"This imaginative folktale provides a rare window into the lore of
the Hmong people of Laos, yet is anything but parochial or arcane in
its appeal. It embraces a range of universal qualities, from loneliness
to joyful anticipation to deviousness and guile, and portrays its characters
with sympathy and wit. Hom's strikingly colorful paintings, modeled
on the appliqued "story cloths" of the Hmong, ably capture a sense of
character and landscape and extend the fable's whimsy and good humor."
—Publishers Weekly
"Done with such harmonious simplicity that it deserves special attention
for its amusing tale and beautiful illustrations."
—International
Examiner
"The colors are bright, unusual, and strikingly harmonious. A lovely,
authentic book from a culture that is virtually unrepresented in children's
literature."
—Kirkus Children's and Young Adult
Edition
"Clearly this is a superior production and an important addition to
folk literature for children."
—School Library Journal
Full-color illustrations 
