from the first paragraph and pull them into this journey with Thọ. I wrote with disengaged readers in mind and wanted to tell a story that would engage them and make them so enthralled that they can’t put the book down.

Since he had been an English Language Learner when he first arrived in Canada, it was important to Thọ that the novel be accessible for ELL readers, and so, I also kept those readers in mind when writing.

In The Cricket War, readers witness Thọ's harrowing journey from Vietnam to Canada. What do you hope young readers, especially those unfamiliar with this history, will take away from his story?

Although the Vietnam War happened decades ago, sadly wars are still being fought on our planet today. Most kids are aware of the war in Ukraine and what is happening in Gaza. I hope that through Tho’s experience, young readers consider how those two wars may affect children their age. Perhaps the novel will inspire students to research what they can do to help and make a difference to those impacted by war.

Thọ’s parents arranged for him to escape for freedom—freedom to learn, freedom to express his opinions and freedom to live his life on his terms. I also hope that young readers appreciate the wonderful freedoms that they have living in Canada, and how they should never take those freedoms for granted.

How do you envision The Cricket War being utilized in classrooms to discuss topics like immigration and cultural understanding?

It’s been a thrill to hear from a number of teachers using The Cricket War in their classrooms in a variety of ways. What’s also thrilled me is the grade range using the novel.

A grade 5 teacher outside Peterborough read the novel aloud to his students. I visited his classroom after they finished, and he shared the wonderful and creative things he did with the novel. 

After each chapter, he created a variety of tasks for the class to do. After chapter 1, they created a VENN diagram on how Tho’s life was similar and different to theirs. After chapter 2, they researched Communist governments and how they differ from democracies. When Thọ was on the first boat escaping from Vietnam, they went to the library and measured out the boat. Then, they filled the space with a chair to represent each person on it. During the part in Palawan, they had a class discussion about refugees and researched what Canada has done to support refugees. After another chapter, they discussed what resilience meant and how Thọ  was resilient. I got goosebumps hearing about the rich learning opportunities that were extensions from the reading.

I’ve also heard from a grade 7 teacher from Muskoka who used The Cricket War as a whole-class novel, and a grade 9 teacher from Toronto who used it with her class in a small-group as one of the “book club” choices. 

Although the novel can be a springboard to many topics, I do caution teachers to keep in mind that some of their students may be refugees or may have had traumatic experiences and that the novel could be a negative trigger for them.

I should also mention that I created some Before/During/and After reading activities for teachers using The Cricket War that can be found here.

What discussions or reflections do you hope the book will inspire among young readers regarding the experiences of refugees and the importance of compassion?

When I was a teacher, I remember a student declaring that “no one should be allowed to live in Canada if they don’t speak English or French.” I hope this book makes students with attitudes like that a little more compassionate. 

It’s been my experience that many refugees don’t want to discuss their journey to Canada, because the story is often filled with trauma, and talking about it is like poking at a painful wound. So, I hope The Cricket War makes students a little more understanding and empathetic towards refugees. I also hope the novel inspires students to show kindness to everyone, because the world could be such a wonderful place if we all played a part in spreading love instead of hate.

Looking ahead, are there other historical narratives or themes you feel compelled to explore in your writing? What can we expect from you next?

I’m in the early stages of a sequel of sorts to The Cricket War with Tho’s sister-in-law Nghia. She was 10 and her sister Le was 12 when their parents sent them from Vietnam to Canada on a boat similar to Tho’s. When they arrived, they were sponsored by farmers from Southwestern Ontario who had requested two Vietnamese boys to help with the farm, but ended up with the two girls by mistake. The novel will focus on Nghia and Le’s first year in Canada and will be like a modern, real-life Anne of Green Gables story. 

I have also finished a contemporary fiction YA novel called Capture the Flag about a group of teens playing a game of Capture the Flag on a reality-like TV show.

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As we’ve seen with The Cricket War, stories grounded in real experiences can inspire young readers to explore important themes like resilience, immigration, and empathy. This novel not only captivates with its powerful narrative but also offers valuable lessons for both classroom and personal growth. We hope this interview with Sandra McTavish has sparked your curiosity to learn more about Thọ Phạm’s incredible journey. Be sure to explore more exciting interviews with other Forest of Reading-nominated authors in our Hooked on Books series. From Tig by Heather Smith to If You See a Bluebird by Bahram Rahman, these conversations dive deep into the stories behind the books. Check out our Hooked on Books collection at Teachers on Call for more fascinating stories and insights from the authors themselves.