Ba-Nam

This stark tale won't appeal to everyone, but it will leave a strong impression on all who read it. The story takes place in Viet Nam, where "It was Thanh-Mihn Day and for the first time Nan would be going with her family and relatives to visit the graves of her ancestors." At the graveyard, Nan meets Ba-Nam, the keeper of the ancestors' graves. Nan finds the twisted, wrinkled old woman, whose teeth and nails are painted black, frighteningindeed, most readers will share Nan's reaction. But more terror is in store, for Nan and her brother get lost in a slashing rainstorm. When at last they find their way back to the cemetery, the children narrowly escape being hit by lightning; it is Ba-Nam who rushes to their rescue. For those with steady nerves, Ba-Nam provides a powerful insight into another culture.