The Gold-Threaded Dress

By Carolyn Marsden

A Thai girl in America must choose between family honor and fitting in.

3.8/5 Goodreads · 273 ratings

80 pages· 8,142 words· Est. 1.5 hour read

$7.99Save 5%

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Bookroo's summary

In America, Oy becomes Olivia, but fitting in isn't easy. Teased for her heritage, she longs for acceptance from the popular crowd. When her prized Thai dancing dress catches their attention, Oy faces a dilemma: risk her family's honor or finally belong? As she navigates cultural identity and friendship, Oy must decide what truly matters. Will she embrace her roots or change to fit in?

From the publisher

“A fine novel for early independent readers that conveys lots of information about Thailand and making friends.” – New York Times Book Review In Thailand she was named Oy, but here in America the teachers call her Olivia. Other things are not so easy to change, however. When Oy draws a portrait of herself with brown hair and eyes as round as coins, her classmate Frankie makes fun of her and calls her Chinese. And the popular girl Liliandra barely speaks to her, until she learns that Oy has something very special: a Thai dancing dress from her grandmother, shimmering with pink silk and golden threads, that makes her look like a princess. Will Oy risk shaming her family to win Liliandra’s approval – and be part of the club she has envied from afar? With compassion and rare insight, Carolyn Marsden tells a simple tale about a young girl who searches for acceptance in a complex culture, while learning to treasure all that she is.

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