Children of Yayoute: Folk Tales of Haiti [Hardcover]

Turenne Des Pres (Author), Francois Turnenne Des Pres (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1994

A collection of Haitian folktales featuring magical human and animal characters, from tricksters and buffoons to dancing dolls and talking fish.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The legacy of the late Haitian artist and writer Turenne Des Pres (1907-1990) is vibrantly preserved in this beautifully produced collection of 12 folktales. The stories, originally published in Haiti in 1949 without illustrations, are paired here with paintings culled from the more than 300 works executed by Turenne Des Pres. Together art and text build a vision of Haiti, with its abundant vegetation, rich customs and voodoo rituals. Wry prose explains why cats are always running from dogs, why chickens scratch for roaches; witch-doctors, kings and magic fish appear as well. Pictures are reproduced in varying scales, with silhouetted figures also dropped in. In this way, the book has the sophisticated feel of a museum catalogue, yet it is zesty enough to maintain a child's attention. The art itself is pleasingly simple in its lines, busy with people and alive with color. A visual treasure, this book is also ideal for reading aloud. Ages 7-up.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 6-9, younger for reading aloud. Retold and illustrated by a renowned Haitian artist, this collection of Haitian folktales, published posthumously by the Turenne Des Pres family in collaboration with the California Afro-American Museum, has much to recommend it, beginning with the tales themselves. There are traditional tales told to the author by his grandmother, San Naa (previously published in the 1949 volume Children of the Yayoute), as well as tales from his "Ma Bonne" (good nursemaid), which include historical anecdotes and Haitian customs. "Bien-Aime and the Magic Orange Tree" and "Noemi and the Fish" (familiar to readers from variants in Wolkstein's Magic Orange Tree) are included, as are trickster and fool tales of Malice and Bouqui and other satisfying retellings. These 12 tales appear in a beautifully designed volume. High-quality color reproductions of the author's vivid oil paintings reflect Haitian daily life. Let's just hope the binding holds up. A glossary of unfamiliar terms, biographical information on the author, and an index to the paintings are appended. Janice Del Negro

Product Details

• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Universe Pub (March 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0876637918
• ISBN-13: 978-0876637913
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 9.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #771,418 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Review from Publisher's Weekly, January 26, 2012

By 

L.W. Thomas - See all my reviews

This review is from: Children of Yayoute: Folk Tales of Haiti (Hardcover)

The legacy of the late Haitian artist and writer Turenne Des Pres (1907-1990) is vibrantly preserved in this beautifully produced collection of 12 folktales. The stories, originally published in Haiti in 1949 without illustrations, are paired here with paintings culled from the more than 300 works executed by Turenne Des Pres. Together art and text build a vision of Haiti, with its abundant vegetation, rich customs and voodoo rituals. Wry prose explains why cats are always running from dogs, why chickens scratch for roaches; witch-doctors, kings and magic fish appear as well. Pictures are reproduced in varying scales, with silhouetted figures also dropped in. In this way, the book has the sophisticated feel of a museum catalogue, yet it is zesty enough to maintain a child's attention. The art itself is pleasingly simple in its lines, busy with people and alive with color. A visual treasure, this book is also ideal for reading aloud. Ages 7-up. (June)

1.0 out of 5 stars Traditional Haitian folktales and artwork, October 3, 2011

By 

A, Eisdorfer "Tool Guy" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Children of Yayoute: Folk Tales of Haiti (Hardcover)

If you can find it, this is a wonderful book for any child, but especially for children of families trying to stay connected to their Haitian roots. The original paintings used to illustrate these folktales are reason enough to purchase this book, but the folktales are fascinating too - and teach the kinds of lessons so often missing from children's books today.