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The Diamond Explorer
From APALA-winning author and Guggenheim Fellow Kao Kalia Yang, a middle-grade debut about a Hmong-American boy's struggle to find a place for himself in America and in the world of his ancestors.
Malcolm is the youngest child of Hmong refugees, and he was born over a decade after his youngest sibling, giving him a unique perspective on his complicated immigrant family.
In the first part of the story, we meet Malcolm as an elementary school kid through the eyes of the adults in his life--his parents and siblings but also the white teachers at his Minnesota schools. As middle school begins, we encounter Malcolm in his own words, and suddenly we see that this "quiet, slow Hmong boy" is anything but. Malcolm is a gifted collector of his family's stories and tireless seeker of his own place within an evolving Hmong-American culture, and his journey toward becoming a shaman like his grandparents before him is inspiring and revelatory.
Malcolm is the youngest child of Hmong refugees, and he was born over a decade after his youngest sibling, giving him a unique perspective on his complicated immigrant family.
In the first part of the story, we meet Malcolm as an elementary school kid through the eyes of the adults in his life--his parents and siblings but also the white teachers at his Minnesota schools. As middle school begins, we encounter Malcolm in his own words, and suddenly we see that this "quiet, slow Hmong boy" is anything but. Malcolm is a gifted collector of his family's stories and tireless seeker of his own place within an evolving Hmong-American culture, and his journey toward becoming a shaman like his grandparents before him is inspiring and revelatory.
208 pages, Paperback
Published July 15, 2025
4 people are currently reading
2377 people want to read
About the author
Kao Kalia Yang
25 books530 followersKao Kalia Yang is an award-winning Hmong-American writer. She is a graduate of Carleton College and Columbia University. Yang is the author of the memoirs The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir and The Song Poet. The Latehomecomer is the first Asian American authored and centered book to be added to the roster of the Literature to Life Program and a National Endowment for the Arts Big Read title. The Song Poet has been commissioned as a youth opera by the Minnesota Opera and will premiere in the spring of 2021. Yang is also the author of the children’s books, A Map Into the World, The Shared Room, and The Most Beautiful Thing. She co-edited the ground-breaking collection What God is Honored Here?: Writings on Miscarriage and Infant Loss By and For Indigenous Women and Women of Color. Her newest title is Somewhere in the Unknown World, a collective memoir of refugee experiences. Yang’s literary nonfiction work has been recognized by the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Chautauqua Prize, the PEN USA literary awards, the Dayton’s Literary Peace Prize, and garnered three Minnesota Book awards. Her children’s books have been listed as an American Library Association Notable Book, a Zolotow Honor, a Kirkus Best Book of the Year, a finalist for the Midwest Independent Bookseller’s Award, and winner of a Minnesota Book Award in Children’s Literature. Kao Kalia Yang is a recipient of the International Institute of Minnesota’s Olga Zoltai Award for her community leadership and service to New Americans and the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts’ 2019 Sally Award for Social Impact.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
March 23, 2025
I'm not sure I have the words to describe this one. I enjoyed it, but I'm not sure who I would recommend this book to. CW: racism
What Worked: The Diamond Explorer is not only one of the few middle grade titles that I know of with Hmong representation, but it also beautifully captures what it's like for children who feel stuck between two identities. I appreciated the way in which Yang permitted readers to see Malcolm from the perspective of several educators and family members before allowing us to see the world through his lens. Attempting to figure out how to honor your ancestors as permitted by culture without having a connection to them is complicated and messy. Readers see that messiness clearly through Malcolm's understanding of himself, his siblings, and his passed elders.
What Didn't Work: While I enjoyed this book, I think that the way in which it is written neglected to keep a middle grade audience in mind. There is this sense of magical realism during Malcolm's perspective that was difficult for me as an adult. I'm not sure that the intended audience would be able to navigate some aspects of this book. While I think the overall message aligns with the idea of windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors, I also believe that this is better suited for an older audience.
