Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears: A West African Tale

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Jazzy, inventive take on West African folktale.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this folktale about cause and effect uses lots of sound effects (buzz, hiss).


What's the story?

This is a jazzy inventive rendition of the West African folktale explaining the mosquito's buzz. A boast by a mosquito sends events bumping into each other like dominos until the lion must call the animals together to untangle the truth. Aardema uses juicy words to introduce African animals and the sounds they make--"badamin badamin" went the iguana, "wasawusu" went the python. An irresistible read-aloud.

 


Is it any good?

 

This book is a gem, from the artwork that resembles the glories of stained glass, to the cumulative power of the story's progress, to the highly original words Verna Aardema has invented for the animals. It is also a vibrant tale of consequences and personal responsibility, even if it ends on a note of high comedy. The Dillons' illustrations are sumptuous, boldly outlined and full of feeling. Each character is given a distinct personality: The iguana is a curmudgeon, the monkey is a piece of trouble, the mosquito is a menace.

As a read-aloud, the book has particular merit. Just watch as 5-year-olds try to wrap their lips around sounds like "purup" and "nge nge nge." Read with verve, the story pulses with life. Even the most timid of listeners are happy to join in that last KPAO!


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about consequences. Do you think the mosquito had any idea what would happen when it lied? How could it have fixed the situation before it went too far?


This review was written by Peter Lewis

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This review was written by Peter Lewis
Author:Verna Aardema
Illustrators:Diane Dillon, Leo Dillon
Book type:Fiction
Genre:Folklore
Publisher:Penguin Group
Publication date:January 1, 1975
Number of pages:28
Paperback price:$6.99
Publisher's recommended age(s):4 - 7

This review was written by Peter Lewis
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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