The Song of the Teeny-Tiny Mosquito
El canto del mosquito
BOOK DESCRIPTION
Early one morning a mosquito is swallowed by a frog, who in turn is eaten by a fish, who in turn… This original cumulative tale has a surprise ending that delights all readers. An excellent way to introduce the concept of the food chain, it is a joy to read, to tell, to chant, or to turn into a play.
CD AND CASSETTE DESCRIPTION
There is a special value to listening to a books read by the author. Such recordings show just where the author wishes to convey feelings and emotions, emphasis and suspense. When the text is put to music it acquires additional interest for children.
The original music created by Suni Paz for El canto del mosquito compliments this whimsical cumulative tale. Her vivid performance captures the listener’s imagination until it seems that the mosquito is buzzing right in our ears. professional recording of the English version of the story conveys the magic of the cumulative tale.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
On the back cover of the Big Book which accompanies this book, as well as in the cassette, I tell the story of having once involuntarily swallowed a mosquito which flew into my mouth as I spoke. Now, I am concerned about the wisdom of such candid statement, since on a school visit a child told me he had enjoyed hearing that I eat bugs!
My objective on sharing the genesis of this story was to point out that ideas are all around us, and the smallest event can be the origin of a story. I also like to point out how writing allows us to improve reality. My story let me rescue that poor mosquito of long ago.
REVIEWS
School Library Journal
About Stories for the Telling: A charming series, illustrated with watercolor and pen-and-ink drawings. The stories are told in a humorous style and are enhanced throughout by Ada’s gift for language and poetry. El Canto del mosquito / The Song of the Teeny Tiny Mosquito is the droll story of a frog who eats a mosquito and whose song then sounds like that of a mosquito. The frog is eaten by a fish, who then sings like a mosquito, etc. Una extraña vista / Strange Visitors is a humorous counting story of the days of the week in rhyme. Me gustaría tener… / How Happy I Would Be… lists the various things “I would like to have…” Again in a counting-book format, the desired items all turn out to be animals involved in unusual activities (e.g. two giraffes reading with glasses). ¿Quién nacerá aquí? / Who’s hatching Here?, in contrast to the others, is a science book. Rhyming riddles ask which animal will hatch from different eggs. The eggs are presented in their natural habitats; both illustrations and text hint at the answers.
Image Gallery
READERS’ RESPONSES
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