Families who loved Tangled Threads: A Hmong Girl's Story by Pegi Deitz Shea often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when your child is feeling the weight of peer pressure or struggling to reconcile their family traditions with the world of their friends. Tangled Threads tells the story of thirteen-year-old Mai, who moves from a Thai refugee camp to Rhode Island. As she navigates middle school, she finds herself caught between the Hmong traditions of her grandmother and the fast-paced, sometimes risky lifestyle of her Americanized cousins. This is an honest exploration of cultural identity, family loyalty, and the courage it takes to define oneself. It is particularly appropriate for preteens entering the age of social comparison, offering a window into the refugee experience while grounding it in universal themes of belonging and resilience. Parents will appreciate the nuanced portrayal of intergenerational conflict and the realistic, hopeful resolution.
