Pob Zeb Daig Caj Pas (The Rock in My Throat‪)‬

Thaum ntej, tsis mauj leej twg paub cas kuv tsis hais lus tom tsev kawm ntawv lawm.

Hauv zaj dab neeg tseeb uas tu tu siab no, Nkauj Kab Lia Yaj qhia txog thaum nws tseem yau yog ib tug ntxhais thoj nam tuaj nyob rau lub teb chaws Mekas uas tau xyuam coj kev cai tom tsev kawm ntawv thiab hauv vaj tse. Nws pom nws niam thiab nws txiv raug thuam saib tsis taus thaum nkawv hais lus Askiv uas rau nws tsis kam hais lus tom tsev kawm ntawv. Ib hnub dhua zuj zus mus, Kab Lia mloog zoo li lub pob zeb daig caj pas tsuas loj zuj zus tuaj. Txawm piav qhia tau tu tu siab los nws muab chaws los ua kev hlub, zoo siab thiab cia siab.

At first, no one noticed when I stopped talking at school.

In this moving true story, Kao Kalia Yang shares her experiences as a young Hmong refugee navigating life at home and at school. Having seen the poor treatment her parents received when making their best efforts at speaking English, she no longer speaks at school. Kalia feels as though a rock has become lodged in her throat, and it grows heavier each day. Although the narrative is somber, it is also infused with moments of beauty, love, and hope. Now in Hmong.