Summary: this book is an old Laos folktale about why there are few tigers on the planet. The tale simply goes that the first tiger mates learned that they would have nine cubs each year for as long as they remembered that would have nine cubs each year, however, they forgot this and thought instead that they would have one cub every nine years instead, so fewer tigers were born less frequently.
Review: The book is told in a simple story format with colorful artistry to describe what is going on at that moment. I know it is a folk tale because they book at the beginning tells me it is an old Laos folktale that was used to explain the tiger population.
media: paint ( )

This is a classic folktale told by the Hmong people for many generations, and Blia Xiong was able to tell her own version of this folktale. Tiger was lonely and had no children. So, she went to the great god Shao and he promised that she would have nine cubs in one year. But Bird overhears and comes up with a trick so the land won't be overrun by tigers. The illustrations are so colorful and vibrant. It was able to capture the characters, landscape, and a sense of the Hmong story cloth. It has rhythmic text so it is easy to know what will come next. I highly recommend this book to teachers because it is a truly beautiful Hmong folktale story. Teachers can use this in the classroom by teaching their students the Hmong culture's tradition. For students to learn other people's culture and history background. I loved this book wholeheartedly because their's only a few Hmong children's book. Nine-In-One: Grr! Grr! truly captured the Hmong people's story cloth written into a book. Also, maybe there could have been more tigers in the world but because Bird tricked Tiger there aren't that many tigers. ( )

Unhappy because she had no offspring, Tiger set out one day to ask Shao - the god who lived in the sky - how many cubs she would bear. Delighted with his answer, that she would have nine cubs per year, provided she remembered his reply, she set off for home, chanting "Nine-In-One, Grr! Grr! Nine-In-One, Grr! Grr! Overheard by the quick-witted Eu bird, who immediately set out to investigate this song, and - after visiting Shao and learning its meaning - to prevent it from coming to pass, the forgetful Tiger was tricked into thinking that her song should be "One-In-Nine."

This sprightly folktale from the Hmong people of Laos was originally told by Blia Xiong, a storyteller associated with the Hmong community of Seattle, Washington, and adapted by Cathy Spagnoli. Nancy Hom's colorful illustrations - done in silkscreen, watercolor and colored pencil - use traditional Hmong embroidery, particularly the more recent "story-cloth" methods, as an inspiration. With an appealing narrative and bold, eye-catching art, Nine-In-One, Grr! Grr! is a folktale retelling that younger readers are sure to enjoy! ( )