Though I enjoyed so many aspects of this book, I'm pretty sure that this would find better readership with an older group.
What Worked: The Diamond Explorer is not only one of the few middle grade titles that I know of with Hmong representation, but it also beautifully captures what it's like for children who feel stuck between two identities. I appreciated the way in which Yang permitted readers to see Malcolm from the perspective of several educators and family members before allowing us to see the world through his lens. Attempting to figure out how to honor your ancestors as permitted by culture without having a connection to them is complicated and messy. Readers see that messiness clearly through Malcolm's understanding of himself, his siblings, and his passed elders.
What Didn't Work: While I enjoyed this book, I think that the way in which it is written neglected to keep a middle grade audience in mind. There is this sense of magical realism during Malcolm's perspective that was difficult for me as an adult. I'm not sure that the intended audience would be able to navigate some aspects of this book. While I think the overall message aligns with the idea of windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors, I also believe that this is better suited for an older audience.
Though I enjoyed so many aspects of this book, I'm pretty sure that this would find better readership with an older group.
August 5, 2025
I love Kao Kalia Yang - and am very proud of the fact that she resides in Minnesota! I have read most of her books and have heard her speak (oh that lovely voice) on several occasions. "The Diamond Explorer" is the coming-of-age story of Malcolm Yang, the youngest of four children, born to Hmong refugees and raised in Minnesota. It is also the story of Malcolm's parents and siblings, as well as his ancestors.
Takeaways:
1. I had trouble rating "The Diamond Explorer," which is marketed for ages 10-13, a Middle Grade read. In fact it won the the Minnesota Book Award for Middle Grade Literature in 2025. I don't think that this novel is necessarily appropriate for this particular age group. It is possibly a Young Adult and up read - multi-generational in this sense. I think the book - including the cover - miss the market for "The Diamond Explorer." There is very advanced language (and some obscenities - ie; p. 69) found in the book, but mostly there are some very sophisticated, tough themes that require experience and wisdom, that I don't think most middle schoolers have yet, to fully understand. For instance, the graphic depictions of the death of Philando Castile and of Lou's father, the attempted murder of Curly, the attempted home invasion that the children experience, the description of the film "Grave of the Fireflies," and the description of Curly's husband's death. I am sure that there are exceptions, as some readers of this age have actually experienced these things, but I don't think the book would work for most middle-schoolers. Reading the book with an adult might be beneficial.
2. This is a story that most will not have read. I appreciate that there is an opportunity here for a Hmong reader, a refugee reader, a male reader, a reader who has felt "other," etc. to see him or herself reflected in the pages of a book. On the other hand, it is a chance for those who don't fit into those groups to look through the window into the lives of another and to develop understanding and empathy. I appreciated that we see a child who lives in two worlds - in his Hmong culture and background, and in the "American" culture. Malcolm struggles to find himself in the midst of all of this. p. 120 - "The problem was that my father had been a boy in the high mountains of Laos and I was a boy in the flat prairie of Minnesota. And somehow the boy he was and the boy I am couldn't meet, and this separation in our lives grew more each year."
3. I did not appreciate the portrayal of teachers in this book - all of them were insensitive, cold, lacked empathy, and uneducated in some ways. p. 44 - "I knew he would be a problem child. Every classroom has one. I was more than prepared to deal with him appropriately." As a former teacher, I found this offensive, and not true to my own experience. Yes, there were teachers in all of our lives who, to us, may have been less than ideal. But it is hard to believe that an individual like Malcolm would find not one person in the education system who would SEE him and be a positive influence in his life.
4. The book is marketed as Malcolm's story, but it is really the story of his entire immediate family (Lue and Lia - Fong, Linda and True) and that of his ancestors (Pog, Ying, and Blia). The point-of-view changes in each chapter of the book - we hear from Malcolm himself, all of his siblings, his parents, and from his ancestors. In a sense, Malcolm collects these stories, and these stories are all what make him the person he is - a complex, multi-layered individual with a complex, multi-layered history.
