This event will be ASL interpreted!

This year’s TCBF keynote features award-winning author Kao Kalia Yang discussing her banner year of not one, not two, not three, but FOUR new books in 2024, each of which offers a unique exploration of family, community, and the Hmong American experience. With books for young, middle grade, and adult readers in the mix, Yang’s profound storytelling is sure to resonate with festivalgoers of all ages. Join us for a riveting talk with one of Minnesota’s most cherished authors!

About the Author

Kao Kalia Yang, a Hmong American writer, broke onto the literary scene with her 2005 memoir The Latehomecomer. Since then, her work has earned numerous honors, including a 2023 Guggenheim Fellowship, an Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, and four Minnesota Book Awards. Yang lives in Minnesota with her family and teaches and speaks across the nation. Yang’s four books released in 2024 are The Diamond Explorer, her first middle grade novel; Where Rivers Part, a memoir of her mother; and two picture books, Caged and The Rock in My Throat.