Jabuti the Tortoise: A Trickster Tale from the Amazon (Gerald McDermott)
Jabuti tries to hitch a ride to the heavens on the back of a vulture.
The Dancing Turtle: A Folktale from Brazil (Pleasant DeSpain)
Mira and the Stone Tortoise (Melinda Lilly)
These are very similar tales. Both boil down to a father finding a turtle and leaving his children charged with not opening the cage while he left. Of course, the children were fooled (although in different ways) and the turtle escaped. Mira had a much more entertaining story leading up to the tortoise being captured; however, the father in this version never figured out that the stone he cooked wasn’t the tortoise.
In addition to enjoying the stories and the pictures, we also used these tales to talk about the way the stories were similar and different. A great conversation!
The Children of Bolivia, by Jules Hermes
Description of life in various regions of Bolivia.
The Story of Salt, by Mark Kurlansky
Salt’s importance in our lives and in the history of the world is fascinating. This book is an excellent introduction for both children and adults.
The One That Got Away, by Percival Everett
This hilarious tale follows a group of cowboys as they search for the one that got away. Fabulous play on words that made me laugh out loud.
The Gullywasher, by Joyce Rossi
A grandfather weaves a tall tale to explain his wrinkles, gray hair and stooped shoulders to his granddaughter.
The Sleepy Dormouse, by Mark Ezra
A sleepy dormouse is trapped under a flowerpot by a weasel. The lazy little mouse believes that he is being taken care of until other mice inform him of the weasel’s intent.
Homeplace, by Anne Shelly
In this book, grandma recounts the generations and how each one made their mark on the family farm. Beautiful pictures that can be used to discuss the changes in technology through the years. It was a really sweet tribute to family. I cried.
On the Pampas, by Maria Cristina Brusca
This book tells the story of the author’s childhood visit to her grandparents’ rancho on the Pampas in Argentina. It is a wonderfully told tale that both entertained my children and prompted them to learn more about Argentina.
