Pahua Moua
#2434.21 adjusted 4.11 for sample size in the official ranking · full ranking
Books 2 books Status Ongoing 2021–present Reading commitment Low Lori M. Lee Last reviewed 2026-11-01
Overview
The Pahua Moua novels are middle-grade fantasies by Lori M. Lee, published by Disney under the Rick Riordan Presents imprint. They follow Pahua Moua, an eleven-year-old Hmong girl who can see spirits and is revealed to be the reincarnation of the warrior Shee Yee. The world draws on Hmong oral tradition and mythology, with spirit realms, dragons, shamans and a talking spirit cat. In Pahua and the Soul Stealer (2021), she travels the spirit worlds with a young shaman warrior, Zhong, to save her brother. In Pahua and the Dragon's Secret (2024), she and her friends travel to the Land of Dragons to strengthen the prison of a god. The series currently has two books.
Mythic fantasy · For Middle grade
Core Canon: Reading Order (2 works) counts toward ranking
Pahua Moua Lori M. Lee
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Pahua and the Soul Stealer; Published September 7, 2021 under the Rick Riordan Presents imprint. | 2021 | 1 | core | 4.22 (1,628 ratings) |
 | Pahua and the Dragon's Secret; Published September 10, 2024. | 2024 | 2 | core | 4.01 (111 ratings) |
Two middle-grade novels about a Hmong girl who sees spirits and travels the spirit realms.
Quick answers
- How many books are in Pahua Moua? Pahua Moua's Core Canon is 2 books.
- What is the reading order for Pahua Moua? Publication order, starting with Pahua and the Soul Stealer. Full list and years in the Core Canon table above.
- Is Pahua Moua finished? Ongoing (2021–present).
- How much reading does Pahua Moua take? Low reading commitment (estimated from 2 Core Canon books).
- How is Pahua Moua ranked? #243 in this site's official ranking, based on 1,739 reader ratings across 2 Core Canon books. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #243?
Ranked #243 in the official ranking.
- Average reader rating of 4.21 across 2 core books.
- A smaller readership (1,739 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- Less than 0.01 behind #242, Bridei Chronicles (a finer tie-break level decides the order).
- Below the top-10 average of 4.46.
Why explore this universe?
Highly rated · 2 books · Ongoing · 2k ratings · Ranks #243 overall
Good choice if you want a quick, low-commitment mythic fantasy universe that's still ongoing, with new books still coming.
Reading order
Publication order (2 Core Canon books)
- Pahua and the Soul Stealer (2021)
- Pahua and the Dragon's Secret (2024)
Documented internal/story chronology is recorded for every Core Canon book here, and matches publication order exactly, with no divergence to show separately.
Awards (verified)
- Mythopoeic Award (Children's Literature), 2022: won: Pahua and the Soul Stealer
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Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 4.21 across 1,739 ratings on 2 Core Canon books. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Canon Extension: 27 universes from the candidate register; 3 candidates ruled out accepted 2026-11-01
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
- Penguin Random House series page Tier 2
- Publishers Weekly review Tier 2
- Disney Books, Pahua and the Dragon's Secret Tier 2
- Riordan Wiki, Pahua and the Soul Stealer Tier 2
- Riordan Wiki, Pahua and the Dragon's Secret Tier 2
- Wisconsin Lit Map, Lori M. Lee Tier 2
Last reviewed: 2026-11-01
Rule: Core Canon = Pahua and the Soul Stealer (2021) and Pahua and the Dragon's Secret (2024).