V. T. Bidania

A poignant middle grade novel in verse about a Hmong girl losing and finding home in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. For fans of Jasmine Warga and Veera Hiranandani. For eleven-year-old Gao Sheng, home is the lush, humid jungles and highlands of Laos. Home is where she can roll down the grassy hill with her younger siblings after her chores, walk to school, and pick ripe peaches from her family's trees. But home becomes impossible to hold onto when the communist government takes over after U.S. troops pull out of the Vietnam War. The communists will be searching for any American allies, like Gao Sheng's father, a Hmong captain in the Lao Army who fought alongside the Americans against the Vietnamese. If he's caught, he'll be killed. As the adults frantically make plans - contacting family, preparing a route, and bundling up their silver and gold, Gao Sheng wonders if she will ever return to her beloved Laos and what's to become of her family now. Gao Sheng only knows that a good daughter doesn't ask questions or complain. A good daughter doesn't let her family down. Even though sometimes, she wishes she could be just a kid rolling down a grassy hill again. On foot, by taxi and finally in a canoe, Gao Sheng and her family make haste from the mountains to the capitol Vientiane and across the rushing Mekong River, to finally arrive at an overcrowded refugee camp in Thailand. As a year passes at the camp, Gao Sheng discovers how to rebuild home no matter where she is and finally find her voice. Inspired by author V.T. Bidania's family history, A Year Without Home illuminates the long, difficult journey that many Hmong refugees faced after the Vietnam War.

Astrid and Apollo encounter some unexpected competition while trying to complete a book report... Eight-year-old Hmong American twins Astrid and Apollo love to read, and Apollo knows just what book he'll pick for the book report assignment. Then he discovers that another student wants to report on the very same book Their teacher said the reports should be "original," so Apollo scrambles to find another book he loves as much. Astrid helps with the hunt, but none seem as good as his favorite. Then inspiration strikes, and Apollo realizes that there's more than one way to be original Showcasing a warm sibling relationship of a Hmong American family, as well as themes of exploration and tradition, Astrid and Apollo will delight young readers.

The pressure is on for Astrid and Apollo to pick heroes for their wax museum project, but who to choose? Eight-year-old Hmong American twins Astrid and Apollo are excited for the wax museum project at school. The students choose famous people and pretend to be talking statues of them Apollo knows right away who he'll pick, but Astrid isn't sure. No one she can think of feels right to her. She wants someone special, someone whose name everyone should know...but who? Finally, with some surprise help from her little sister Eliana, Astrid discovers a person she's proud to present Showcasing a warm sibling relationship of a Hmong American family, as well as themes of exploration and tradition, Astrid and Apollo will delight young readers.

Can Astrid and Apollo come up with best geography projects ever? Eight-year-old Hmong American twins Astrid and Apollo love to get messy and creative, and their papier-m ch projects for the Magnificent Wonders of the World Exhibit lets them do both They each choose famous landmarks from their family's home country of Laos and get busy creating and building. But when they decide to GO BIG with their projects, Astrid and Apollo run into a problem that they didn't anticipate. Then, an act of kindness from the twins comes back to help them in a big way Showcasing a warm sibling relationship of a Hmong American family, as well as themes of exploration and tradition, Astrid and Apollo will delight young readers.

Astrid and Apollo get spooked during a science exhibit that takes a surprising turn Eight-year-old Hmong American twins Astrid and Apollo are looking forward to the traveling museum, where replicas of dinosaurs, mummies, and prehistoric creatures will be on display. But Astrid is NOT looking forward to seeing the mummies--especially after she and Apollo watch a scary movie in which mummies come back to life Apollo tries to convince Astrid to conquer her fear of "things that can't happen." But at the traveling museum, Astrid, Apollo, and their friend Kiran all get a scary surprise--and Astrid's new courage is put to the test Showcasing a warm sibling relationship of a Hmong American family, as well as themes of exploration and tradition, Astrid and Apollo will delight young readers.

Astrid and Apollo get spooked during a science exhibit that takes a surprising turn Eight-year-old Hmong American twins Astrid and Apollo are looking forward to the traveling museum, where replicas of dinosaurs, mummies, and prehistoric creatures will be on display. But Astrid is NOT looking forward to seeing the mummies, especially after she and Apollo watch a scary movie in which mummies come back to life Apollo and their friend Kiran try to convince Astrid to conquer her fear of "things that can't happen." But then at the traveling exhibit, all three kids get a scary surprise--and Astrid's new courage is put to the test Showcasing a warm sibling relationship of a Hmong American family, as well as themes of exploration and tradition, Astrid and Apollo will delight young readers.

