The Matatu by Eric Walters {The Children's Bookshelf}

Note: The Children's Bookshelf is going on vacation! We're taking the summer off with this linky, so we can all read even more terrific kidlit titles to share with you in the fall. Enjoy today's posts and remember you can always read any of our past posts for The Children's Bookshelf here.

Why read multicultural books to your kids? There are lots of reasons, many of which I've talked about here in the past. First and foremost, it opens up a child's mind to the notion that there are many people the world over who live in ways both different and the same. It helps connect them to their heritage, which is especially important for families who share multiple ethnicities. Multicultural literature develops tolerance and understanding, making kids mindful that we are all global citizens. And it's fun - young readers can travel around the world through litearture, all the while learning about traditions, customs and backgrounds from various countries.

Today's pick is a perfect example of a book that can accomplish all of the above, and that's got a good dose of humor besides. A brief note at the beginning explains that Eric Walters has been accepted as an elder of the Kamba people in Kenya; as such he is a cultural insider with the authority to relate one of the Kamba's stories in the form of his picture book The Matatu. What I love about this book is that Walters just tells the story - he doesn't exoticize the matatus, the buses that carry passengers and goods from village to village. And the traditional Kamba tale is tucked nicely into a story about young Kioko and his grandfather.

Kioko is excited to be celebrating his fifth birthday with a ride on a matatu! He rushes to get on board, then waits impatiently for his Babu, who seems to be taking forever. When the pair is finally settled in their seats, Kioko notices the dogs chasing the bus and asks his grandfather about them. Babu instructs Kioko to first look for sheep and goats, and see how they react when the matatu comes past. Then Babu tells Kioko the story of Dog, Goat, and Sheep, and how these animals took a ride on the matatu together. When it came time to pay, each animal had a different experience - and these encounters are why the various species run from or toward an approaching matatu. (No spoilers here - but if you've ever driven in Africa, you'll know the animal behaviors are spot on!).

An author's note explains the details of matatus and their role in Kenyan daily life, which adds even more authenticity to the tale. Eva Campbell did the illustrations and they are as colorful and lively as an African village. There's no shortage of excitement when a matatu rumbles through, and Campbell captures that spirit perfectly. Though the story of the dogs, goats and sheep forms the center of this story, the real heart of the book is Kioko's relationship with his Babu. It's terrific to see the the esteem with which the other villagers treat Babu, and this and his wonderful stories add to Kioko's appreciation of all his grandfather is for him.

The Matatu is a text-heavy title, which makes it a perfect choice for older preschoolers. Its sly humor is also best received by a slightly older audience (or really, their parents). This is a great addition to any unit about Africa. The genuine respect Walters feels for the Kamba people is evident throughout, and Campbell's illustrations bolster that feeling, which will translate to readers as well. Just don't be surprised if your kiddos want to jump on a matatu themselves!

The Matatu by Eric Walters, published by Orca Book Publishers
Ages 4-8
Source: Library
Sample: "Kioko raced toward the market. He passed huts, houses and stalls, not even glancing at the sweet mandazi for sale. / He ran past people, pushcarts and bicycles. Then he saw it - the matatu. A crowd of passengers waited to board. The roof was heavy with bags of maize, bundles of grass, a bed frame, a mattress and three chairs."
Recommended

Bonus: check out this clip of a matatu from Eric Walters' website

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Gingerbread on the Loose!

A few months back we participated in the Cinderella Around the World roundup sponsored by the amazing Becky of Kid World Citizen. It was really interesting to see all the posts with different versions of the Cinderella tale from all around the globe. And now Becky's dreamed up a new project in the form of The Gingerbread Man Around the World.

You may not know it but the traditional story "The Gingerbread Man" is a cumulative tale, versions of which are found in many cultures. The common threads are found in each retelling: some form of runaway food that several people (or animals) pursue unsuccessfully until someone comes up with a clever solution. In the tale most are familiar with, the runaway Gingerbread Man is outfoxed, literally, by a clever fox who persuades the cookie that jumping up on the fox's head is the way to safety -- and of course the fox can't help but gobble the cookie up!

It's fun to look at all the examples of this story that come up, and how the same themes repeat themselves in new and different ways. There are a number of modern versions that present the story with interesting twists and variable settings. One of our favorites, Gingerbread Man Loose in the School, was inspired by an activity that a former teacher used to do with her new students at the beginning of the year (we still love to check this one out whenever we see it in the library). And in the process of researching this topic we read a whole lot more versions -- you might be surprised how many turn up in just a quick search!

