Verna Aardema s'est imposée comme une auteure et éducatrice prolifique, largement célébrée pour ses relectures distinctives de contes folkloriques. Son approche a revitalisé les histoires traditionnelles pour les jeunes lecteurs, captivant l'imagination des enfants et des adultes. À travers son vaste corpus d'œuvres, Aardema a exploré le riche tissu des traditions orales mondiales. Son talent pour transformer d'anciennes légendes en récits captivants a cimenté son héritage en tant que voix significative dans la littérature jeunesse.
A great bedtime story sure to keep children fascinated, Who’s in Rabbit’s House is a Masai tale told from the perspective of a play within a play. A monster has invaded Rabbit’s house, and the other animals must gather to help investigate . . . and scare the monster away. This story teaches children it is important to help each other in times of need.
"In this Caldecott Medal winner, Mosquito tells a story that causes a jungle disaster. "Elegance has become the Dillons' hallmark. . . . Matching the art is Aardema's uniquely onomatopoeic text . . . An impressive showpiece." -Booklist, starred review. Winner of Caldecott Medal in 1976 and the Brooklyn Art Books for Children Award in 1977.
Beloved storyteller Verna Aardema is at her finest in this African animal tale, weaving charm and suspense with a delightfully satisfying resolution. Peering down from her treetop perch, a lonely lioness admires the noisily cheeping clan of Mother Ostrich and thinks, "I would be happy to have just one child." So she leaps down, gurum! and steals all four ostrich chicks. Accepting the lioness as their mother, the chicks follow right behind he. Mother Ostrich is frantic! As she chases after the lioness, she enlists the help of gazelle, hyena, jackal, and mongoose. But which one can help her to get her chicks back? With art by Yumi Heo that blends primitive, African, and folk styles, The Lonely Lioness and the Ostrich Chicks is a captivating picture book destined to be a classic.
Illustrated in full color. From Angola to Zanzibar, this treasury is as varied and bountiful as Africa itself! Master storyteller Verna Aardema retells 12 tales of justice and revenge, greed and generosity, sly trickery, and off-the-wall silliness with her trademark humor and flair. Nearly 50 illustrations vibrantly reflect the spirit of these read-aloud delights, while a map of Africa, story source information, and a personal note from the author make this a rich volume for folk-tale lovers of all ages. "Read this book once for the stories, twice for the illustrations, and a hundred times just for fun." --"Kirkus" (pointer)