Mekong Kids is the heartwarming story of a tubby, fifth-grade boy named Boom, who lives in northeastern Thailand in a village along the Mekong River. As Boom struggles to make friends with the other boys in his community, he learns to take responsibility for his actions, overcome his fears, bridge barriers, and help rivals become friends. Genuine friendship based on caring for others overrides social and national barriers. The distinctive culture of northeastern Thailand and the friendship that evolves with Lao boys across the river add rich multicultural themes. Mekong Kids is a translation of Luk Mae Nam Khong (2001), the award-winning Thai-language children's novel.