Forest Singer - Hardcover

Sikundar, Sylvia

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1902283600 ISBN 13: 9781902283609

Publisher: Barefoot Books, 1999

According to his friends on the slopes of the Mountains of the Moon, Mabuti has a voice like a bullfrog, so he is not welcome to join the rest of his Pygmy family as they sing while they go about their everyday activities, so he goes off into the forest to practice by himself, and eventually his singing begins to improve--but his friends don't know that.According to his friends, Mabuti has a voice like a bullfrog, so he is not welcome to join the rest of his Pygmy family as they sing, so he goes off into the forest to practice by himself, and eventually his singing begins to improve

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From Kirkus Reviews:

Pygmies (as they are called here, rather than Mbuti) love to sing, but the hero, Mabuti, has not been blessed with a beautiful singing voice. In this uncomplicated tale, readers follow Mabuti's efforts as he continues to practice, despite complaints from his playmates and the wild animals of the forest. Day after day, Mabuti spends time learning to sing; one day, day, much to his surprise, the doves commend him on his beautiful voice. Pleased, Mabuti plays a trick on his former tormentors, imitating a leopard to get their attention; the ``leopard'' demands to hear Mabuti's singing voice in return for sparing the children's lives. His song saves the day and endears him to his community (and he confesses the trick to an elder). The full-color illustrations deftly depict life in tropical Africa, the work of the villagers, and the wildlife that is part of this lush realm. (Picture book. 4-8) -- Copyright �1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

From Publishers Weekly:

Pygmies make up the cast of this picture book, perhaps more interesting for its setting than for its execution. Like the other Pygmies, young Mabuti loves to singAbut his friends tease him about his voice, and even the monkeys object when he practices. Determined to improve, the boy wanders through the forest, performing for the crocodiles, hippos, cranes and so on. At last he hones his voice and, mimicking the sounds of a leopard, plays a trick on the children who have been laughing at him. Sikundar's (The Ivory Claw) pacing is a little slack, and details about Pygmy practices feel grafted onto the story. But, paired with debut illustrator Astill's realistic views of the lush vegetation and wildlife of the western Ugandan backdrop, the storyAwhich concludes with a concise, informative afterwordAshapes a credible portrait of a nomadic culture not known to many young American readers. Ages 4-8. (Aug.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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