Yang Warriors

Summary of Book

After lunch the Yang warriors prepare for battle. They practice drills, balance rocks on their heads, wield magical swords from fallen branches. Led by ten-year-old Master Me (whose name means “little”), the ten cousins are ready to defend the family at all costs. After a week without fresh vegetables , the warriors embark on a dangerous mission to look for food, leaving the camp’s boundaries, knowing their punishment would be severe if they were caught by the guards. In this inspiring picture book, fierce and determined children confront the hardships of Ban Vinai refugee camp, where the author lived as a child. Yang’s older sister, seven-year-old Dawb, was one of the story’s warriors, and her brave adventure unfolds here with all the suspense and excitement that held her five-year-old sister spellbound many years later. Accompanied by the evocative and rich cultural imagery of debut illustrator Billy Thao, the warriors’ secret mission shows what feats of compassion and courage children can perform, bringing more than foraged greens back to the younger children and to their elders. In this unforgiving place, with little to call their own, these children are the heroes, offering gifts of hope and belonging in a truly unforgettable way.

Author Biography

Kao Kalia Yang is an award-winning Hmong American author for both children and adults. Yang came to America at the age of six from the refugee camps in Thailand. Her family was resettled in Minnesota where Yang still lives and works from.

Illustrator Biography

BILLY THAO is a Hmong American, self-taught visual artist and children's illustrator. He earned his degree in sociology and philosophy, but art never left his curious hands. Within 10 years, he researched, explored, and experimented with art; while, simultaneously, serving with AmeriCorps (Minnesota Reading Corps and Community Technology Empowerment Project) before committing to become a full-time visual artist and children's illustrator. Although he has exhibited his artworks within the Twin Cities, his responsibility as a children's illustrator came first. His love of children's illustration derived from his fascination with children's books at the age of six. He remembers holding his first hardcover, the smell of the aura of turning each page, and living within each illustrations. He was not only intrigued with illustrating but committed to bringing the story to life. When he is not illustrating, he spends his time caring for his brother, Raymond, spends time with his nieces and nephews, catch up on unfinish books, or taking a stroll outdoor and seeking inspirations. He resides within Washington County, MN.