This is a story of a beautiful young lady named Quashiba. Quashiba spends the her time spinning the thread. One day while she was spinning thread she got a visit from the king. Quashiba's mother then takes this opportunity to tell a lie that Quashiba "is spinning a whole field of finest golden thread to make cloth for his Highest." Quashiba is in trouble when the King believes this lie and decides to marry her so she will spin the finest thread. This story is a fun spinoff of the original Rumpelstiltskin. ( )

This is a story of a beautiful young lady named Quashiba. Quashiba spends the majority of her time spinning the plainest of thread. One day when she is spinning the thread the king comes riding up to her. Quashiba's mother then takes this opportunity to tell a lie that Quashiba "is spinning a whole field of finest golden thread to make cloth for his Highest." Quashiba finds herself stuck as the kind decides to marry her and expects her to makes three whole rooms full of golden things. What will she do?! This story is a fun spinoff of the original Rumpelstiltskin which was one of my favorites growing up!! I think all ages can enjoy this book. ( )

Genre: Folktale
This is a good example of a folktale because the story reflects the West Indian culture, language, and beliefs it comes from. The story is fast-paced and repeats the sequence of Lit'mahn coming to spin gold and Quashiba having 3 guesses to guess his name three times (the threes are another sign of a folktale). The setting is vague, although set in a different culture, and the good and honest Quashiba triumphs over the tricky Lit'mahn and her mean husband.
Plot Review: This is a good example of plot because the story is easy to follow. The introduction reveals Lit'mahn and sets the stage for the problem of how to spin gold thread. Then the story progresses through three nights with the same repeated sequence of actions. Lastly, the story concludes with a happily-ever-after ending. The story is easy for children to follow because it is sequenced appropriately and makes sense throughout.
Media: Acrylic paint on acetate, over-painted with gold paint. Borders done in gold leaf

Vibrant, lyrical West Indian retelling of the classic Rumplestilkskin, is beautifully illustrated. ( )

Hazel Rochman (Booklist, August 2000 (Vol. 96, No. 22))
This stirring picture book will make even older readers think about a story they thought they knew. In immediate, colloquial style, with a rhythm just right for reading aloud, Hamilton retells a West Indian version of the universal little-man (Rumpelstiltskin) folktale. The trouble starts with Quashiba's mother. She boasts that her daughter can spin and weave a whole field of the finest gold thread. The greedy young Big King believes the lie, marries the lovely Quashiba, and after a year, locks her away and orders her to fill three rooms with gold. The little monster Lit'mahn promises to spin that gold for her. He does so in an uproar of wild, dancing energy. In return, Quashiba must guess his full name or be carried away by him forever. In the style of Gustav Klimt's patterned compositions, the Dillons' exquisite illustrations are both lavish and intricate. They express the romantic pageantry of palace and prince, and also the subversive presence of the sharp-toothed demon who lurks everywhere. The weaver's exquisitely detailed work evokes traditional African geometric cloths as well as contemporary gold-leaf floral designs. The ending is a surprise: no longer innocent, Quashiba is furious at the king for treating her so badly; he's sorry about his greed; and they live "fairly" happily ever after. As for Lit'mahn, he may still be around, just like now, "when his story be told." The dramatic words and pictures show that evil is in the humans who love the beautiful maiden as well as in the scary monster who threatens her. Category: For the Young. 2000, Scholastic, $16.95. Ages 4-8. Starred Review. ( )