The Hunterman and the Crocodile

This vibrant retelling of a traditional West African folk tale is full of twists and turns to keep storytime listeners glued to their seats. Tired after an overland journey to Mecca, Bamba the crocodile and his family need the help of a human to reach their river home. Donso the hunterman agrees to help, but only after Bamba promises not to bite him. When the hungry crocodile goes back on his word, Donso begs other creatures for help, only to find that they are unwilling - cow, horse, chicken, and mango tree alike feel too much resentment at the way they have been treated by humans in the past. Finally, trickster Rabbit comes to the rescue, and Donso heads home with a stack of crocodiles on his head, trussed and ready for a feast. But there is yet another surprise in store for the hunterman. When Donso gets home, he finds that his wife is gravely ill. The only thing that can save her? Crocodile tears! Needless to say, Bamba and his family give gladly of their tears in exchange for freedom.

Diakite, an artist and storyteller from Mali, tells this entertaining tale with a rolling cadence and impeccable sense of timing. His full-page illustrations, originally painted on ceramic tiles, feature stylized black figures on a pastel blue and orange background. Together, words and pictures convey both the exciting atmosphere of the story and the magic of the storytelling experience. The Hunterman and the Crocodile is destined to be a much-requested "read-aloud."