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Piecing Earth and Sky Together: A Creation Story from the Mien Tribe of Laos Hardcover – Picture Book, November 1, 2001

by Nancy Raines Day (Author), Genna Panzarella (Illustrator)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 7 ratings
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"In the beginning, a helper from heaven named Faam Koh came down to make the sky. His sister, Faam Toh, came down to make the earth..."

So begins the delightful story of a very competitive pair of siblings who use the distinctive embroidery of the Mien people to create the earth and sky. Because both siblings want to make their part of the world the most beautiful, they work in secret until it is finally time to reveal their handiwork, and find out that the two pieces don't fit together!

The two try stretching the sky--only to result in some stuffing falling out as clouds, but Faam Toh solves the problem by stitching the fabric into mountains, rivers, gorges, and valleys. Only then do the earth and sky fit together perfectly, allowing all the plants and animals to thrive.

Like the detailed Mien embroidery in the story, Nancy Raines Day's retelling of this traditional Mien tale and Genna Panzarella's striking illustrations complete each other like the earth and sky. Together, they create a book that is alive with the richness and beauty of the Mien culture and of the earth itself. An author's explanation of the tradition and significance of Mien embroidery follows the story.

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Previous page
  1. Reading age
    5 - 9 years
  2. Print length
    32 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    2 - 3
  5. Dimensions
    8.25 x 0.5 x 10.5 inches
  6. Publisher
    Shens Books & Supplies
  7. Publication date
    November 1, 2001
  8. ISBN-10
    1885008198
  9. ISBN-13
    978-1885008190
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4-In this myth, two siblings create earth and sky with needle and thread. At first, they compete with one another, embroidering in secret. However, when the brother's shimmering sky turns out to be too small for the sister's abundant earth, they must work together to find a solution. The results are depicted in a lavish double spread, enlarged by flaps, showing an Edenic Cambodian rain forest, rich in animal life. Cast within the frame of a story told by a grandmother while she and her small granddaughter stitch together, the tale is attributed by the author to older members of the Mien community from the Laotian Handcraft Project of Berkeley, CA. Using vivid colors, the illustrator places grandmother, granddaughter, and the newly created world on a white background while setting the mythic portion of the story on cosmic black. Though the realistic drawings are not particularly innovative, the effect is certainly dramatic. Grandmother and the brother and sister gods are shown in traditional clothing. An author's note explains the importance of embroidery to this culture, and pictures of traditional stitches are included. The book should be useful where creation myths are compared, where stitchery is valued, and where Southeast Asian stories are needed.
Margaret A. Chang, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, North Adams
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 2-4, younger for reading aloud. In this creation story from the Mien tribe of Laos, the heavenly brother and sister, Faam Koh and Faam Toh, come to make the sky and the earth. Koh makes the sky of shimmering dark; Toh makes the earth of patterns and colors. They hide their work from one other, so when they are done, Koh's sky is too small for Toh's earth. He tries to stretch the sky but that only lets puffy clouds escape. Toh then takes her needle and makes mountains and hills, valleys and gorges, so her brother's sky fits perfectly. This story is told to Mei Yoon by her grandmother, who is teaching her the embroidery for which the women of her tribe are known. Traditional Mien stitches are illustrated, and both the source of the tale and the models for Koh and Toh are cited. The beautiful illustrations are done in colored pencils, which make a rich and textured page with depths like a dark jewel; deep indigos, violets, and greens predominate. An intriguing presentation that should reach a wide audience. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Shens Books & Supplies; Illustrated edition (November 1, 2001)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1885008198
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1885008190
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 5 - 9 years
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 2 - 3
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.9 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.25 x 0.5 x 10.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 7 ratings

About the author

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Nancy Raines Day

Nancy Raines Day

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Growing up, I spent many hours playing in the woods with my sisters, brother, and dog Puppy. We had our own town, Green Meadows, where I published a newspaper written on leaves with "ink" from squished berries and charged 25 cents in hickory nut money.

My family was not surprised when I decided to become a writer. After college, I wrote for newspapers and magazines.

When I started reading to my kids, I remembered how much I loved picture books and started writing my own. I wished on pennies in a wishing well, and ten years later, my first picture book, The Lion's Whiskers, came out.

Now, my thirteenth picture book, Applesauce is Fun to Wear, has been published. My husband and I live on an island, where I think up ideas while walking the beach and swimming in the ocean. One of my missions is to welcome the youngest readers into the wonderful world of books.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
7 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Alyssa M.
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice
Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2018
Verified Purchase
Great Mien creation story. Our cultural is dying out quickly. These books are a great way to preserve that. Used this to share at a Sunday school for the kids
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Suave Chiang
4.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully Illustrated
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2013
Verified Purchase
I'm Mien and am thrilled to find that such books about the Mien exist. The book tells of a Mien folklore about the creation of the world, through nicely written dialogue and beautifully illustrated images. I can't say that I've heard this story before but I asked some elders and they told something similar, so perhaps it's more of a locational myth. Regardless, it's a GREAT book to collect, and a WONDERFUL book to read to children. I recommend it.
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