My First Hmong Book are children’s books for learning the Hmong language. As a way to preserve the Hmong language and pass the language to current and future generations, My First Hmong Book hopes to keep the language alive and exciting for young children to enjoy.

Nkauj Hli Lis is amongst the first Hmong-American born generation of Hmong refugees. Lis’ parents arrived to the U.S. as children refugees and were among the first waves of immigrants from Thailand refugees camps in the 1970s. Lis’ mother grew up in St Paul, Minnesota and Lis’ father lived in Washington and Hawaii prior to settling in St Paul, Minnesota. Lis’ parents later met and married in the late 1980s and had four children. Lis is the eldest child and the only daughter.

Born in raised in the East Side St Paul of Minnesota, Lis is among the first of her generation to accomplish a four-year degree. Lis graduated from St Catherine University with a double major in B.S. in Small Business/Entrepreneurship and B.A. in Marketing.

Growing up, there were no resources to learn how to read and write the Hmong language. English and Hmong were languages spoken at home, and as children to two hard-working parents, one working first and the other working third shift as a means to save daycare expenses, learning how to read and write the Hmong language was not a priority. As a result, English became more of a prevalent language to use on a daily basis.

Now married with two children, lack of resources and quality of materials to teach her own children, Lis is on a journey to create new and exciting ways to fill this void and hope that you and your children will enjoy it too.