5. There are many important, but sophisticated, themes found in the book. Some of the themes may not be appropriate for the 10-13 year olds who the book is marketed for.
- refugees
- the significance of culture in our lives
- the Hmong culture and history
- death - Lue's father was shot/murdered - p. 162 - "'How we die, though, is not the hard part, Malcolm. It is what happens after. It is letting go that we have to do. It's not of the body or the mind.It is of the heart." - see above for other examples
- loss
- family
- racism
- education
- motherhood - p. 24 - "Everything good that I had to give - that I have to give - I have given to my children. In this way, I have no regrets, only sorrow. I'm sorry that in this country I could not have been a more powerful mother, kept my children with me longer, loved them in ways that other mothers could, that in trying to give them the opportunities to succeed, I've had to let them go to the places I have never been and could never be."
- fatherhood
- bullying
- gender roles
- power - p. 31 - "I taught him the hardest lesson for a poor father to teach his son: Despite all outward appearances, he had power in this world and a responsibility to care for it." - p. 32 - "'Every human being has a little bit of power over their destiny, no matter how small and weak they feel.'"
- war - p. 33-4 - "I knew the limits of intelligence. How many times had intelligence led people to hate and not love, toward death instead of life? In the war, I had seen too many examples."
- names
- dignity
- belonging
- body image
- gun violence
- protection - p. 68 - "I told Malcolm that the world is full of dangerous things. I explained to him that this is why I carry a piece. I got a license to carry as soon as I could afford one."
- privilege
- the afterlife
- spousal abuse
- loneliness
- police brutality
- substance abuse
- pesticides and cancer
- healthcare and insurance
- hope - p. 153 - "'It's not your job to save anyone. It isn't, Malcolm. No one. Not even a shaman can do that. All we can do is barter, all we can do is hope, all we can do is believe that one human being's effort to take care of another will do some good for their heart, mind, and spirit.'"
* STORY and its significance in our lives - p. 166 - "'You are interested in stories. You think that chasing stories will help you understand yourself and others, that it will show you a way when you see no pathways forward. I don't know if you are right or wrong. But...I can add to the stories you carry of me and mine, so that you can understand no human story ever lives alone, and that the human being is a layering of experiences."
- fear
- giving up
- the cycle of life
- finding one's voice
6. As is always true of Yang's work, "The Diamond Explorer" is filled with lyrical/poetic language. This is definitely one of Yang's many strengths as a writer.
7. I loved all of the strong images that Yang brings to life here. I especially loved the imagery of Malcolm's father, Lou, mowing pathways/trails in the fields "...so the boy will know that there s a journey that every person who lives must take."
8. The title comes from this story:
- p. 78 - "All that summer, Malcolm spent part of his day searching through the little rocks in our driveway..On a hot day toward the end of August, before he started kindergarten, Malcolm ran into the house, a small sphere of hardened red plastic in his hand, shouting, 'I don't think this is a diamond, but I think I found a ruby, everyone!Everyone, we can pay for Linda's college now!' The family realized what he had been doing there in the driveway all summer long. Malcolm will always be my diamond explorer."
I appreciated this novel - as an adult. I would suggest that for most Middle Grade readers, reading this with an adult, or older reader, would be beneficial.
Takeaways:
1. I had trouble rating "The Diamond Explorer," which is marketed for ages 10-13, a Middle Grade read. In fact it won the the Minnesota Book Award for Middle Grade Literature in 2025. I don't think that this novel is necessarily appropriate for this particular age group. It is possibly a Young Adult and up read - multi-generational in this sense. I think the book - including the cover - miss the market for "The Diamond Explorer." There is very advanced language (and some obscenities - ie; p. 69) found in the book, but mostly there are some very sophisticated, tough themes that require experience and wisdom, that I don't think most middle schoolers have yet, to fully understand. For instance, the graphic depictions of the death of Philando Castile and of Lou's father, the attempted murder of Curly, the attempted home invasion that the children experience, the description of the film "Grave of the Fireflies," and the description of Curly's husband's death. I am sure that there are exceptions, as some readers of this age have actually experienced these things, but I don't think the book would work for most middle-schoolers. Reading the book with an adult might be beneficial.
