Most Popular Books by Verna Aardema

A retelling of a traditional West African tale that reveals how the mosquito developed its annoying habit.

A Masai tale, presented in the form of a play, in which the frog gets the job of getting a monster out of the rabbit's house after the leopard, elephant, and rhino bungle the job.

Long ago, when the earth was set down and the sky was lifted up, all the folktales were owned by the Sky God. And Anansi, that cunning little spider, was determined to buy them back. The payment? A live python, one real fairy, and forty-seven stinging hornets. Not such a high price to pay for all the folktales on earth. But how will Anansi find these hard to come bgy items? It sounds impossible! There's only one way to find the help he needs -- Anansi must go to his clever wife, Aso. But will she be smart enough to outwit the Sky God and get the stories back? This humorous retelling of an Ashanti tale brings Anansi together with his better half in an ingenious scheme that will delight readers of all ages!

Illus. in full color. What's a little lamb to do about a big, oafish coyote that wants to eat her? Why, trick him, of course! "This folk tale from the west of Mexico is energetically told and comfortably packed with many recognizable motifs. Mathers enlarges upon the humorous elements of the story in her boldly colored paintings. Aardema and Mathers are felicitously paired in a tale of trickery rewarded that begs to be read aloud. A glossary to correct Spanish pronunciation is conveniently placed at the beginning of the tale."--(starred) Horn Book.  

Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain (PB)