The Magic Tree: A Folktale from Nigeria [Hardcover]

T. Obinkaram Echewa (Author), E. B. Lewis (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Overworked and mistreated, Mbi gets only scraps when it is time to eat. Then one day a magical fruit tree grows just for him, and, using his wits, Mbi makes sure that he''ll never be treated badly again.'

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Echewa's (The Ancestor Tree) lilting retelling describes how an orphan gains power over the villagers who treat him badly. Each day, from sunup to sundown, the people call out to Mbi, "Mbi, do this! Mbi, do that!" Yet the boy frequently ends up hungry, having no food other than the scraps he can lick from others' bowls. One day, a udara fruit falls magically from its treeAout of seasonAand when Mbi plants its seeds, like Jack with his Beanstalk, he gets more than he bargained for. Not only does a tree take root immediately, but it obeys Mbi's commands. The tree gives him all the fruit he can eat, which he generously shares with the villagers. But when a boy tries to steal the fruit, Mbi sings to his tree, commanding it to grow ("Udaram to-o-oh!") until its branches are "lost in the clouds." Only after the villagers shower Mbi with gifts and promise to be kind to him does he command the tree to bring the boy down. The drumlike beat of the words gives the narrative the sound of a tale that has been passed down orally for generations, replete with songs and pauses that anticipate audience reaction. Yet the book's moral may confuse readers; the tale seems to indicate that kindness is dependent upon power. Lewis (The Jazz of Our Street) fills his sun-drenched watercolors with realistic details of clothing in vibrant colors and exquisite baskets set in intimate village scenes, and grounds the story's magical elements in the real world. Close-up portraits of Mbi's transformation from village outcast to mascot help to compensate for the obfuscation of the story's message. Ages 4-up.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4-Mbi, an orphan, is continually mistreated by the other villagers. He slaves for them from dawn till dusk and is sometimes awakened during the night to perform yet another chore. One night, he goes off to sit by himself under a udara tree. It provides him with a magic fruit, which he eats and then plants the seed. Instantly, a magic tree grows and Mbi soon discovers that it will follow his commands. Although he provides the villagers with fruit, they continue to mistreat him. However, when Mbi causes the tree to grow into the clouds with a mean boy trapped at the top, the people heap gifts, flattery, and promises of good treatment on him until he brings the boy down. The tale strikes a rather sour note, as the fawning of the villagers is so obviously insincere. They are in no way repentant of their previous behavior toward Mbi but simply wish to manipulate his present power. The author cites Nigeria as the country of origin for this tale but provides no source notes, raising a question about whether or not he altered the tale enough to subvert its original meaning. Lewis's watercolors have an unfinished look to them, clear in the foreground, fuzzy in the background, like a badly focused photograph. For a more satisfying version of the tale set in Haiti, see Diane Wolkstein's "The Magic Orange Tree" in the collection of the same name (Schocken, 1988).
Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (June 23, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688162312
• ISBN-13: 978-0688162313
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,484,959 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #49 in Books > Children's Books > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > African

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous Illustrations, great story, May 31, 2011

By 

Should Be Doing Laundry (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Magic Tree: A Folktale from Nigeria (Hardcover)

My kids loved this, and it forces a deep conversation about differences in cultures, showing kindness no matter what. We loved this.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Much to talk about..., April 12, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Magic Tree: A Folktale from Nigeria (Hardcover)

A great story to read aloud to a class. The similarities to a Cinderella story lead to great discussion about how this story is different, and why it may be different. Use to discuss how you can discover the meaning of unfamiliar words (in this case many are Nigerian) using illustrations, patterns in the text, and surrounding sentences. The illustrations are beautiful and the lessons of community are excellent for starting many important classroom discussions.