2. This is a story that most will not have read. I appreciate that there is an opportunity here for a Hmong reader, a refugee reader, a male reader, a reader who has felt "other," etc. to see him or herself reflected in the pages of a book. On the other hand, it is a chance for those who don't fit into those groups to look through the window into the lives of another and to develop understanding and empathy. I appreciated that we see a child who lives in two worlds - in his Hmong culture and background, and in the "American" culture. Malcolm struggles to find himself in the midst of all of this. p. 120 - "The problem was that my father had been a boy in the high mountains of Laos and I was a boy in the flat prairie of Minnesota. And somehow the boy he was and the boy I am couldn't meet, and this separation in our lives grew more each year."
3. I did not appreciate the portrayal of teachers in this book - all of them were insensitive, cold, lacked empathy, and uneducated in some ways. p. 44 - "I knew he would be a problem child. Every classroom has one. I was more than prepared to deal with him appropriately." As a former teacher, I found this offensive, and not true to my own experience. Yes, there were teachers in all of our lives who, to us, may have been less than ideal. But it is hard to believe that an individual like Malcolm would find not one person in the education system who would SEE him and be a positive influence in his life.
4. The book is marketed as Malcolm's story, but it is really the story of his entire immediate family (Lue and Lia - Fong, Linda and True) and that of his ancestors (Pog, Ying, and Blia). The point-of-view changes in each chapter of the book - we hear from Malcolm himself, all of his siblings, his parents, and from his ancestors. In a sense, Malcolm collects these stories, and these stories are all what make him the person he is - a complex, multi-layered individual with a complex, multi-layered history.
5. There are many important, but sophisticated, themes found in the book. Some of the themes may not be appropriate for the 10-13 year olds who the book is marketed for.
- refugees
- the significance of culture in our lives
- the Hmong culture and history
- death - Lue's father was shot/murdered - p. 162 - "'How we die, though, is not the hard part, Malcolm. It is what happens after. It is letting go that we have to do. It's not of the body or the mind.It is of the heart." - see above for other examples
- loss
- family
- racism
- education
- motherhood - p. 24 - "Everything good that I had to give - that I have to give - I have given to my children. In this way, I have no regrets, only sorrow. I'm sorry that in this country I could not have been a more powerful mother, kept my children with me longer, loved them in ways that other mothers could, that in trying to give them the opportunities to succeed, I've had to let them go to the places I have never been and could never be."
- fatherhood
- bullying
- gender roles
- power - p. 31 - "I taught him the hardest lesson for a poor father to teach his son: Despite all outward appearances, he had power in this world and a responsibility to care for it." - p. 32 - "'Every human being has a little bit of power over their destiny, no matter how small and weak they feel.'"
- war - p. 33-4 - "I knew the limits of intelligence. How many times had intelligence led people to hate and not love, toward death instead of life? In the war, I had seen too many examples."
- names
- dignity
- belonging
- body image
- gun violence
- protection - p. 68 - "I told Malcolm that the world is full of dangerous things. I explained to him that this is why I carry a piece. I got a license to carry as soon as I could afford one."
- privilege
- the afterlife
- spousal abuse
- loneliness
- police brutality
- substance abuse
- pesticides and cancer
- healthcare and insurance
- hope - p. 153 - "'It's not your job to save anyone. It isn't, Malcolm. No one. Not even a shaman can do that. All we can do is barter, all we can do is hope, all we can do is believe that one human being's effort to take care of another will do some good for their heart, mind, and spirit.'"
* STORY and its significance in our lives - p. 166 - "'You are interested in stories. You think that chasing stories will help you understand yourself and others, that it will show you a way when you see no pathways forward. I don't know if you are right or wrong. But...I can add to the stories you carry of me and mine, so that you can understand no human story ever lives alone, and that the human being is a layering of experiences."
