Why Mosquitos Buzz in People's Ears Ages 9-10

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Why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears: a West African tale

By Verna Aardema, Leo Dillon, Diane Dillon

Illustrated by Leo Dillon, Diane Dillon

Contributor Verna Aardema

Published by Dial Press, 1975 Ages 9, 10

ISBN 0140549056, 9780140549058 32 pages

In this astonishingly beautiful and imaginatively illustrated picture book, Mosquito tells Iguana a tall tale that sets off a chain reaction that ends in jungle disaster. Iguana is so upset at being told such nonsense that he plugs his ears. So, of course, when Python says good morning, Iguana doesn't hear and ignores him altogether. Python suspects Iguana is plotting mischief against him, so he hides in a rabbit hole - which terrifies Rabbit. And so this amusing African legend goes, until finally the chain of mishaps reaches Mother Owl, who reacts by refusing to hoot and wake in the sun.

This tale from Africa is another of ...

... those cumulative goose chases except that instead of pursuing an object, the game here is fixing the blame for an overlong night. As King Lion summarizes the chain of events after it's all straightened out, ""it was the mosquito who annoyed the iguana, who frightened the python, who scared the rabbit, who startled the crow, who alarmed the monkey, who killed the owlet--and now Mother Owl won't wake the sun so that the day can come."" Not one of your indispensable kernels of folk wisdom, but it is the kind of brisk go-round that can pick up a lagging story hour group. And though the stunning illustrations are not our favorite Dillons--they don't generate much life or involvement--their crisp cut paper look commands attention.

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