The Parade

Gr 2—4—Using Ananse stories from several Ghanaian traditions as well as an original story told in the same spirit, Kojo has assembled a slim volume of entertaining trickster tales. That said, it must also be admitted that others have told the stories more vibrantly: Verna Aardema, Harold Courlander, Eric Kimmel, Philip Sherlock, and Frances Temple, to name a few. The simplicity of Kojo's language might recommend this book for children moving out of easy readers, though the African names (Kpoto the pig; Tsina the cow; Ananse's wife, Aso Yaa, and others) could pose some challenges for this audience. The most probable use for The Parade will be as inspiration for storytellers who will take Kojo's advice and spice their tellings with liberal use of body language and facial expression to keep their audiences engaged.—Miriam Lang Budin, Chappaqua Public Library, NY