- fear
- giving up
- the cycle of life
- finding one's voice
6. As is always true of Yang's work, "The Diamond Explorer" is filled with lyrical/poetic language. This is definitely one of Yang's many strengths as a writer.
7. I loved all of the strong images that Yang brings to life here. I especially loved the imagery of Malcolm's father, Lou, mowing pathways/trails in the fields "...so the boy will know that there s a journey that every person who lives must take."
8. The title comes from this story:
- p. 78 - "All that summer, Malcolm spent part of his day searching through the little rocks in our driveway..On a hot day toward the end of August, before he started kindergarten, Malcolm ran into the house, a small sphere of hardened red plastic in his hand, shouting, 'I don't think this is a diamond, but I think I found a ruby, everyone!Everyone, we can pay for Linda's college now!' The family realized what he had been doing there in the driveway all summer long. Malcolm will always be my diamond explorer."
I appreciated this novel - as an adult. I would suggest that for most Middle Grade readers, reading this with an adult, or older reader, would be beneficial.
May 27, 2025
I ADORE Kao Kalia Yang but this book was not my favorite. I’m not sure who I would recommend it to. It’s meant for middle grade but carried a lot of dark and heavy stories. But when I was younger it was easier for me to read those stories. Maybe I would have liked it more if I was younger.
2024
October 9, 2025ANHPI TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Books for Young Readers
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Books for Young Readers
October 17, 2024
The book is a curious fit as it's publicized as a book for middle readers yet, the majority of the perspectives in the story are of adults talking about and around Malcolm, the central character who is a kid for most of it.
Malcolm is Hmong, the youngest of four children born in Minnesota and misunderstood by his teacher in school who is not empathetic toward Malcolm's family and his approach to life be it how Malcolm's mother interacts with her to how Malcolm acts in class. But it's a story of a life and one that helps shape cultural practices among Hmong and family practices within his that brings in shamanism, relationships, and the sweet temperament of a kind boy.
I don't know that the nuance can be appreciated by the young audience, but on a surface level, Malcolm's life will. And it covers a lot of ground be it childbirth, xenophobia, and religion. There's violence. And another topic that doesn't get talked about enough-- sibling dynamics especially when children have a large age gap.
I'm curious about how others will receive the book and shelve it because I'd think it would do best in the hands of a teen or adult audience rather than middle grade.
Malcolm is Hmong, the youngest of four children born in Minnesota and misunderstood by his teacher in school who is not empathetic toward Malcolm's family and his approach to life be it how Malcolm's mother interacts with her to how Malcolm acts in class. But it's a story of a life and one that helps shape cultural practices among Hmong and family practices within his that brings in shamanism, relationships, and the sweet temperament of a kind boy.
I don't know that the nuance can be appreciated by the young audience, but on a surface level, Malcolm's life will. And it covers a lot of ground be it childbirth, xenophobia, and religion. There's violence. And another topic that doesn't get talked about enough-- sibling dynamics especially when children have a large age gap.
I'm curious about how others will receive the book and shelve it because I'd think it would do best in the hands of a teen or adult audience rather than middle grade.
August 22, 2024
The Diamond Explorer by Kao Kalia Yang is a powerful, moving and emotional middle grade novel. Through a carefully constructed sequence of sections, readers get to know Malcolm from the outside in. As Malcolm struggles to find his place in America and in his ancestral heritage, readers piece together his identity alongside him. As I was reading, I was struck by the realization that there is beauty in knowing and there is beauty in not knowing, too. Our journey as readers and humans is complicated and wonderful at the same time and we are lucky to have the chance to figure it all out. This is a beautiful book for all readers, young and old, but is especially applicable to educators, librarians, and those that care for children. This beautiful book will make you think and you'll hold Malcolm and his family in your heart for a long while.
