African American Poetry, Fiction - General & Miscellaneous, Poetry - Peoples, Places & Cultures, Poetry - General & Miscellaneous

Jaha and Jamil Went Down the Hill

Name: Jaha and Jamil Went Down the Hill
Author: Virginia Kroll
ISBN: 9780881068658

by Virginia Kroll, Katherine Roundtree

Available on Bookshop Write a review

Books.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.

Overview

A delightful treasury of rhyme fashioned after Mother Goose favorites that give readers a fresh new perspective of beloved classics.

Synopsis

A delightful treasury of rhyme fashioned after Mother Goose favorites that give readers a fresh new perspective of beloved classics.

Publishers Weekly

Following their Wood-Hoopoe Willie, Kroll and Roundtree team up again for an African take on Mother Goose. The concept is terrific: by altering the lyrics of 48 familiar rhymes, Kroll provides a virtual syllabus for study of African culture and wildlife. ``Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum'' becomes ``Fee, fi, fo, foo./ I smell the juice of vegetable stew./ With a scarf around my head,/ I'll grind the manioc to make our bread.'' But despite the sound concept and Kroll's graceful reshaping of the rhymes, the book is blemished by troublesome misjudgments. Roundtree's bright but literal interpretations of the rhymes serve the educational agenda at the expense of real emotional appeal. Ironically, that very agenda is hampered by the book's overambitious inclusion of data from 28 countries and its failure to explain foreign words. Ages 3-8. (Feb.)

Reviews

There are no reviews yet. Log in to write one.

Editorials

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Children's Literature - Dr. Judith Campbell

What an adventure; the traditional Mother Goose rhymes written as if she had visited various countries in Africa. This book embodies traditional and contemporary life in African nations as depicted in colorful illustrations that will capture the imagination of a young child. The lyrics are refreshing, new rhymes, yet familiar enough to recognize the original counterpart. A brief glossary of unfamiliar words and correct pronunciation of names would have been helpful.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2A unique offering. Kroll creatively captures the visual essence and diversity of the African continent and the poetic gaiety of Mother Goose. She includes 49 original verses that take on the rhythmic patterns of their traditional counterparts, e.g., ``Little Child'' corresponds to ``Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat.'' The illustration of two young children eating and drinking from a bowl serves to complement the text: ``Little Child, little child/Where are you from?/Far off in Africa, under the sun./Little Child, little child,/What do you eat?/Cassava and fishes, oh what a treat!'' Twenty-eight countries are represented; full-color illustrations depict topography, urban centers, forest, jungle, desert, plain, and marketplace. Colors are rich and vibrant, reflecting the warmth of the African continent. A welcome, interesting addition.Barbara Osborne Williams, Queens Borough Public Library, Jamaica, NY