The pressure is on for Astrid and Apollo to pick heroes for their wax museum project, but who to choose? Eight-year-old Hmong American twins Astrid and Apollo are excited for the wax museum project at school. The students choose famous people and pretend to be talking statues of them Apollo knows right away who he'll pick, but Astrid isn't sure. No one she can think of feels right to her. She wants someone special, someone whose name everyone should know...but who? Finally, with some surprise help from her little sister Eliana, Astrid discovers a person she's proud to present Showcasing a warm sibling relationship of a Hmong American family, as well as themes of exploration and tradition, Astrid and Apollo will delight young readers.

Can Astrid and Apollo come up with best geography projects ever? Eight-year-old Hmong American twins Astrid and Apollo love to get messy and creative, and their papier-m ch projects for the Magnificent Wonders of the World Exhibit lets them do both They each choose famous landmarks from their family's home country of Laos and get busy creating and building. But when they decide to GO BIG with their projects, Astrid and Apollo run into a problem that they didn't anticipate. Then, an act of kindness from the twins comes back to help them in a big way Showcasing a warm sibling relationship of a Hmong American family, as well as themes of exploration and tradition, Astrid and Apollo will delight young readers.

Astrid and Apollo encounter some unexpected competition while trying to complete a book report... Eight-year-old Hmong American twins Astrid and Apollo love to read, and Apollo knows just what book he'll pick for the book report assignment. Then he discovers that another student wants to report on the very same book Their teacher said the reports should be "original," so Apollo scrambles to find another book he loves as much. Astrid helps with the hunt, but none seem as good as his favorite. Then inspiration strikes, and Apollo realizes that there's more than one way to be original Showcasing a warm sibling relationship of a Hmong American family, as well as themes of exploration and tradition, Astrid and Apollo will delight young readers.

Astrid and Apollo's family is excited for their trip to Laos to attend a family wedding. But bad weather cancels their plans, and the twins' parents are disappointed to miss seeing their home country. Some brainstorming and a messy painting project inspire an idea: If their parents can't go to Laos, Astrid and Apollo will bring Laos to them But can they keep their plan a surprise?

Astrid and Apollo watch their cousin Lily in an amazing dance performance, and she convinces them to audition for the Hmong dance school she attends. Astrid is excited, but Apollo isn't so sure. The twins learn the audition routine and work hard to prepare for the big day. When Apollo faces a setback, he realizes how much he does want a place at the dance school. Will his creative solution save the day or cost him his chance?

It's time for the fair Astrid, Apollo, Eliana, and their parents head out for a day of fun, food, and family. The fair is hosting a scavenger hunt, and they join the game to find mystery items based on the five senses. But the biggest puzzle of all is trying to figure out what Eliana is asking for As they hunt their way through the list, eating their favorite foods and playing their favorite games, will they finally discover what Eliana's favorite is?

Astrid and Apollo watch their cousin Lily in an amazing dance performance, and she convinces them to audition for the Hmong dance school she attends. Astrid is excited, but Apollo isn't so sure. The twins learn the audition routine and work hard to prepare for the big day. When Apollo faces a setback, he realizes how much he does want a place at the dance school. Will his creative solution save the day or cost him his chance?

It's ice fishing season, and the twins are looking forward to a fun day in the ice house. Dad shows the kids how to be safe on the ice, how to drill a hole, and how to catch fish. The fishing fun begins and everyone is having a great time. . . except for Mom. She is cold and worried about things going wrong. But when an uninvited guest arrives and surprises the family, it's Mom who ends up laughing loudest of all.

Four chapter books in the popular Astrid and Apollo series about two young Hmong American students and their many adventures--in one giftable boxed set Come along with clever and curious second-grade twins Astrid and Apollo on four fun-filled adventures Can Astrid help Apollo turn fishing failures into a day of fun? What happens when the twins get lost at the Hmong New Year Festival? Will the siblings survive a scare-filled campout? Are they prepared to babysit their little sister at the Hmong July Fourth Soccer Festival? Find out in the stories of this convenient boxed set. Showcasing a warm sibling relationship, as well as themes of exploration and tradition, Astrid and Apollo will delight young readers. This boxed set includes The Starry Campout, the first book in the series, which was selected as an Amazon Editors Pick (Best Books for Ages 6-8). A great gift for Astrid and Apollo fans or for introducing your chapter book reader to this engaging series by breakout children's book author V.T. Bidania. Books in This Boxed Set: Astrid and Apollo and the Fishing Flop Astrid and Apollo and the Happy New Year Astrid and Apollo and the Starry Campout Astrid and Apollo and the Soccer Celebration