June 26, 2025
Contemporary fiction for ages 10-13, this book contains powerful stuff. The vocabulary is rich, the feel of the book is ethereal and mystical, with down-to-earth racism and other life struggles hitting hard. The themes are very mature, and the depth of understanding required to accept the differences of another culture and their beliefs is substantial. There is some violence, gun use, some really scary scenes, and death. Older characters abuse alcohol, and the only other maturity warning I can think of is the word "asshole". Different chapters are from the perspective of different characters, some of which are in the afterlife. The overall tone of the book is sad for much of it. Learning how you can be of help and support to others is the overall message. The style of the book stands apart, and I can't pin it down. Even the author's note is poignant and meaningful.
March 26, 2025
My review doesn't reflect the quality of this book but rather my opinion that it is entirely miscast. I was excited to hear about a middle grade book representing the Hmong experience in Minnesota, but this is not a good fit as MG. I'm not squeamish about MG novels confronting difficult issues but this is fairly relentlessly traumatic. The marketing and styling lead me to expect some wrestling with identity and hopefully some beauty and joy, not the heaviness and profusion of adult narrative voices. I would be unlikely to recommend this to any of my students under 14, much less use it in the classroom or our Battle of the Books program as I had hoped. With a new cover and YA classification, it would fill a perspective needed for older teens.
December 22, 2024
THE DIAMOND EXPLORER by Kao Kalia Yang introduces readers to Malcolm, the youngest child in a Hmong American family, as he interacts with others, including his ancestors, to find his place in the world. The multiple points of view in the book give readers a multilayered perspective on Malcolm’s experiences as a student, a brother, and a son and how those experiences shape him. As the story turns to Malcolm’s perspective, he begins a spiritual journey that takes him back to events in his family’s past, giving him a stronger connection to his own identity. A quiet, powerful book that explores the complexities of identity and culture.
January 31, 2025
DNF - the book begins in the headspace of a racist teacher who is extremely hateful towards the main character? (Actually I guess the racist teacher is the main character as is her POV?) But in the first page the teacher has maybe eight separate racist thoughts about this Hmong boy and this is simply not a headspace I can read in rn it’s an interesting artistic choice, I’m not sure it makes for a very enjoyable reading experience
I may return to it but right now this is not what I can handle rn
Three stars because even if iDNFed I’m sure it turns around somewhere and I still want to support the author
I may return to it but right now this is not what I can handle rn
Three stars because even if iDNFed I’m sure it turns around somewhere and I still want to support the author
November 23, 2024
Complex and intricate. For me, as a White person, I found it troubling, but also a gift to learn from. For a Hmong person, I suspect this will be a work that resonates, and that offers a mirror and acknowledgement. It's many stories woven together, and they breathe and jostle and connect amongst themselves. It's memories of trauma and flight and unfairness. Pretty cool. I think it's maybe more of a teen book.
April 22, 2025
I did not enjoy this book for the simple reason that I didn't get it. I did not understand the story and I found the switching back and forth between characters to be very confusing. I would also argue that this book is not a middle grade book, as the story is mainly told from the perspective of older people. As a 7th grade teacher, I can't think of a single student in my current class who would read this book and understand it.
September 30, 2024
I have loved all of Yang's books, even this one, but not quite as much as the others. Mainly I think that the cover has done a real disservice to the book as it looks like a fun MS fantasy. It was anything but...!
This is a heartbreaking story based on Yang's own family history. I would say that it would be excellent for HS or adult readers.
It really needs a new cover.
This is a heartbreaking story based on Yang's own family history. I would say that it would be excellent for HS or adult readers.
It really needs a new cover.
October 14, 2024
A really interesting format of a story. Sometimes a book will be written in multiple POVs so you can see the situations from different vantage points. In this book, Part I gives us the story of Malcolm from other's perspective. In Part II we hear from Malcolm. This section read far more complete. It is a very nice intergenerational read.
October 19, 2024
3.5 stars. Very interesting book, I picked it up because my brother served a mission for our church and spoke Hmong and served the Hmong people in Wisconsin. I enjoyed learning more about the Hmong culture. I listened to the book on audio and loved the different voices that really brought the characters to life.
