Nine-in-One, Grr! Grr!: A Folktale from the Hmong People of Laos

Nine-in-One, Grr! Grr! retells a traditional Hmong folktale in which a lonely tiger journeys to the great god Shao to ask if she will have cubs, and is told she will have nine a year if she can remember his words. Worried that the world will be overrun with tigers, a clever bird tricks the forgetful tiger into reversing her chant to 'one-in-nine,' forever changing the balance of nature. Illustrated in the style of Hmong story cloths, this folktale is a wonderful choice for students because it introduces a rich and underrepresented culture's oral storytelling tradition through a clever, universally appealing trickster tale.

Publishing Details

Author : Blia Xiong, Cathy Spagnoli

Illustrator : Nancy Hom

Author Nationality : Laos

Physical Details

Type of Book: Picture

Cover: Softcover

Pages: 32

Size: 9.1 x 9.1 inches

Year Published: 2013

Instructional Details

Reading Grade Level: Kindergarten

Genre: Fiction

Sub-Genre: Traditional Literature

Theme: Fables & Folktales, Culture, Animals, Asian American