So I consulted my resident expert, and being a three-and-a-half year-old, Sprout had very definite choices. His first pick is Jan Brett's Gingerbread Baby. This is a pretty standard rendition of the story, brought to life with Brett's signature intricate and absorbing illustrative style. In this version young Matti opens the oven too soon and an impudent little Gingerbread Baby jumps out. Of course he leads the whole village on a merry chase, but Matti's not among the pursuers - instead he's home crafting a solution to the problem that is quite a surprise to all, especially the Gingerbread Baby! It's hard not to be enchanted by one of Jan Brett's stories and this tale is no exception. If you're looking for something traditional with just a bit of a new twist, Gingerbread Baby fits the bill nicely.

On to Sprout's second favorite, The Gingerbread Girl by Lisa Campbell Ernst. This story takes up where the Gingerbread Man tale left off, with the old couple who crafted the cookie still in search of companionship. This time, they figure, they'll create a girl - now what could go wrong there? Well, as you might expect, the female cookie is no more willing to obey, and she's off and running in no time flat. But this Gingerbread Girl knows what happened to her brother, and she's out to fix the fox that got him. Sweet and spicy, with illustrations as tempting as the cookie that inspired the story, The Gingerbread Girl captures the spirit of the familiar story in a modern retelling that kids will adore. Love the rhymes in this one, too! (Now we need to check out the sequel, The Gingerbread Girl Goes Animal Crackers!)

It might surprise you to learn that Mom's favorite of the Gingerbread books was Sprout's favorite too -- The Library Gingerbread Man by Dotti Enderle. I'm a sucker for any book that takes place in or around a library, so naturally I had to check this one out. (Get it? Library humor!) And this was the one Sprout asked for again and again at bedtime. In this tale, our errant hero leaps out of a book living on the library shelf (call number 398.2). Though the librarian tries to catch him, she can't, and neither can all the other literary and historical characters who jump out of their own books in hot pursuit. Sprout was tickled by the setting in the library, and he loved seeing which animals or people would be the next to join the chase. The rhyme is a take on the traditional one, and the illustrations by Colleen M. Madden are jovial like the Gingerbread Man himself. And how can you not love a book with the line, "It is particularly hard to outsmart a librarian"??!?

If you want to liven up your storytime, consider a trip around the world with these or any of the other Gingerbread Man tales -- but you better run, because if there's one thing these tales have in common, it's that catching them is hard to do!

Cinderella Around the World - Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe

I'm thrilled to be participating in the "Cinderella Around the World" project dreamed up by Becky of Kid World Citizen. A ton of very talented bloggers, and yours truly, are posting their reviews of Cinderella tales from many different cultures. Once all the posts are up, I'll link to a complete list of all the reviews. Until then, here's my take on one such tale!

If there's one thing that unites us as people, all around the globe, it's story. Stories tell us not only where we've been, but where we're going and what we hold dear. When you study the storytelling traditions of a particular culture, you learn something about the unique perspective of its people, not to mention its history. For centuries stories were passed down in the oral tradition, and as that happened the tales themselves deepened and changed, becoming particular creations of the teller and inspiring others to put their individual spin on the tale. As cultural values changed, so stories changed with them, blossoming into what we today consider folklore.

Or, as the author Rafe Martin put it:

Folklore maps the territory, shows us the roads before us, and sets us free to walk the roads we choose-after allowing us to experience each road for ourselves. For, in stories, folk stories, all the characters are so universal as to be not individual characters as in fiction, but more generally recognizable aspects of our own psyches; characters common to all.

  

And with only a quick study of folklore, it becomes readily apparent how universal those characters and themes truly are. From fables to myths, from tall tales to epics, the same themes continue to emerge, across cultures and countries. Sure, the setting may be different from one place to the next, and the values may change, but it's remarkable how much of the essence of the story stays the same.

 

 

Take Cinderella, for instance. Most of us grew up with the cotton-candy Disney version, all taffeta and glass slippers. [Disney based their take on the Charles Perrault version, finding it a lot more palatable than the Grimm brothers tale, in which the stepsisters maim themselves in order to fit into the slipper (shudder).] And the moral of the Disney version, naturally, is that Cinderella is rewarded for her goodness by marriage and "happily ever after". Fine, of course, but hardly the end of the story.

 

What's interesting is that Cinderella stories are not solely a Western European construct, but rather pop up all around the globe, from China to Ireland, Indonesia to Appalachia. Name a culture and you can probably find a Cinderella version for it. And why is this theme so popular? Most likely because we all want to see good rewarded and evil punished. We all want to think that the honest, hardworking person will eventually get her due, and those who made her life miserable will get theirs in the end, too. It may seem simplistic in this modern age, but look at the way folktales are pervading our culture and you can see that there's still plenty of appeal in this familiar theme.

