Product Description

Jabut's shell was smooth and shiny, and the songs he played on his flute were sweet. But his music was a reminder, too, of the mischievous pranks Jabut sometimes played. When a concert takes place in heaven, Vulture offers to fly Jabut there . . . all the while plotting a trick of his own.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #350762 in Books
• Published on: 2005-08-15
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .16" h x 10.26" w x 8.70" l, .37 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

From Amazon.com
Another installment in Gerald McDermott's wise and whimsical trickster series, Jabutí the Tortoise tells the tale of the Amazon jungle's shiny-shelled mischief-maker. Although Jabutí doesn't come across as the most clever trickster around in this particular retelling (he's duped by that crabby old Vulture and ends up getting bailed out by the King of Heaven), the colorful pipe-player and his songs are clearly well loved. Well, by everybody but his victims, that is: "Jaguar could remember when Jabutí tricked him into chasing his own tail," and "Tapir could remember when Jabutí tricked him into a tug-of-war with Whale." But we do get to learn how Tortoise's shell became cracked, and why Toucan, Macaw, and Hummingbird boast such brilliant colors.

Not the most notable entry in this region-by-region series, but beautiful and boldly colored nonetheless. Kids who aren't immediately hooked by Jabutí's story will likely still get drawn in by McDermott's vibrant colors and straightforward compositions of simply shaped jungle creatures set against a bright pink dawn. (Ages 4 to 8) Paul Hughes

From Publishers Weekly
With its shocking-pink jacket and swirls of brilliant designs, McDermott's retelling of this rain forest tale is visually arresting but narratively a bit colorless. The reputed trickster Jabut¡ gets his comeuppance when a jealous Vulture offers to fly the tortoise and his flute to the King of Heaven's festival of song, then wickedly drops his passenger down from the skies. The King of Heaven chastises the vulture, and the birds who put Jabut¡'s smooth shell back together again gain new feathers as their reward. Though Jabut¡'s shell is "cracked and patched," his "song is sweet." Oddly, Jabut¡ doesn't possess a trickster's lively intelligence or cleverness, and the story's plot is resolved by the God of Heaven's intervention rather than by the protagonist's cunning. The story begins with the animals that Jabut¡ has tricked, but they all disappear immediately in favor of a pourquoi tale about how the tortoise got the cracks on his shell. McDermott's illustrations, on the other hand, vibrate with electric colors and patterns. Jabuti's huge eyes and geometric smile, and the interior, brightly colored birds are startling when silhouetted against the pink sky. Ages 4-8.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
K-Gr 2-Jabut' the tortoise enchants the birds of the Amazon rain forest with the sweet song of his flute. Still, not every forest creature can forgive him for his chicanery or his talent, and somber Vulture is so jealous over Jabut''s song that he himself turns trickster by offering to fly the tortoise to heaven so he can play for the King of Heaven. Jabut' foolishly accepts the offer and is purposely tossed off Vulture's back, tumbling through the air and landing on his smooth shell, which shatters upon a rock. The King commands the birds to search for him, and upon finding him, they piece his shattered shell back together, forming a handsome new design. In turn, the small creature thanks them with a song and they are given brilliant new colors, while Vulture remains both dull and songless. Combining various traditional story elements indigenous to the Amazon rain forest with more ubiquitous folkloric themes, McDermott offers a simple yet lyrical tale that is as satisfying to hear as it is to read. While Jabut' appears less a cunning trickster than a beloved songster, the story succeeds by embracing what McDermott refers to as a universal trickster theme, namely, "Creation comes from chaos." Utilizing a radiant palette to evoke the brilliance and vitality of the region, McDermott's spreads feature his familiar geometrically drawn characters that seem to vibrate against the lush-green stylized foliage set upon hot-pink backgrounds. The result is a worthy addition to the artist's impressive series of trickster tales.

Teri Markson, Stephen S. Wise Temple Elementary School, Los Angeles

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.