The Hunter and the Ebony Tree [Hardcover]

Nelda LaTeef (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 25, 2002 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

From the Zarma culture of West Africa come this folk tale of a hunter who must overcome am impossible challenge before he can marry the girl he loves.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Born in Tunis, the daughter of a U.S. Foreign Service officer, Nelda LaTeef lived in several African, Asian, and European countries before the age of 18. She holds a B.A. from Harvard and pursued an M.B.A. at George Washington University.

Nelda discovered the story told in this book while visiting Africa in connection with her M.B.A. studies. It was told to her by a blind Zarma storyteller who sold Chiclets under the shade of an acacia tree in a village near Niamey, Niger. She is also the author of two nonfiction books about women, society, and politics. She travels extensively, always with her camera and tennis racket, and often with her five-year-old nephew and playmate.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Moon Mountain Publishing; 1 edition (August 25, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967792991
• ISBN-13: 978-0967792996
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,059,149 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully entertaining! Very highly recommended, August 22, 2002

By 

C. Penn "WordWeaving" (Greenville, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Hunter and the Ebony Tree (Hardcover)

A huge ebony tree stands in the center of the village of Tombakonda. Its hard trunk seems impenetrable. A beautiful young girl lives in the village and many men come to ask her father for her hand in marriage. Her father wishes his daughter to marry a man of strength. The girl wishes for a man with more gifts than just strength. With her father's permission, she sets a challenge. She will marry the man whose arrow penetrates the ebony tree. Many men try, but none succeed until one day a young hunter comes to the village who enlists the helps of friends to win his heart's desire.

Author/illustrator Nelda LaTeef uniquely captures the essence of an African folk tale, bringing it vividly to life for children of all audiences. The classic tale of wisdom and cunning to achieve one's goal serves a delightful lesson of encouragement to young readers. The combination of acrylic and collage for the illustrations lends the page a marvelous texture and depth. My young American audience, ages five and eight, found this to be a wonderfully entertaining tale that they ask for again and again. THE HUNTER AND THE EBONY TREE comes very highly recommended.

5.0 out of 5 stars An authentic African folk tale brought to life, August 5, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hunter and the Ebony Tree (Hardcover)

Wonderfully written for young readers ages 5 to 9 by Nelda LaTeef, The Hunter And The Ebony Tree is an authentic African folk tale brought to life in picturebook form with LaTeef's remarkable, shape-centered full-color illustrations. The Hunter And The Ebony Tree is the story of a hunter who must demonstrate intelligence, skill, and loyal friends to overcome challenges and win the hand of a wise young woman makes for enjoyable reading aloud to young folks. The Hunter And The Ebony Tree is enthusiastically recommended for family, school, and community library folk tale and picturebook collections.