Lao American Prinston Pan recently released his first children’s book, Kong’s Adventure. The story follows a man named Kong who worked for the Lao government during the 70’s. After the Lao Civil War, anyone affiliated with the government was sent to labor camps. He realized these labor camps were taking a turn for the worst, and therefore planned on fleeing so that he could find a safer place for him and his family. Kong’s Adventure portrays one brave man’s journey of escaping Laos and the obstacles he faced before finally settling in America.
Candid photo of Prinston Pan
Can you tell us about yourself?
I was born in Kansas and I am currently a junior in high school residing in Southern California.
While growing up, I spent most of my summers in Kansas at my grandparents’ Lao grocery store. During my time there, I was able to interact with many customers and learn about their lives in Laos before they immigrated to America. Their stories were so rich and eye-opening; at that moment I also realized that not many people are aware of Lao history. This motivated me to create an enjoyable children’s book for the younger generation to explore their family’s past in hopes that the story will lead to larger discussion about the Laotian Diaspora. My vision was to spread the word about Lao history and bring about more awareness among various communities regarding the hardships that elders had to endure in order to arrive and adapt to a new country.
Tell us more about the main character
Kong and Prinston at 18 months
The main character of this story is my grandfather who was born in Laos. As a child, he lived in a small house with his parents and seven siblings where they worked on a rice field every day. When he turned 12, he left home to become a servant to earn a living on his own. Years later, he started attending school and eventually worked his way up to being accepted into the police academy, and then he was promoted to Chief of Police. When the communist regime arrived in Laos, he along with many of his colleagues were forced to go to labor camps. In 1975, my grandfather and grandmother, along with their newborn baby, escaped Laos and resettled in America. Once they arrived, my grandfather worked at a local factory for many years before deciding to open a Lao grocery store in 1987. There he was able to meet many new people and reconnect with old ones, forming a tight-knit community. The store became the communal gathering place that my grandfather had desired. He faced many challenges throughout the years, but his store was his pride and joy. Now, he is retired and still lives in Kansas; one could say that he lived the “American dream.”
How did you get your idea for your book, what inspired you.
The stories that my grandfather shared with me about his life and adventures while escaping Laos compelled me to write my book. These stories continue to resonate with me because they show the origins of my family and the reason behind why I’m in America today. I hope that my book will provide young children a similar storytelling experience to the one I had with my grandfather. In my history classes, I never learned about Laos or the country’s involvement in major historical events, which made me all the more excited to create this book so that children of all ethnicities can be introduced to this hidden, beautiful, and complex country in Southeast Asia through an exciting adventure.
At the author bio part of the book it says all proceeds go to Legacies of War, can you tell us a little more about this?
I have been involved with an organization called Legacies of War for over 2 years now. Their mission is to raise awareness about the history of the Vietnam War-era bombing in Laos and advocate for the clearance of unexploded bombs, as well as providing a space for healing the wounds of war. I want to be able to contribute to this any way I can, so I decided to use my voice in hopes of giving back to an organization that means a lot to me.
Legacies of war website: http://legaciesofwar.org
What are your hopes for the book?
I want this book to educate the younger generation about the Laotian Diaspora while preserving the history of the older generations. I would like for this book to inspire young readers to become more interested in their own family’s history. Stories are a powerful way to pass down legacies because they survived the passing of many generations, and therefore my hope is that I can motivate others to also seek action and search for the answers to difficult questions about the past in order to preserve Lao culture. The book also teaches readers simple Lao words throughout the story and includes fun facts about Laos. Maybe someday this children’s book will inspire others to also write about their families’ forgotten history, and these stories will be included in libraries around the nation while also serving as an educational resource to encourage people from different communities to learn about Laos.
Tell us some fun facts about yourself?
I enjoy swimming and I am currently the captain of my high school’s varsity swim team. I also started the first Laos club at my high school because I wanted to educate people about the beautiful country of Laos and our rich, complex history. On the weekends I enjoy playing golf with my dad and trying new restaurants with my family. My favorite Lao food is Laab (minced meat) with sticky rice.
What advice would you like to give young Lao writers?
Always feel free to express yourself, and don’t be afraid to experiment with your writing. Take something you are passionate about and the words will start flowing. For me, it was finding someone who inspired me enough to want to share his story with the world.
Where can we buy the book to support?
Currently, it’s available on Amazon. Here are some sample pages:
