The Mean Hyena: A Folktale from Malawi [Hardcover]

Judy Sierra (Author), Michael Bryant (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up

In this popular trickster tale from Malawi, Judy Sierra retells the story of how Kamba the tortoise gets his revenge when Fisi, the mean hyena, sticks him between two branches of a tree. Kamba's solution? Of course, paint all the animals new coats! Along they come: first Mbanda the zebra, who gets a coat of long, flowing stripes; then Nyalugwe the leopard, who stretches out on a branch for his spots. Many other animals follow. Finally, Fisi demands his beauty, and what does he get? Tree gum, which makes his fur stand up in patches so that the villagers laugh at him. If you see him, he will laugh right back, Ha, ha, ha! Judy Sierra is in great form with her latest retelling, and Michael Bryant's deep-hued watercolors pulsate with the texture and life of the savanna. Judy Sierra, a professional puppeteer and storyteller, is now a full-time writer and lecturer. Her two previous titles for Lodestar are The Elephant's Wrestling Match and Wiley and the Hairy Man.Michael Bryant, a children's book illustrator, has been described by Publishers Weekly as an impressive accomplished artist.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3. A traditional Malawian trickster tale. The first and last double-page spreads show a storyteller visiting a classroom filled with eager listeners. "Don't play a trick on someone unless you want an even bigger trick played on you," she says at the end. And such is the lesson, learned by Fisi the hyena as he plays a trick on Kamba the tortoise that leaves the poor creature stuck in a tree. But Kamba is clever, and after a night of pondering he devises a plan to get revenge by offering to paint beautiful new coats for all of the animals. While the zebra gets new stripes and the leopard spots, Fisi gets his just reward with a sticky, patchy coat. Sierra's humorous yet lyrical text coupled with Bryant's bold watercolor illustrations of the animals of the African savanna make this retelling a natural for reading aloud and storytelling sessions. A must for all folktale collections.?Marilyn Iarusso, New York Public Library
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

How the hyena got his laugh, how the zebra got his stripes, and how the leopard got his spots are revealed in this African folktale. After Fisi, a hyena, tricks Kamba, a tortoise, and leaves him stuck in the crook of a tree, the tortoise plots a slow, steady revenge. He chews on bark to make a paint brush and calls over animals to decorate their coats. Kamba gives the zebra stripes and the leopard spots, lavish enough to make Fisi jealous. When the hyena comes to have his coat painted, the tortoise gives him a coat of sticky gum, making the hyena the laughing stock of the jungle. The story starts and endsabruptly and unnecessarilywithin the frame of a storyteller speaking to a class, and although Bryant's animals are vastly appealing, his palette can appear muddy. The book is nevertheless a useful addition to folklore collections. (Picture book/folklore. 5-8) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (September 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525675108
• ISBN-13: 978-0525675105
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,527,550 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I grew up in a very creative, book-loving family. My father was a photographer, and my mother was a librarian. They read to me constantly, especially poetry. When I was seven, they built me a puppet theater and I gave my first performance, "The Three Wishes." In college I studied literature, and afterwards I became a children's librarian. A few years later, I set out on my own as a puppeteer, quickly joining forces with another puppet artist, who became my husband. We studied traditional puppetry in Indonesia, and traveled all over the U.S. as teachers and artists-in-residence. About twenty years ago, I combined what I had learned as an avid reader and writer, as a librarian and children's entertainer, and began writing books for children. All of my books are meant to be read aloud and dramatized. To learn more about how each of my books came to be, please visit my web site: http://www.judysierra.net.