A story told in both English and Spanish follows the vain Cuckoo, who despite her beauty is lazy and selfish and who finally overcomes her faults when a fire threatens the season's seed crop. - (Baker & Taylor)
A traditional Mayan tale which reveals how the cuckoo lost her beautiful feathers. - (Baker & Taylor)
A traditional Mayan tale told in both English and Spanish reveals how the cuckoo lost her beautiful feathers - (Baker & Taylor)
Vain and selfish Cuckoo learns a lesson in humility and generosity when she undertakes a brave task in this tale told in both English and Spanish. “A book almost as much a piece of folk art as it is a folktale.”--Kirkus Reviews
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Harcourt Publishing)
Vain and selfish Cuckoo learns a lesson in humility and generosity when she undertakes a brave task in this tale told in both English and Spanish. A book almost as much a piece of folk art as it is a folktale.”--Kirkus Reviews
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Houghton)
LOIS EHLERT has created many celebrated picture books inspired by the world around her. She lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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Houghton)
Booklist Reviews
/*Starred Review*/ Ages 4^-7. In this exhilarating adaptation of a Mayan tale, Cuckoo is a colorful bird who sings her sweet song all day, but finally the other animals tire of hearing her. On the night before the birds' annual harvest, a fire breaks out in the field where they gather the seeds to last them through the winter. All night long, Cuckoo picks up the seeds one by one and pushes them down into Mole's tunnel. Though her feathers are scorched black by the flames and her sweet song is diminished by the smoke, Cuckoo has earned the gratitude and respect of the other birds. With text appearing in both English and Spanish, this simply told tale is lifted to a higher dramatic pitch by Ehlert's arresting artwork, some of her best to date. Inspired by Mexican folk art, the paper-collage pictures feature colors that are individually bright and in combination absolutely electric. Story, artwork, and design combine to create a striking picture book that will hold the attention of even large groups. ((Reviewed April 1, 1997)) Copyright 2000 Booklist Reviews
Publishers Weekly Reviews
A Mexican folktale about the evolution of a beautiful but vain bird inspires the bold and brilliant cut-paper designs in Ehlert's latest picture book. Gloriously plumed Cuckoo spends her time flitting about and showing off her gorgeous feathers instead of gathering seeds with all the other birds. But in the face of a natural disaster, Cuckoo unselfishly performs a "hot and scary job" that saves the season's seeds but changes her appearance forever. As in her Moon Rope/ Un lazo a la luna, Ehlert's easy-to-follow retelling appears simultaneously in Spanish and English on every spread. The bilingual approach to the text, combined with the influence of Mexican arts and crafts on the vibrantly styled artwork, helps bathe the proceedings in atmosphere. Ehlert assembles many of her simple shapes with brass pin-joints, giving the paper creatures a potential for movement that children will enjoy exploring. Other metallic-paper figures suggest Mexican hammered-tin ornaments. Sombreros off to this innovative artist for yet another eye-catching work. Ages 3-8. (Apr.) Copyright 1998 Publishers Weekly Reviews
School Library Journal Reviews
Cuckoo is beautiful and lazy. She also sings compulsively, irritating the other birds who want to sleep before beginning the arduous task of gathering seeds. They are so exhausted from the continual singing, in fact, that when a fire threatens the seed crop, they all sleep on. The only one awake is Cuckoo, who flies back and forth until all the seeds are safe. In the process, her rainbow plumage is scorched and her beautiful voice turns hoarse but she earns the undying gratitude of the other birds. This tale, charmingly told in both English and Spanish, is boldly illustrated with large, brightly colored, cut-paper pictures. Inspired by folk art and crafts, the images evoke the tin work and cutout fiesta banners of Mexico. Apparently secured by paper fasteners, Cuckoo and some of the other birds look like jointed toys. A perfect companion to Ehlert's Moon Rope (Harcourt, 1992), this book provides a fine introduction to the pourquoi story form and to literature in Spanish. Given the amount of dialogue in the narrative, the story would adapt easily to readers' theater; as well, it is perfectly suited for use in ESL programs. Another sure winner from Ehlert. Copyright 1998 School Library Journal Reviews