Sing to the Dawn


Sing to the Dawn is a story by the American author Minfong Ho, which was originally published as a short story and was awarded first prize by the Council of Interracial Books for Children in New York City in 1975. It was later extended to a full-length novel.

Plot summary

Dawan, a young village girl who lives in Thailand at Bangkok gets first place in an examination and wins a scholarship to study in a city school. Her brother, Kwai, places second in the examination and is initially jealous, creating a rift between the two previously-close siblings. This hostility is further exacerbated by Dawan's father, who feels that the city is no place for a girl, and that Dawan should give in to Kwai and let him go to the city instead of her. Dawan faces major
obstacles at every turn, and eventually overcomes these obstacles and proves to herself and to others that she is fully capable of handling the scholarship and the responsibility it entails. But she faces the disapproval of her father, who is convinced that city life and further schooling are not for a girl. Dawan's determination to overcome these obstacles and to prove to herself, as well as others, that she is worthy of seeking the prize is an important experience for her and her readers.

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations