The Orphan's Harp - by Chi- Suwichan Phatthanaphraiwan (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A poor orphan, a sleeping maiden, and a magical new sound come together in this captivating legend of the Karen, or Pgaz K'Nyau, people of Southeast Asia.

Each year, everyone in the kingdom gathers for the town lord's festival to honor the spirits of the land and water and ensure a good harvest. But when the lord's daughter chooses to sleep through the celebration, no one can wake her. The town lord promises great wealth to anyone who succeeds, but even after seven hundred men try, his daughter remains asleep.

Then a poor orphan emerges from the spirit-filled forest carrying a strange wooden object that produces beautiful music. With his newly invented harp, he may be the only person capable of awakening the lord's daughter--and showing the kingdom a new way forward.

Parts of The Orphan's Harp are told through hta, songs composed in the poetic form used to preserve Pgaz K'Nyau oral history. A QR code connects readers to an accompanying album recorded by the coauthors, bringing the legend's music to life during read-alouds.

About the Author

"Chi" Suwichan Phatthanaphraiwan is an author and scholar whose work explores Pgaz K'Nyau music and culture. He is an assistant professor of cultural studies at Mae Fah Luang University in Chiang Rai, Thailand, and vice president of the Foundation for Culture and Environment. He has published two books on Pgaz K'Nyau music, Rao Khue Tehnaku and Phleng Tong Haam Khong Pgaz K'Nyau.

Benjamin Fairfield is an author and ethnomusicologist whose work explores music, cultural identity, and sustainability. He spent two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in a Karen village in Omkoi, Thailand, and earned his MA and PhD from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where he now teaches. His debut children's book, Kani Ka ʻŌpala: How Can Garbage Sing?, was published by the University of Hawaiʻi Press in 2025.

Karese Kaw-uh is a first-generation Thai American artist whose global upbringing inspired her passion for connecting people through art. She holds an MFA in Theatre for Young Audiences, with a focus on community engagement, puppetry, and Asian theatre. Her multidisciplinary work celebrates creativity, cultural connection, and the power of storytelling.