• 2006 National Parenting Publications Awards
(NAPPA) Children's
Products competition
• Perma-Bound Perma-Pick
• 100 Best Children's Books of the Year (in Winner's
Handbook by Judy Freeman)
Library Media Connection
Vol. 25, Number 6, March 2007
Grades 1-4. Highly Recommended.
"Highly Recommended. From
the beautiful endpapers to the color palate throughout the book, the sense
of place and natural beauty of West Africa come through. Although an original
tale, the storytelling flows as though it is a tale told many times. The
animals discover that the noises they make on their own can be combined
together into wonderful music. As they are enthusiastically making music
together, the frogs sit quietly thinking that their bodies are not equipped
to make music. However, they discover that they can lend their voices
to the music and they do with gusto. Pritchett’s storytelling background
is evident in the pacing and drama of this story.
The illustrations are done in rich tone and saturation of oil paints,
but Banks’ style resembles woodcuts in the use of line and contrast
making them a wonderful match to the story. This
would make a wonderful read-aloud and is tailor-made for audience participation.
The message of community and acceptance, and the importance of everyone’s
contribution, comes through without being overbearing. This is a welcome
addition with multiple options for classroom use."
***Starred Review***
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Booklist
"Fresh and intriguing, this African cumulative
tale of the origin of music unfolds in a vibrant storyteller's voice.
The forest has many sounds:hyenas yelp, buffalos groan, monkeys chitter,
and crocodiles snort. Only the frogs are silent. When an elephant stubs
its foot on a hollow log, it begins beating the log with its foot. As
the animals listen to the rhythm, they join in: "Crane's claws tinkled
over the scales on Crocodile's back." For six days the animals (except
the frogs) dance, play, and sway, and on the seventh day, when everyone
else is quiet, the frogs sing "Reep-reep-ree!" The message (everyone
has something to add in the mix) is subtle, but clear enough for children
to understand. However, it's the stylized,
earth-toned illustrations, resembling carved wooden figures, that really
rock and roll, evoking the synergy of the forest animals. Varied
type colors and sizes add visual vibration to a tale ripe for audience
participation."
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School Library Journal
"Pritchett's original story gives a folkloric
explanation for the development of polyrhythmic and polyphonic music.
At first, all the African animals make their sounds without regard to
the others. One day, almost by accident, they listen to Elephant stomping,
"Padada BOOM-pada BOOM!" and begin to add their own rhythms
and voices ("Shh-ka-shh!," "Skee-de-lee!," etc.),
and the resultant dance party goes on for days. Only the frogs sit listening
on the periphery. Finally, in the quiet dawn of the seventh day, the frogs
lift their voices: "Reep-reep-ree!" and before long everyone
else joins in. This book practically insists upon audience participation.
The stylized earth-toned illustrations employ
patterns found in African carvings and fabrics to good effect. In
the right hands (and feet and voices), this will make for a rousing storytime."
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The Bloomsbury Review
Nov/Dec 2006
"The African forest, booming with the din of yelping
hyenas, chittering monkeys, hooting owls, and a host of other wild animals,
gives rise to a splendid and powerful music in this innovative first picture
book, the very first music ever to strike the ears of our ancestors. The
quiet opening rhythms-Padada-pada-pada, Padada-pada-padada-pada-gradually
grow louder-padada BOOM, padada BOOM, padada BOOM-and more complex, as
lions, elephants, hawks, crocodiles, and buffalos alike come together
in a jubilant celebration that lasts for six days. On the seventh day,
when all has fallen silent, an unexpected new addition-the reep-reep-ree
of the frogs-resounds through the forest, jump-starting the boisterous
revelries all over again. Banks' dynamic
angular illustrations are fully infused with the life and energy born
of this first music. Young listeners will be
eager to jump up and participate in the rhythmic music-making this story
so successfully invites."
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Kirkus Reviews
11/01/2006
"Pritchett offers a stylish telling of an original how and why story.
The animals in the African forest realize that their disparate sounds
are actually music. It begins with the gathered animals making their individuals
noises: “Hyena yelped . . . monkey chittered.” But when the
elephant starts beating on a hollow log with his foot, his rhythm—“Boom
boom boom boom padadada boom!”—captures the fancy of the other
animals. All join in except the silent frogs, watching from their lily
pads. The jam sessions accelerate, with dancing and improvised beats,
and on the seventh day the silence of the forest is broken by the “Reep-reep-ree!”
of the frogs. King Frog croaks out the beat, and everyone is part of the
animal orchestra. Banks’s stylized
oil paintings give the African forest a rich, dark beauty. In
an author’s note, Pritchett offers helpful suggestions for listener
participation."
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Lower Columbia Review Group
"I can see the music teacher using this book with her students at
our elementary school. The author has spent time in West Africa and states:
'sounds are part of everyday life.' The author begins his book in the
African forest. The hyena, owl, buffalo, parrot, monkey and crocodile
make their own special sounds as the frogs watch. It is not until the
end when the frogs discover how to join in."
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Troy Broadcasting Corporation
"A joyous book which
sees music as developed by the sound of African animals!"
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