Nabulela: A South African Folk Tale - Hardcover

Moodie, Fiona

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0374354863 ISBN 13: 9780374354862

Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux, 1997

Synopsis

After playing a terrible trick on Nandi, the chief's daughter, the girls of the village are given the task of defeating Nabulela, a white-skinned, people-eating beast that has been terrorizing their African home, in a retelling of a North Nguni folktale.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Kindergarten-Grade 3. Nandi is the precious only daughter of the village chief. Gifted with jewelry and praise from her father, she is envied by the other girls in her kraal. During a trip to the clay pit, they push her into a crevice and leave her to die. Nandi's faithful dog saves her and the chief declares a fearsome punishment for this treachery. The girls must bring to him the skin of Nabulela?a people-eating, white monster that lives in a nearby lake. They devise a clever plan, succeed in leading Nabulela to his death, and win the forgiveness of the chief, who also learns a lesson and promises to treat all the girls with equanimity in the future. Moodie's retelling of this traditional South African tale is straightforward; source notes, unfortunately, are not provided. The economy of the author's prose insures clarity and logical plot development but also results in some choppy transitions. Unfamiliar words, such as "kraal" and "assegais," are not defined. The stylized watercolor illustrations contribute glimpses of tribal life and capture the diversity of the flora and fauna of the bush. Lines and shapes are used effectively and the simple layout focuses attention on the wonderfully detailed artwork. While the fascinating pictures and spare language are well suited to independent reading, the treachery, exciting rescue, and successful capture of the nasty-looking monster will intrigue small groups.?Carol Ann Wilson, Westfield Memorial Library, NJ
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0374354863
• ISBN 13: 9780374354862
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32