#vernaaardema

[tiffanywrites2]

One of my favorite books, this came out in 1975, and was one of my favorite books growing up because there was Black people in it. (There wasn’t a lot when I was growing up, or at least not in our school library.) My child just told me when I read it to her as a kid she had nightmares. 🤦🏽‍♀️ Why is she like this? What was the first diverse book you read? #whymosquitosbuzzinpeoplesears #vernaaardema #blackauthors #blackcreatives #childrensbooks #readingcommunity https://www.instagram.com/p/ChBdhC3AZI2/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[sneevish]

"This is the eagle who dropped a feather, a feather that helped to change the weather." From "Bringing The Rain To Kapiti Plain" by Verna Aardema and Beatriz Vidal. #dialbooksforyoungreaders #bringingtheraintokaptitiplain #vernaaardema #beatrizvidal #readingrainbowbook #nandistories #kenya #africanfolktales #picturebook https://www.instagram.com/p/CBVSSovncL0/?igshid=1jmzwpklj2x8c

[childrensliteratureworld-blog]

African Folklores in Children’s Literature

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears by Verna Aardema is an African folklore about how one thing can impact another, cause and effect. One day, a mosquito tells an iguana a lie, which makes the iguana put sticks in his ear so he does not have to listen to any more lies. However, because of the sticks in his ear, he cannot hear the snake talking to him which makes the snake think that he is mad at him. This chain of events keeps going which effects the rabbit, crow, monkey, and owlet as well. One owlet is killed due to this chain of events so the owl refuses to let the sun rise until the person responsible is found. The king of the jungle, the lion, traces everything back to the mosquito who now flies around and asks people if they are still angry.

This would make a great book to read in the classroom to not only teach children about African folklores, but also to show how one negative thing, such as a lie, can turn into a much bigger problem. This is a quality book to show how one positive or negative action can cause other things to happen.

 Leo and Diane Dillon did a beautiful job using watercolors with an airbrush, pastels, and India ink to create all of these illustrations. Every illustration in this book has white around it, creating a cut out look that appears to almost look as if it is a stain glassed window.

This illustration stands out from all of the other ones because rather than just being animals, it shows a person. Not only is it a person, it shows the culture of this person by the headdress that they are wearing. Up until this illustration, the reader may have no idea that this book is about an African folklore.

 Knowing what culture this folklore is from is an important part of the book. The person in this illustration really captures the African culture and diversity. This illustration does a wonderful job capturing the entire book. If you were to look at this illustration without reading the book, you would immediately know that this book must have something to do with the African culture, and a mosquito buzzing in ears.

 Overall, Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears does a beautiful job matching the illustrations with the words on the pages. The uniqueness of these illustrations compared to other picture books helps it to stand out and make readers want to read it. It is a great book to read to students from all over the world, with a theme that everyone can learn from.

 Kayla Kvach (“Blog Post #6.5: Traditional Children’s Literature” 06 March 2017)

Aardema, V., Dillon, L., & Dillon, D. (1975). Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears. New York: Dial Books for young Readers. 

[vintagebooksforkids-blog]

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears, retold by Verna Aardema and illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. #vintage #vintagebook #vintagekids #vintagechildhood #childrensbook #picturebook #kidsbook #kidsbookstagram #bookstagram #bookcollection #illustration #vernaaardema #leoanddianedillon #caldecottmedal #caldecottwinner #africanfolklore #folklore #mosquitoes #animals #mosquitobuzz #feelingguilty

[sneevish]

"Ki-pat, whose cows were so hungry and dry, they mooed for the rain to fall from the sky" From "Bringing The Rain To Kapiti Plain" by Verna Aardema and Beatriz Vidal. . #dialbooksforyoungreaders #bringingtheraintokaptitiplain #vernaaardema #beatrizvidal #readingrainbowbook #nandistories #kenya #africanfolktales #kidlit https://www.instagram.com/p/B8yTa_-nozE/?igshid=75gwdlsr7p1b

[vintagebooksforkids-blog]

Back cover of Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears, retold by Verna Aardema and illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. #vintage #vintagebook #vintagekids #vintagechildhood #childrensbook #picturebook #kidsbook #kidsbookstagram #bookstagram #bookcollection #illustration #vernaaardema #leoanddianedillon #caldecottmedal #caldecottwinner #africanfolklore #folklore #mosquitoes #animals #giraffe #leopard

[vintagebooksforkids-blog]

Last page of Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears, retold by Verna Aardema and illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. #vintage #vintagebook #vintagekids #vintagechildhood #childrensbook #picturebook #kidsbook #kidsbookstagram #bookstagram #bookcollection #illustration #vernaaardema #leoanddianedillon #caldecottmedal #caldecottwinner #africanfolklore #folklore #mosquitoes #animals #kapow

[vintagebooksforkids-blog]

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears, retold by Verna Aardema and illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. #vintage #vintagebook #vintagekids #vintagechildhood #childrensbook #picturebook #kidsbook #kidsbookstagram #bookstagram #bookcollection #illustration #vernaaardema #leoanddianedillon #caldecottmedal #caldecottwinner #africanfolklore #folklore #mosquitoes #animals #lion #monkey #rhino #owls #python #crow #rabbit

[vintagebooksforkids-blog]

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears, retold by Verna Aardema and illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. #vintage #vintagebook #vintagekids #vintagechildhood #childrensbook #picturebook #kidsbook #kidsbookstagram #bookstagram #bookcollection #illustration #vernaaardema #leoanddianedillon #caldecottmedal #caldecottwinner #africanfolklore #folklore #mosquitoes #animals #iguana