Beloved illustrator Tomie dePaola retells and embellishes this northern Italian tale. Per the author's note the story stems from a real Italian mountain village (which dePaola depicts on the title page) where the last three days of January are the coldest of the year. As the story goes, the doves would roost in the chimneys to keep warm and this turned them black. DePaola's retelling also takes some inspiration from The Emperor and the Nightingale.
Gorgeous illustrations accompany this story about a panther who wishes he was like the other big cats- fearless like tiger, blazing like lion, dazzling like leopard. His attempts to adorn himself like the other cats fail. But one night he climbs high in the trees and the moon helps him to see his own sparkling beauty. A nice celebration of recognizing what makes you special and uniquely wonderful. Each page is a stunning work of art!
This folk tale about a pair of mice parents who are seeking the perfect bridegroom for their perfect daughter felt familiar to me. I'm sure I've read some variation of it before but I had no idea that its origin was Mayan. That's the wonderfully curious thing about folk tales, they can travel about and change. In a postscript Judith Dupre explains that the fable is told by the Chol Indians who live in the rainforest in Mexico. They have no written language, but their "words sound like the rain hitting rock and reflect their love of music and sense of play." She explained "This myth is told and retold to each generation of children so that they might understand the circular ways of Nature and make peace with the harsh sun and torrential rains of their home."
This morning's moon was large and luminous hiding behind the clouds before it set. I always love moon books.
J. Brian Pinkney books are always in abundance at the thrift store, they are so popular. I liked this one because of the story of a brave boy who spends the night in a haunted house and comes out the richer for it. Robert D. San Souci gives a good explanation at the end about the origin of folktales and how they change and blend as they travel through countries, and cultures and ages. The Southern setting seemed just right for this one.
