Even A Little Is Something
Stories of Nong

by Tom Glass
illustrated by Elena Gerard

Skipping Stones 1999 Honor Award

"This book is a gem—a collection of vignettes about an 11-year-old girl living in northeastern Thailand. As Nong explores her village and comes to know the people there, readers come to know and care about her. Thai culture permeates the tales but never intrudes. A perfect read-aloud choice, as each chapter stands on its own and ends with a satisfying con-
clusion, yet interlocks with the others." —Book Links (9/98)

"This finely crafted title fills a void in our ever-growing ethnically diverse society." —School Library Journal (2/98)

"Enter a world of dust floors, mosquito netting, and red clay, infused with the smells of rice cakes and somtam, and inhabited by an eclectic assortment of characters: Buffalo Woman and her animal companion Coconut, wise and wacky Mr. Pu, Different Boy, and Aunt Oom the soup lady. Meet Nong, a curious, 11-year-old, who lives meagerly with her mother and sister Oi in a rural village in Thailand. Glimpses into Nong’s world are revealed in pieces of a patchwork, a crazy quilt of characters, a world of making mistakes and learning—a world of
imagining the future. . . . " —Kirkus Reviews (11/97)

About the Author

Tom Glass has lived in northeastern Thailand and taught English at Mahasarakham University since 1985.

Looking for more stories? See our list of Folktales and Storytelling books.