Hey, Hmong Girl, Whassup?

This book, a novel in journal form, tells the story of Choua Vang, a teenager growing up in St. Paul. She is part of a Hmong family, and her other brother and sister have both left home to join gangs. Choua wants to honor her parents and her Hmong heritage, but she also wants the freedom she sees American teenagers enjoying. This is a rare book that addresses questions of race, acculturation, and family for Hmong teens. The author, Leah Rempel, is an ESL teacher in St. Paul, and wrote this as part of her Master's thesis at Hamline University. The book includes a discussion guide for classroom use.