Tangled Threads: A Hmong Girl's Story

by Pegi Deitz Shea

For the Hmong people living in overcrowded refugee camps in Thailand, America is a dream: the land of peace and plenty. In 1995, ten years after their arrival at the camp, thirteen-year-old Mai Yang and her grandmother are about to experience that dream. In America, they will be reunited with their only remaining relatives, Mai’s uncle and his family. They will discover the privileges of their new life: medical care, abundant food, and an apartment all their own. But Mai will also feel the pressures of life as a teenager. Her cousins, now known as Heather and Lisa, try to help Mai look less like a refugee, but following them means disobeying Grandma and Uncle. From showers and smoke alarms to shopping, dating, and her family’s new religion, Mai finds life in America complicated and confusing. Ultimately, she will have to reconcile the old ways with the new, and decide for herself the kind of woman she wants to be. This archetypal immigrant story introduces readers to the fascinating Hmong culture and offers a unique outsider’s perspective on our own.

  • Format: eBook
  • ISBN-13/ EAN: 9780547533605
  • ISBN-10: 0547533608
  • Pages: 240
  • Publication Date: 09/22/2003
About the Book
About the Author
Reviews
  • About the Book
    For the Hmong people living in overcrowded refugee camps in Thailand, America is a dream: the land of peace and plenty. In 1995, ten years after their arrival at the camp, thirteen-year-old Mai Yang and her grandmother are about to experience that dream. In America, they will be reunited with their only remaining relatives, Mai’s uncle and his family. They will discover the privileges of their new life: medical care, abundant food, and an apartment all their own. But Mai will also feel the pressures of life as a teenager. Her cousins, now known as Heather and Lisa, try to help Mai look less like a refugee, but following them means disobeying Grandma and Uncle. From showers and smoke alarms to shopping, dating, and her family’s new religion, Mai finds life in America complicated and confusing. Ultimately, she will have to reconcile the old ways with the new, and decide for herself the kind of woman she wants to be. This archetypal immigrant story introduces readers to the fascinating Hmong culture and offers a unique outsider’s perspective on our own.

  • About the Author

    Pegi Deitz Shea

    Pegi Deitz Shea, a recipient of the Connecticut Book Award, has written many children's books. She lives in Rockville, Connecticut. Her web site is www.pegideitzshea.com.

  • Excerpts
  • Reviews
    "deftly traces the physical and emotional journey of a 13-year-old orphan...author creates a delicate, credible balance between sorrow and joy" PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, STARRED REVIEW Publishers Weekly, Starred

    "Shea's text successfully portrays the turmoil, excitement, and heartbreak that come with repatriating...satisfying conclusion." KIRKUS REVIEWS Kirkus Reviews

    "Mai wrestles with peer pressure and family expectations in a story that will resonate with immigrant students and enlighten others." BOOKLIST Booklist, ALA

    "bittersweet story...of a family tapping roots into a new homeland...shows the emotions behind...today's diverse immigration experiences" SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL School Library Journal

    "Shea captures the complicated emotions of a thirteen-year-old girl in the midst of enormous personal changes....multiple curricular possibilities" THE BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

    "engaging...a delightful protagonist...adeptly uses...first-person narrative...important because it is the first YA novel...with a Hmong protagonist" VOYA (VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES) VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates)

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