The Magic Gourd (Aesop Prize (Awards)) [Hardcover]

Baba Wague Diakite (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2003 | Age Level: 4 and up | Series: Aesop Prize (Awards)

Coretta Scott King Honor author/artist tells a tale from Mali about a magic gourd that can fill itself with whatever its owner desires. And hidden within is a powerful lesson about generosity.

Draught and famine have come to the parched forest. And when a hungry Rabbit rescues Brother Chameleon from a thorny bush, Chameleon repays him tenfold with a magical gourd that always stays filled with food and water. But soon a greedy king steals the gourd to make gold and food for himself. Cleverly, Rabbit recovers his gourd, but still leaves plenty for the King. Surprised by Rabbit's kind act, the king begins to learn the importance of generosity and friendship.
Exciting illustrations in bright ceramic plates, bowls and sculpture practically dance off of the pages.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3-Diakite sets his story in his native Mali. After Dogo Zan the rabbit saves a chameleon from a sticky situation, he is given a magic gourd that fills with whatever its owner wishes in payment for his kindness. When the greedy king learns about its magic powers, he takes the gourd by force. Using another gift from the chameleon, Dogo Zan recovers his treasure and teaches a lesson in generosity as well. Diakit‚ illustrates this tale with paintings on ceramic tiles, plates and bowls, and borders with designs from Bamana mud cloth patterns, which are imbued with their own symbolism. The resultant images, set against color-saturated backgrounds, are often arresting. The end matter includes lyrics to a praise song that illustrates the importance of spiritual wealth over material possessions, a description of pertinent aspects of the author's childhood, an explanation of the mud cloth designs, and a note about the widespread dissemination of stories with similar plot motifs. Overall, this is an attractive folktale variant.
Miriam Lang Budin, Chappaqua Public Library, NY
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 2-4, younger for reading aloud. With characteristic energy and spirit, Diakite retells a tale from his native Mali and illustrates it with painted, boldly patterned art created from ceramics. Searching for food for his famine-stricken family, Brother Rabbit pauses to free a chameleon from a thorn bush, and, in return, receives a magic bowl that fills with anything upon request. After a greedy king seizes the bowl, Chameleon gives Rabbit another gift--a rock that wreaks havoc on anyone who does not speak to it with respect. Rabbit uses the rock to regain his prize--and by choosing to leave the royal treasure behind, is able to reform the king. Bordering each ceramic design is a different "mud cloth" textile pattern, the meaning of which the artist explains in a lengthy postscript. Diakite closes with a discussion of the story's themes and antecedents, an introduction to praise songs, and a glossary of the Bambara exclamations and expressions that punctuate the story. Despite the pounding rock, this is less violent than many European variants of the tale; it actually focuses more on kindness than on trickery. John Peters
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Press (February 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439439604
• ISBN-13: 978-0439439602
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 9.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #926,410 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Folklore, February 9, 2004

By 

Jessica Ferguson "threelittlebirds" (Woodbury, NJ) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Magic Gourd (Aesop Prize (Awards)) (Hardcover)

Diakite's retelling of this African folktale involving Brother Rabbit, Chameleon, a greedy king, a magic gourd and a magic rock is delightfully and originally illustrated with photographs of intricately painted ceramic bowls, platters and tiles that tell the story in detailed and relevant images. Further decorated at the edges with mud cloth patterns, Diakite has provided two pages of additional notes at the end of the book to help clarify the patterns' meanings as well as to give some background to his home of Mali, West Africa and some language translations.

While written in traditional picture book format, this book is best read to youngsters for both the joy of oral storytelling traditions which are so important to folk tales as well as because of the potential unfamiliarity of some words and the occasional irregularity of traditional English grammar. Besides, they will not be able to keep their eyes from the illustrations long enough to read a whole page! A fun family read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Generous cross-cultural package, November 24, 2003

By 

E. S. Will "a new leaf" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Magic Gourd (Aesop Prize (Awards)) (Hardcover)

This tale from Mali teaches that generosity and friendship are more valuable than material wealth.

When Rabbit does a good deed for Chameleon, he is rewarded with a gourd that magically fills up with whatever its owner asks for. Rabbit requests carrots, couscous and other foods. Soon his family has sufficient food to invite friends and neighbors for meals.

Word of the gourd spreads until it reaches the ears of a greedy king, who has his soldiers forcibly take it from Rabbit. The ruler then spends his days commanding the gourd to fill with gold. Rabbit wants his gourd back, but how can he recover it?

In an "Author's Note," Diakite relates that he grew up in an extended family in rural Mali. The tales he heard around the fire at night kindled his imagination during days tending sheep and goats.

The illustrations--reproductions of Diakite's hand-painted ceramic tiles, plates and bowls--are bordered with traditional patterns, each with a specific meaning, used by Mali's Bamana people in creating a unique textile known as mud cloth.

The story, paintings, informational endnotes, even a dust-jacket photo of the author and his two daughters in traditional dress, work together to create a generous cross-cultural gift.

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written, wonderful message, May 28, 2011

By 

Trophy wife (NC, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Magic Gourd (Aesop Prize (Awards)) (Hardcover)

I bought this book at a consignment store and I am here to buy another copy as a gift. This book is a joy to read aloud. It is easy to give the different characters their own "voice" which helps keep little ones involved in the story. I have even taken to calling my son Dogo Zan when he is being sweet. We have had this book for three weeks and I have probably read it 11 times and I am not even close to rolling my eyes when it is selected for bedtime yet. This is HUGE for me. I get bored with children's stories vey easily. Definitely a favorite of everyone in this house.