Kumba and Kambili: A Tale from Mali

K-Gr 2—These stories feature protagonists who can serve as role models because of their bravery, devotion, perseverance, etc. Kumba tells the story of a husband and wife who join forces to defeat an evil wizard disguised as a lion who is terrorizing their village.The text reads smoothly, although without much energy, and the dramatic points are diminished by the caricaturelike nature of the illustrations. The Lute Player suffers from the same deficiencies. A king who is enamored with adventure is imprisoned, and his devoted wife risks all to save him. Again, the text reads decently, although without flair, and in this case the illustrations are stiff and garishly colored, serving more as a distraction than an enhancement. In One Last Wish, a devoted wife faces down the god of the dead to save her husband. Again, the dramatic structure does not shine through, and the linocut prints do not allow for any real variation in facial expression and the choice of colors does not provide any subtlety. All three stories end abruptly. Each book has a "Words to Know" section, four discussion questions, and a paragraph about the country of origin. With all the beautifully written and illustrated folktales available from these countries, these titles are strictly additional purchases.—Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