The Banza: A Haitian Story
by Diane Wolkstein
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A small goat finds that the banjo given to her by a little tiger protects her from harm in an unexpected way.Tags
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Tigers and goats don't usually become friends, but after Teegra and Cabree find themselves taking shelter in the same cave one dark, stormy night, the two young animals become inseparable for a time. When Teegra is reunited with his family, he gives his friend a parting gift: a banza, or banjo. As Teegra's aunt states, "The banza belongs to the heart, and there is no stronger protection than the heart." Soon enough, Cabree learns the truth of this adage, when she must confront ten hungry tigers by the riverside...
This amusing tale, with its reversal of the usual order of things - the hunters end up terrified, the prey victorious - is an homage to the power of music, and of words. Wolkstein - whose other folkloric retellings include show more White Wave and Oom Razoom - delivers an engaging narrative; while Marc Brown - best known for his Arthur series - provides expressive illustrations that perfectly capture the emotions of the tale. Highly recommended to all folklore lovers, particularly those with an interest in Haiti! show less
This amusing tale, with its reversal of the usual order of things - the hunters end up terrified, the prey victorious - is an homage to the power of music, and of words. Wolkstein - whose other folkloric retellings include show more White Wave and Oom Razoom - delivers an engaging narrative; while Marc Brown - best known for his Arthur series - provides expressive illustrations that perfectly capture the emotions of the tale. Highly recommended to all folklore lovers, particularly those with an interest in Haiti! show less
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A Child's Book Tour of the Caribbean
33 works; 2 members
Author Information
32+ Works 2,550 Members
Diane Wolkstein was born in Newark, New Jersey on November 11, 1942. She received a bachelor's degree from Smith College and a master's degree in education from Bank Street College in New York. She later spent several years in Paris, where she worked as a teacher and studied mime. She worked as New York City's official storyteller from 1967 to show more 1971. Her radio show, Stories from Many Lands, was broadcast on WNYC from 1968 until 1980. She also helped create the Storytelling Center of New York City, which trains thousands of volunteers and sends them into the city's public schools and libraries. She wrote more than 20 books during her lifetime including Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth with Samuel Noah Kramer and Esther's Story. She died while undergoing emergency surgery for a heart condition on January 31, 2012 at the age of 70. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Important places
- Caribbean Region; French West Indies; Haiti; Hispaniola; West Indies
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Statistics
- Members
- 156
- Popularity
- 210,857
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (4.07)
- Languages
- English, French
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 10
- ASINs
- 6
