Sahtu Press®
Cover of a children's book titled 'A Sticky Mess' by Nor Sanavongsay. The illustration shows a large, bald man in a white shirt and blue skirt-like pants pointing at a small, frightened boy in a yellow shirt and orange pants. A small, orange and black bird stands nearby on the ground against a green background.

Books

A Sticky Mess

Nor Sanavongsay

The story of Xieng Mieng is legendary among Lao people.

A Sticky Mess is the comedic origin story of one of Laos’s most beloved folk heroes. A young monk keeps getting in trouble with the head of the monastery, who thinks the boy can’t do anything right. Finally, the young boy decides to turn the tables with the help of a chicken and a little bit of a sticky snack called mieng. What happens next has become the stuff of legend for over 600 years! This is a hilarious tale of cleverness and ingenuity for children aged four and up.

Hardcover is currently out of stock.
Paperback is now available!

Written and Illustrated by Nor Sanavongsay. It is a retelling of a 500 year old story based on the famous Lao trickster, Xieng Mieng. 

Stack of green children's books titled 'A Sticky Mess' by Nor Sanavongsay on a wooden table, surrounded by small figurines including a boy with crossed arms, a boy praying, a green dog, and a bird, with a woven basket and a bookshelf in the background.
  • A Sticky Mess books, bookmarks, and a Lao alphabet poster spread on a table, with the Xieng Mieng edition in Lao script
  • Child in glasses reading A Sticky Mess, its green cover showing an angry bald man, a young novice and a rooster
  • Illustration from A Sticky Mess: novice monk Xieng Mieng carries water buckets on a pole past rice fields as a rooster runs, Gonnnng!
  • Illustration from A Sticky Mess: the angry teacher scolds young Xieng Mieng, who crosses his arms and says hmpf!
  • A Sticky Mess illustration: Ajahn Kem shouts "What is this mess?!" at a startled young novice and a flapping rooster
  • Illustration of two smiling Lao women in sinh kneeling beside a low rattan tray of food dishes and a silver pedestal bowl
  • Lao Words in the Book guide from A Sticky Mess: temple wat, teacher ajahn, sap lai, ok pai, mieng, maen, nyup pai, jope, khop jai

The book includes Nor's signature style illustrations rich with vivid colors in large scale hardcover format. Beautiful images filled with traditional characters. Folks who are familiar with the story can now pass it down to the younger generation.

ISBN-10: 0989885003
ISBN-13: 978-0989885003

Hardcover is sold out.
Paperback now available.