Customer Reviews

The Hunter and the Ebony Tree

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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.

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.