 

 

So, on to the title at hand: Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters, a gorgeously wrought Cinderella story by John Steptoe. This version is based on a Cinderella story from Zimbabwe and Steptoe populated his illustrations with scenes representative of the country. The pictures are lush and detailed, capturing perfectly the African nature of this story; ball gowns and pumpkin coaches are replaced with fine linen and festive drummers. In the book, the two sisters Manyara and Nyasha are as different as can be. Though both girls are beautiful, Manyara is concerned with power and position, while Nyasha is kind to all. When the Great King announces that he is seeking a wife, both girls prepare to travel to the city. On the way each encounters a number of individuals, and their responses couldn't be more different; while virtuous Nyasha shares her food with a beggar and gives gifts to an old woman, haughty Manyara rushes on. Once each girl reaches the city, they are surprised to find that the King does not appear in his human form - to Manyara, he is a vicious monster, while Nyasha finds only a small garden snake that she has already befriended, and which soon turns into the King himself.

 

Of course, the moral here is consistent with that of all Cinderella tales and justice is served: Nyasha, the good sister, triumphs, while Manyara is forced to become a servant in Nyasha's household. But the story stays true to its African roots, keeping the focus on community and the necessity of helping others. Because Manyara is selfish, she does not get the spotlight; instead her sister, who gives freely to others, is rewarded. Rather than the emphasis being on material comforts, Steptoe suggests that a life of worth is one that is lived in service to others. Food for thought, for those of us who grew up with castles and princes and glass slippers, after all.

 

Sprout's still a little young for Mufaro, though he did enjoy flipping through the pages and browsing the arresting pictures that complement Steptoe's words. I'm looking forward to exploring more folklore with him, including other Cinderella tales, in the years to come - there's so much to learn from these stories, lessons that truly span the globe.

 

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe, published by HarperCollins

Ages 5-9

Source: Library

Sample: "Mufaro knew nothing of how Manyara treated Nyasha. Nyasha was too considerate of her father's feelings to complain, and Manyara was always careful to behave herself when Mufaro was around."

Recommended

 

Bonus: Reader's guide and activities for Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters from Learning to Give

Library Find - Beautiful Bananas by Elizabeth Laird

Story is so critical to us as human beings. Literally every culture has storytelling as a fundamental component of socialization and community. In many cultures oral history is passed on from generation to generation through stories, some of which seem mystical and fantastical to outsiders but which, upon further examination, speak volumes about the values that are central to that culture's way of life.

I love folk tales for this reason - you can really get a sense of what makes a particular population tick when you examine the elements that occur over and over again in their stories (it begs the question, doesn't it, what outsiders would think of a certain spate of vampire lit -- most especially sparkly ones!). In East Africa, like other regions, stories are related not only to connect with the past but to instill a sense of pride, of connection with the land and the people who came before. Animals are often central figures in these tales, because animals represent character traits and nature and the gifts the earth gives to us. Which makes them an ideal type of tale to share with young children, who still are in a sense of awe around animals of every sort.

Sprout's been going through a particular fascination lately with elephants. I wish I could say this was due to some great developmental teaching or experience, but really it's probably because there's a Thomas episode he likes where one of the trains encounters a tunnel that's blocked by an elephant (don't ask). So when he pulled the book Beautiful Bananas by Elizabeth Laird off the shelf at the library recently, he immediately screamed "Elephant, Mama, elephant!". (Thank goodness our librarians are indulgent about excitable child noise!)

Well, we had to stop and read the book right away, because not only does the cover feature the aforementioned elephant, but also bananas, a frog, and a little girl with brown skin. Perfection, no? And the perfection carries through the story, which is a circular tale that comes from East Africa. Our heroine, Beatrice, is headed off to visit her granddad with a bunch of bananas to give as a gift. Right off the bat she runs into a giraffe, whose "tufty tail" sweeps the bananas off Beatrice's head and into the river nearby. Beatrice is upset, but the giraffe offers her some flowers for Granddad instead -- which is a great solution, until a bunch of bees come along and the flowers get crushed (here Sprout always whispers "Bees!" and shivers with the delicious dangerousness of these stingy critters). But the bees make it right by giving Beatrice some honey, which is taken by monkeys.

And on and on it goes, each page featuring an African animal or insect that is more beguiling than the last. Really, those monkeys? You can see why Beatrice isn't too upset, because they're so darn cute. Illustrator Liz Pichon brings Laird's funny and fantastic story to life in just the right way. Beatrice is vivacious and bubbly, whether she's being frightened by a lion or sneezed on by an elephant. And the colorful spreads provide plenty of fun details, especially the last one that features each of the animals Beatrice encounters.

This is a simply delightful tale and a great way to introduce young children to folklore. Plus, for us, it was fun to point out to Sprout that he once lived in a home much like Beatrice's and may just have been told a similar story by his Ethiopian relatives. Love it when a great book helps make important connections!

Beautiful Bananas by Elizabeth Laird, published by Peachtree Publishers
Ages 2-6
Source: Library
Sample: "Some naughty monkeys see the honeycomb. 'We like honey!' they cry. They snatch it away from Beatrice. All the honey drips onto the ground."
Recommended

Bonus: more about author Elizabeth Laird