The plot was lacking in some aspects but overall an enjoyable read.
The plot was lacking in some aspects but overall an enjoyable read.
June 12, 2025
There were many parts of the book that I appreciated, especially the chapters giving the reader a look into each family member's perspective/story. To be honest, about 2/3 into the book, I got lost in the experiences Malcolm was facing. When I finished the book, I felt let down because the attention to detail I'd experienced most of the book was missing.
July 24, 2025
I loved this book and the story itself, and enjoyed how Yang wove the character of Malcolm through his own perspective and the people who surrounded him. It’s also a beautiful story sharing Hmong culture, and the complications that come with Hmong-American identity.
I’m not sure it fits as a middle grade, though- maybe with certain kids? To me, I’d have this marketed young adult onwards.
I’m not sure it fits as a middle grade, though- maybe with certain kids? To me, I’d have this marketed young adult onwards.
September 7, 2024
Malcolm is a first generation Hmong living in Minnesota longing for a sense of safety, a stronger sense of his identity, and a connection with his ancestors.
Podcast review:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Podcast review:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
February 28, 2025
Liked this book about the challenges a Hmong boy faces while finding his place in the world. I read it as an adult fan of the author and appreciated the adult perspectives that many of the chapters include. I’m sure if the content would appeal to younger audiences though.
September 16, 2025
A beautifully written tale about a boy wrestling with his identity and the bleakness of the world. A boy of Hmong immigrant parents gathering stories about the struggles our spirits often face. Marketed as a middle grade book, I felt it reads for older MG and teens.
Want to read
September 17, 2024Recommended by Saint Paul PP: September
October 22, 2024
tender telling of generational impact through wounds and strengths, systemic racism, and self discovery
December 3, 2024
Do you ever feel like you don’t belong? That’s how Malcolm feels. As the son of Hmong immigrants, struggling to fit in, make friends, and get along with his siblings, will he ever find his place?
Read
March 7, 2025I learned a lot about the Hmong people who settled in the states by reading this book.
July 25, 2025
Beautifully poetic book about a child’s journey into himself.
November 1, 2024
Kao Kalia Yang, whose memoirs have unrolled the powerful stories of her refugee family, has now created a story of these experiences for middle grade and up readers. It cannot be over-stressed how important it is for Hmong young people to see themselves in the books they read. As always, her writing is is beautiful, heart wrenching, and sincere, showing us the difficulties of the Hmong people in America and the courage with which they face them.
My AudioFile review:
THE DIAMOND EXPLORER
by Kao Kalia Yang | Read by Pagnia Xiong, Colin Ryan, Kelli Garland, Gregory Yang
Children Ages 10+ • 5 hrs. • Unabridged • © 2024
Narrator Pagnia Xiong offers up a lyrical exploration of growing up Hmong in the Midwest. The various characters who make up Malcolm's world, Hmong and Anglo, are narrated with cultural accuracy by Xiong, Colin Ryan, Kelli Garland, and Gregory Yang. The authoritative voices of Malcolm's teachers highlight the racism he faces in school. At home his discouragement with his old-world parents leads him to his goal to become a shaman--like the grandparents he never knew. Narrators who are Hmong speakers voice old and young alike, providing a layer of cultural authenticity critical to the performances. S.G. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2024]
Trade Ed. • Listening Library • 2024
DD ISBN 9780593945452 $15.00
Library Ed. • Listening Library • 2024
DD ISBN 9780593945469 $38.00
My AudioFile review:
THE DIAMOND EXPLORER
by Kao Kalia Yang | Read by Pagnia Xiong, Colin Ryan, Kelli Garland, Gregory Yang
Children Ages 10+ • 5 hrs. • Unabridged • © 2024
Narrator Pagnia Xiong offers up a lyrical exploration of growing up Hmong in the Midwest. The various characters who make up Malcolm's world, Hmong and Anglo, are narrated with cultural accuracy by Xiong, Colin Ryan, Kelli Garland, and Gregory Yang. The authoritative voices of Malcolm's teachers highlight the racism he faces in school. At home his discouragement with his old-world parents leads him to his goal to become a shaman--like the grandparents he never knew. Narrators who are Hmong speakers voice old and young alike, providing a layer of cultural authenticity critical to the performances. S.G. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2024]
