The Diamond Explorer
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The Diamond Explorer
Narrated by:
Pagnia Xiong, Colin Ryan, Kelli Garland, Gregory Yang
Buy Now for $16.99
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Narrated by:
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Pagnia Xiong
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Colin Ryan
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Kelli Garland
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Gregory Yang
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By:
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Kao Kalia Yang
About this listen
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.
Critic Reviews
Winner of the Minnesota Book Award
★ "Lyrical, evocative prose deftly captures Malcolm’s longing for a sense of belonging; Yang has crafted a layered, profoundly moving musing on grief, connection (and lack thereof), and identity.
A true gem."—Kirkus, starred review
“[A] richly wrought tale about a boy coming into his own.”—Publishers Weekly
"This is a moving story about a boy longing to feel a connection to his family and his identity. Yang’s writing is beautiful, seamlessly transitioning from one character to another, and situations involving violence and death are handled with care. VERDICT: A lovely fiction pick for readers who don’t often see themselves represented in fiction, those interested in learning more about Hmong spiritual beliefs, or seeking a fantasy genre not often explored for this age group."—School Library Journal
"A beautifully crafted and layered look at identity, connection, culture, death, and belonging."—Teen Librarian Toolbox
"No matter what character is speaking, the author’s prose shines."—St. Paul Pioneer Press
★ "Lyrical, evocative prose deftly captures Malcolm’s longing for a sense of belonging; Yang has crafted a layered, profoundly moving musing on grief, connection (and lack thereof), and identity.
A true gem."—Kirkus, starred review
“[A] richly wrought tale about a boy coming into his own.”—Publishers Weekly
"This is a moving story about a boy longing to feel a connection to his family and his identity. Yang’s writing is beautiful, seamlessly transitioning from one character to another, and situations involving violence and death are handled with care. VERDICT: A lovely fiction pick for readers who don’t often see themselves represented in fiction, those interested in learning more about Hmong spiritual beliefs, or seeking a fantasy genre not often explored for this age group."—School Library Journal
"A beautifully crafted and layered look at identity, connection, culture, death, and belonging."—Teen Librarian Toolbox
"No matter what character is speaking, the author’s prose shines."—St. Paul Pioneer Press
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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.