When Tukama is captured by a two-headed giant and held prisoner by the giant’s wife, he uses his flute to escape.
Tukama Tootles the Flute: A Tale from the Antilles
Folklore and Fairy Tales
Doctor Bird: Three Lookin’ Up Tales from Jamaica
Doctor Bird is one smart hummingbird! When he sees Mongoose stealing food, he drops a weather goofball on her house and really teaches that thief a lesson. When Mouse’s home is destroyed by a storm, Doctor Bird teaches him to keep his head up. And when Owl plans to crash a party dressed like Doctor Bird, Doctor Bird teaches him to be himself–and be proud of it. Presented in the rich storytelling tradition and lush colors of the West Indies, these three tales remind readers that it’s always best to look up when problems land at your feet. Jamaicans believe Doctor Bird has magical powers, and if you don’t believe them, just ask Mongoose, Mouse and Owl!
La Flor de Oro: Un Mito Taino de Puerto Rico (Spanish Edition)
Nina Jaffe’s acclaimed retelling of an Indigenous creation myth about the birth of Puerto Rico, The Golden Flower, in a Spanish edition. The Taínos called their beloved island, Boriquén. This is their story of how Boriquén came to be. In the beginning, there is only a giant mountain above a dry plain without water or plants. A child walking over the flat land below the mountain finds seeds dancing in the wind. When he plants the seeds on the top of the mountain, a forest grows on the crest and in that forest, a large golden flower appears. Soon, the boy and his community reap benefits that they had never before imagined. A joyful creation myth about the evolution of a beautiful island habitat, this picture book is also a celebration of the young boy’s quest, which encourages readers to respect the gifts of the winds and the cycle of nature that bears fruit for the whole community.
Tiger Soup: An Anansi Story from Jamaica
After tricking Tiger into leaving the soup he has been cooking, Anansi the spider eats the soup himself and manages to put the blame on the monkeys.
Martina Una Cucarachita Muy Linda / Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: Un Cuento Cubano / A Cuban Folktale
Carmen Agra Deedy delivers this retelling of the Cuban folkltale. Martina the beautiful cockroach doesn’t know coffee beans about love and marriage. That’s where her Cuban family comes in. While some of the Cucarachas offer her gifts to make her more attractive, only Abuela, her grandmother, gives her really useful advice.
Old Letivia And The Mountain Of Sorrows
Shunned by superstitious townspeople who are suspicious of her healing gifts, Old Letivia, a wisewoman who lives on the rainforest island of Borinquen, journeys into the forest with her two friends and encounters dangerous tests of her courage.
The Twins and the Bird of Darkness: A Hero Tale from the Caribbean
When a benevolent king and his daughter, Princess Marie, find their peaceful kingdom threatened by an enormous, evil, seven-headed bird, the brave princess offers herself as the bird’s hostage in order to prevent the entire kingdom from being thrust into eternal darkness. As soon as Soliday, a kindhearted, hardworking, and generous youth hears about the princess’s sacrifice, he vows to kill the Bird of Darkness and save Marie. His identical twin brother — the jealous, lazy, and dishonest Salacotta — accompanies Soliday on the dangerous journey, but doesn’t lift a finger in order to rescue the princess or slay the monstrous bird. And the second Salacotta sees his chance to claim that he was the one who freed the princess, he does just that. Will Soliday be able to convince everyone that he is indeed who he says? Will his brother admit his treachery? Will Soliday ever be able to trust his twin again? This timeless and resonant folktale about the forces of good and evil and the redemptive power of brotherly love is the perfect story for the ages.
La Canción Del Coquí Y Otros Cuentos De Puerto Rico
Three Puerto Rican stories include the title story, which represents the land’s indigenous Tainos; the tale of la Guinea, which is rooted in the nation’s African culture; and la Mula’s tale, a story of Spanish origin.
La Cucarachita Martina
A retelling of the folktale about the criollo cockroach who has many suitors but choses the gentlemanly mouse unaware of his weakness for food. At dinnertime during their first day of marriage, he cannot wait for the meal to be served and jumps into the boiling pot, subsequently dying.
Daughter of Earth: A Roman Myth
Alone in a meadow one day, Proserpina is happily gathering flowers for her mother when she spies a blossom more beautiful than any she has ever seen. Moments later, she is gone–kidnapped by Pluto, lord of the Underworld, who wants to make her his bride. Sorrowing, Cres wanders her domain, searching for her lost child. At last, in a burst of wrath, she vows to turn the earth into a wasteland unless Proserpina is returned to her.