Rabbit Wishes: Cuban Folktales [Hardcover]

Linda Shute (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1995 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Presents an Afro-Cuban folk tale which explains why rabbits have long ears.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the beginning, according to this bit of African-Cuban folklore, tio Conejo?Uncle Rabbit?had "short shapely ears." How they grew to their current length makes for a merry tale, with Shute's (Clever Tom and the Leprechaun) humorous recounting liberally spiced with Spanish words and phrases. Feeling shortchanged by his small stature, tio Conejo whines to the creator, Papa Dios, who agrees to "think about" making the rabbit bigger if he fetches a feather from an eagle, an egg from a snake and a tooth from a lion. The determined bunny neatly bamboozles these predators with a whistle he fashions from a pumpkin stem, and returns with his trophies to a praiseful Papa Dios. But only bits of tio Conejo?his ears?end up any larger. To create her droll illustrations (featuring a particularly personable animal cast), Shute dips her brush into the hot tropical palette of her native Miami. Notes on the story's background and a Spanish vocabulary list are included. Ages 4-up.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2?Poor tio Conejo! Though made by Papa Dios "...with silky soft fur, long fuzzy feet, and short shapely ears," he is not happy. He wants to be bigger. Papa Dios says he'll consider it, but only if the whiny coney will complete three difficult tasks. When tio Conejo succeeds, Papa Dios points out to him that with cleverness like that, size is not an issue. This does not satisfy the rabbit, however, who continues to badger Papa Dios until the creator loses his temper and stretches the animal's ears. Told in a sprightly manner and illustrated with bold, watercolor cartoons, this engaging Cuban pourquoi story has potential not only for reading aloud but also for telling. All the Spanish words are defined (with pronunciations) on the verso of the front endpaper, but are quite clear in context as well. Pair this book with Lois Ehlert's Moon Rope (Harcourt, 1992) or Verna Aardema's Borreguita and the Coyote (Knopf, 1991) for a story time featuring tricksters tales from south of the border.?Ann Welton, Terminal Park Elementary School, Auburn, WA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 1 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers; 1st edition (April 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688131808
• ISBN-13: 978-0688131807
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,775,376 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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