Trade Ed. • Listening Library • 2024
DD ISBN 9780593945452 $15.00
Library Ed. • Listening Library • 2024
DD ISBN 9780593945469 $38.00
November 13, 2024
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
In this lyrical, heart print book, we meet Malcolm, the youngest child of Hmong refugees. In the first part of the book, we hear from the adults in his life as they describe moments where Malcolm deeply affected their lives. His mother, father, and three much older siblings discuss not only his life but also describe their own traumas living in rural Minnesota. In the second part of the book, we shift to Malcolm's own voice, revealing a thoughtful and articulate young boy who is much more than what others assume. Malcolm’s passion for his heritage and his journey to become a shaman—just as his grandparents once were—become central to the narrative. His struggles to reconcile his Hmong roots with his American life are conveyed with raw honesty and vulnerability. Through his eyes, readers witness his determination to understand who he is in relation to both his family’s past and his own future, making his path toward self-discovery both inspiring and deeply relatable. The last part of the book is told from the point of view of some of Malcolm's ancestors who have passed away.
This reads more like an adult memoir, and the style is very anecdotal. Young readers wanting more action or plot development may be disappointed. The cover is slightly confusing; the picture, when combined with the title, makes this seem like a fantasy book, when it is historical fiction.
I can't think of other middle grade titles with Hmong represenation other than Pegi Dietz Shea's Tangled Threads: A Hmong Girl's Story (2003) and Lee's Pahua and the Soul Stealer (2021), so definitely take a look at this if your school library needs more tales of the immigrant experience similar to Rauf's The Boy at the Back of the Class (2019) or Yang's Finally Seen.
In this lyrical, heart print book, we meet Malcolm, the youngest child of Hmong refugees. In the first part of the book, we hear from the adults in his life as they describe moments where Malcolm deeply affected their lives. His mother, father, and three much older siblings discuss not only his life but also describe their own traumas living in rural Minnesota. In the second part of the book, we shift to Malcolm's own voice, revealing a thoughtful and articulate young boy who is much more than what others assume. Malcolm’s passion for his heritage and his journey to become a shaman—just as his grandparents once were—become central to the narrative. His struggles to reconcile his Hmong roots with his American life are conveyed with raw honesty and vulnerability. Through his eyes, readers witness his determination to understand who he is in relation to both his family’s past and his own future, making his path toward self-discovery both inspiring and deeply relatable. The last part of the book is told from the point of view of some of Malcolm's ancestors who have passed away.
This reads more like an adult memoir, and the style is very anecdotal. Young readers wanting more action or plot development may be disappointed. The cover is slightly confusing; the picture, when combined with the title, makes this seem like a fantasy book, when it is historical fiction.
I can't think of other middle grade titles with Hmong represenation other than Pegi Dietz Shea's Tangled Threads: A Hmong Girl's Story (2003) and Lee's Pahua and the Soul Stealer (2021), so definitely take a look at this if your school library needs more tales of the immigrant experience similar to Rauf's The Boy at the Back of the Class (2019) or Yang's Finally Seen.
October 25, 2024
eARC received through Netgalley.
What a wonderful little middle grade! This was stuffed full of culture, grief and realistic family issues who love all the same, and magical tidbits. I loved Malcolm so much! I recommend for anybody of any age, despite its middle grade range, there is so much to take from this as a kid, a teen, or even an adult. I will be looking at more from this author in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
What a wonderful little middle grade! This was stuffed full of culture, grief and realistic family issues who love all the same, and magical tidbits. I loved Malcolm so much! I recommend for anybody of any age, despite its middle grade range, there is so much to take from this as a kid, a teen, or even an adult. I will be looking at more from this author in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
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