April 2008 Archives

Languages in Grandfather's Story Cloth.

on April 3, 2008 7:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I am holding in my hands an advanced copy of Grandfather's Story Cloth by Linda Gerdner and Sarah Langford and illustrated by Stuart Loughridge. Shen's newest book features text written in both English and Hmong. Though I had helped with the English, the Hmong language is a complete mystery to me. Since the translations are side by side, I enjoyed guessing which words meant what in Hmong. For example, "Yawg" means "Grandfather." "Niam" means "Mother." And "Chersheng" (the name of the little boy) means "Chersheng."

I've always been fascinated with languages, especially how different sounds are interpreted by the Romanized alphabet. I'm sure there are many sounds in the Hmong language that do not exist in English. What's interesting to me are the different combination of consonants. How does one pronounce "txhawj" (worry)? Or "nws" (he)?

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"...it would be a wonderful addition to a teacher's library at a school with students of Hmong heritage."

-Education Week

Linda A. Gerdner was born in Iowa and is a registered nurse. She is dedicated to helping persons with Alzheimer’s disease and the family members who care for them. Although Grandfather’s Story Cloth is her first children’s book she has published extensively in professional journals and received international and national awards for these contributions. Gerdner has traveled to northern Laos where she visited three Hmong villages in the rural province of Xieng Khouang. The bonds and friendships established with members of the Hmong American community have enriched her life and expanded her world.

Sarah Langford is currently a student at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. She is especially interested in the health care needs of immigrants and refugees living in United States. She has a long-standing interest in childrens’ literature and has enjoyed the opportunity to combine her talent in this area with her nursing focus.

Stuart Loughridge lives and works in St. Paul, MN. Most of his waking hours are spent in his studio, drawing, painting, printmaking, and filling the bird feeder. His work can be viewed at www.stuartloughridge.com. This is his first children's book.

Shen’s Books is a publisher of multicultural children’s literature that emphasizes cultural diversity and tolerance, with a focus on introducing children to the cultures of Asia.

Through books, we can share a world a stories, building greater understanding and tolerance within our increasingly diverse communities as well as throughout our continuously shrinking globe.