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THE TREE HOUSE CHILDREN by Carolyn White

THE TREE HOUSE CHILDREN

An African Tale

adapted by Carolyn White & illustrated by Christiane Krömer

Pub Date: April 15th, 1994
ISBN: 0-671-79818-9
Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Folklorist White's first picture book—a simply told, deliciously gruesome tale of a witch stalking two succulent children—will rivet young readers. When their father leaves the baobab treehouse to go fishing, he warns the two not to lower the rope ladder until he calls. Hearing this, a passing witch sticks her tongue into a hill of biting ants to disguise her voice; when that doesn't work, she puts it into a nest of scorpions. Finally, she tricks a dinner invitation out of the father, but the clever daughter (who has seen through all her subterfuges) hides a fishhook in her food. Krîmer's loose-jointed, brightly clad figures framed in African motifs give the story a theatrical look. The witch (cat's eyes, fixed, toothy grin, swollen tongue) is suitably frightful; at her death, all the children she's ever eaten come back to life and fill the treehouse with happy babble. A strong debut for both author and illustrator. No source or comments on the adaption are given. (Folklore/Picture book. 6-8)