The Magic Orange Tree; and Other Haitian Folktales [Paperback]

Diane Wolkstein (Compiler), Elsa Henriquez (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 27, 1987

A collection of Haitian folktales for readers of all ages. Illustrated by Elisa Henriquez.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"It is a joy to have this book, not only to read it, but to listen to it." --P.L. Travers, author of Mary Poppins

"Diane Wolkstein's book is sheer delight." --Lillian Ross, The New Yorker --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Language Notes

Text: English, Creole --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 212 pages
• Publisher: Schocken (December 27, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805206507
• ISBN-13: 978-0805206500
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,344,599 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An unusual, charming and authentic book of Haitian folktales, August 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Magic Orange Tree: and Other Haitian Folktales (Paperback)

I lived in a remote village in Haiti for five years and found this book while home in the USA for a visit. I found its stories unusual and charming -- and authentic! When I returned to Haiti I had a wonderful time with my Haitian friends as I related the stories I had read in this book and they would finish telling them with me and share how their mothers and fathers had shared these same stories with them.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learning Another Land, October 17, 2002

By 

Kevin L. Nenstiel "omnivore" (Kearney, Nebraska) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Magic Orange Tree: and Other Haitian Folktales (Paperback)

By the author's own admission, these stories weren't necessarily the best-told she encountered while researching folk tales in Haiti. The flat page lacks the beauty of the oral tale, and some of these stories may have been a little weak in the telling; but on the page they reveal a great deal about Haiti, and are a fascinating read besides.

Folk tales reveal a great deal about a culture-what it values, how members of the society relate, what their beliefs are. These tales do exactly that. While they aren't as clear-cut, with a defined beginning, middle, and end, as American readers have become accustomed to, they do give away a great detail about Haiti. Life is unfinished; hardship is to be embraced and studied; the spirit world is right here at hand, not a million miles away above the clouds.

Even on their own, they stand as a monument to the creative act and the power of the human intellect. These stories will infect your head like a virus, spreading and replicating, until you have to pass them on. Read them casually, and you will be enlightened. Study them seriously, and you may be transformed.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quirky and Fun, July 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Magic Orange Tree: and Other Haitian Folktales (Paperback)

If you're looking for stories with pat, solid endings, this is not the book for you. But, if you're looking for something that reflects the eccentricity and style of Haiti, then this is it. The stories are magical and you can almost see the people telling them for themselves! Kric?