In his third collection, a well-known storyteller again gathers tales from around the world, featuring clever and foolish folk of all ages, supernatural creatures, hearty humor, low levels of violence, and deftly delivered messages. Some selections—the Japanese ``The Listening Cap''; the African ``Tug of War''—are already favorites, but several are from less familiar traditions (the Fijian ``How the Mosquitoes Left Kambara''), or from sources long out of print. ``The Princess Who Could Not Cry,'' billed as ``an original tale, more or less,'' is a funny switch on the idea of a pining princess; ``Old Joe and the Carpenter'' has traditional roots, but has become one of DeSpain's trademark stories. Exotic origins rest lightly on these tales, which are presented in easy- to-learn versions enlivened with unforced humor and clear, fluent language; most would take ten minutes or less to tell. Their readers will bring away a stronger impression of human culture's unity than of its diversity. Fine for independent reading or as a resource for fledgling storytellers. Source notes. (Folklore. 7+)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1993
ISBN: 0-87483-265-9
Page Count: 128
Publisher: August House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1993
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Eleven years before the Civil War, the seeds of internal discontent took root when Congress passed the Compromise of 1850, a fugitive slave law designed to pacify slave owners in the South, when California was admitted as a free state, upsetting the balance of power. Ten-year-old Manda and her parents harbor runaway slaves from North Carolina in their New York home, as lawmen and bounty hunters seek to enforce this new law with a vengeance. The danger involved in escaping and assisting with an escape becomes clear to the reader, as does the need to flee from the US into Canada. When Manda learns that nine-year-old Hannah was whipped by her former owner for merely opening a book she was dusting, Manda sets out to teach her the alphabet and empower her with knowledge that can never be taken away. Manda nearly exposes both families to danger, however, when she takes Hannah outside to get a taste of physical freedom. Plans are then expedited to ensure the safety of both parties. Manda is selected to lead the slave family through a hidden escape tunnel to meet up with another member of the Underground Railroad and a packet boat that will transport them to the border of New York and ultimate freedom in Canada. In a simple story fraught with tension, Schotter has found a way to bring this history lesson to life for children no older than brave Manda and indomitable Hannah. (Fiction. 7-12)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-7894-2641-2
Page Count: 98
Publisher: DK Publishing
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2000
Apolonia “Lina” Flores loves science and mathematical riddles, playing volleyball and collecting extravagant, romantic and lonely socks. But after the sudden death of her mother, her world in Corpus Christi, Texas, makes no sense: Her kind but distant English-teacher father has filled the house with books, and her best friend, Vanessa, has problems of her own. Vanessa’s parents have divorced and her mother spends her days making cascarones, a traditional Mexican good-luck craft made of eggshells and filled with confetti, which become the book’s central metaphor. Lina’s frustration grows as she discovers the vicissitudes of the first love and that happiness can be as fragile as an eggshell. An appealing coming-of-age novel set in a traditional Mexican-American town, in which Hispanic teachers, students and parents celebrate traditional American holidays such as Thanksgiving alongside such traditional Mexican observances as el Día de los Muertos and a Quinceañera. Local idioms of Spanish proverbs—dichos—used as chapter headings enlighten both characters and readers. (glossary) (Fiction. 8-12)
Pub Date: June 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-316-02955-1
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2009
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