For a child navigating two worlds, this story explores the challenges of embracing a new culture while honoring cherished heritage and family traditions. It's about finding where you belong.
A parent might reach for this book when their child feels torn between their family's culture and the desire to fit in with American peers. It's a wonderful choice for any child navigating a move or the complexities of a multicultural identity. The story follows thirteen-year-old Mai, a Hmong girl who immigrates to Rhode Island after ten years in a Thai refugee camp. She grapples with loneliness and the pressure to assimilate while trying to honor the traditions her grandmother cherishes. For ages 10 to 14, this book provides powerful representation for immigrant children and builds empathy in others, opening gentle conversations about identity, family, and what it means to belong.
Mai experiences some microaggressions and feelings of being an outsider due to her ethnicity.
Cultural Content GapModerate
References Hmong traditions (Pa'ndau, courtship) that may need context for some readers.
Sensitive Topics
The book deals with the trauma of being a refugee, including memories of war and loss (mentioned but not graphically depicted). It touches on cultural clashes, prejudice, and the pressure to assimilate. The approach is direct and character-driven, focusing on Mai's internal feelings. The resolution is hopeful, showing Mai finding a way to integrate both parts of her identity.
Ideal Reader
A middle-schooler (ages 11-14) who is an immigrant or a child of immigrants, struggling to balance their family's culture with American peer culture. Also excellent for a child who wants to understand the experience of a refugee or new classmate.
Parent Prep
Parents might want to preview chapter 13, which discusses early marriage in Hmong culture and Mai's fear of it. It is a good place for a conversation. Providing context about the Hmong people and their history as allies of the U.S. during the Vietnam War would enrich the reading experience. The parent hears their child say, "My friends don't get it," or "You don't understand what it's like at school," or sees their child withdrawing from family traditions in an attempt to fit in with peers.
Age Experience
A 10-year-old will focus on the friendship and school challenges: making friends, learning a new language, trying new foods. A 14-year-old will connect more deeply with the complex themes of identity, cultural assimilation, the pressure to date, and the challenge of navigating family expectations versus personal desires.
What Makes It Special
Its specific focus on the Hmong refugee experience, particularly through the cultural anchor of Pa'ndau embroidery, is unique. It is not just a generic immigration story; it is a deeply personal and culturally specific one that uses a traditional art form as a central metaphor for storytelling and identity.
Read plot summary
Thirteen-year-old Mai Yang, a Hmong refugee, immigrates from a Thai camp to Providence, RI. She lives with her extended family, including her traditional grandmother and her Americanized cousins. The story follows Mai's adjustment to American middle school, her efforts to make friends, and the internal conflict she feels between embracing her new culture and honoring the Hmong traditions her grandmother works to preserve, particularly the art of Pa'ndau (story cloth embroidery).
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Mai's grandmother is a very important character. How does her dedication to Pa'ndau (story cloths) help Mai understand her own identity and her family's history?
2
Mai feels caught between her Americanized cousins and her grandmother's traditions. Can you think of a time you felt pulled in two different directions by family or friends? How did you handle it?
3
In chapter 19, a classmate named Heather shows prejudice towards Mai. Why do you think Heather acts this way, and how does Mai’s friendship with Kayla help her in that moment?
4
The title is 'Tangled Threads.' What are the different 'threads' in Mai's life? How does she eventually weave them together to create her own story?
