While trying to rescue her brother's soul from the spirit world, eleven-year-old Pahua discovers that she is the reincarnation of a legendary shaman warrior.--

"In this moving true story, Kao Kalia Yang shares her experiences as a Hmong refugee child navigating life at home and school in America while carrying the weight of her selective mutism"--

Astrid and Apollo each have a special, surprise birthday gift planned for the other, and Astrid thinks she has guessed what Apollo is giving her, but as she puts more clues together, she realizes she is in the middle of a birthday mystery. Includes facts about the Hmong.

"In the 1960s when Kalia's mother, Chue, was born, the US was actively recruiting Hmong Laotians to assist with CIA efforts in Laos's Secret War. By the time Chue was a teenager, the US had completely vacated Laos, and the country erupted into genocidal attacks on the Hmong people, who were perceived as traitorous for their involvement. Notably, from 1964-1973, Laos became victim to the heaviest bombardment by the United States against communist Pathet...