Author: Dia Cha
Author Website: No author website
Illustrator: Stichers- Chue and Nhia Thao Cha
Illustrator Website: No illustrator website
Media Used: Pictures of embroidered cloths
Publisher: Lee and Low
Year of Publication: 1996
ISBN: 1880000342
Annotation: The story cloth is a storytelling tool of the Hmong people. It was stitched by Dia’s family members and recounts her family’s journey through Asia and eventual coming to America.
Personal Reaction: I like this story very much. The unique method of biography enlightens the history of an entire group of people. The cloth is intricate and delicately detailed in its embroidery. It made me want to see these cloths up close. This book would certainly be excellent for history classes, social studies, cultural studies or even a creative arts class.
Illustration: The vibrant and varied colors make the storyline sing with life. The photographs of individual parts of the cloth not only illustrate the intricate stitching necessary but also help the reader connect their present life with their past. The cloth where the Hmong are crossing the river on bamboo sticks comes alive as a visualizing technique. Each life event that is told in the storyline is made real and alive with the stitchery the author’s aunt and uncle. The fact that these cloths are made without a template makes it even more amazing.
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