McDermott, Gerald Books

Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti (An Owlet Book)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Anansi the Spider is a wise, funny, mischievous, and loveable folk hero who pops up in traditional Ashanti tales from Ghana, in West Africa. This story, retold and illustrated by Gerald McDermott, relates the tale of father Anansi and his six spider sons. When Anansi sets out on a dangerous journey and gets into all sorts of trouble, each son does one thing to help, and all their efforts together save their father. He finds a mysterious, beautiful globe of light in the forest, and decides to make it a gift of thanks. But which son should receive the prize? Even with the help of Nyame, the God of All Things, he can't decide, so Nyame takes the great globe up into the sky, and that's where it has stayed ever since--the moon, for all to see. This profound story reaches children of many ages; younger ones see it as an exciting rescue story, but older children are intrigued by the larger themes of cooperation and "the whole being more than its parts."

Anansi the Spider, McDermott's first book, received immediate acclaim and was named a Caldecott Honor Book. McDermott has retold and illustrated many other folktales and myths during his long career, including Arrow to the Sun: A Pueblo Indian Tale, which received the Caldecott Medal, Musicians of the Sun, and a series of trickster folktales from around the world. He has a rare combination of skills, being both a gifted writer and a talented artist. His distinctive graphic style using bold shapes and brilliant colors is always striking, but is especially well suited to the story of Anansi, with traditional African motifs skillfully integrated throughout the art. This is a story that can be read over and over again! (Ages 4 to 9) --Marcie Bovetz

Coyote: A Trickster Tale from the American Southwest

Gerald McDermott

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

3.5 Stars - a review of "Coyote: A Trickster of the American Southwest" 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 4 people found this review helpful.

This is one of those books that I like but that my own two children --currently 6 and 8 years of age-- aren't getting into.

Darn-it! I like it. The artwork is bright and quirky and funny, and I really like the tone that the author sets. It sounds like a fable, and unlike some fables and pseudo-fables that I have read, Gerald McDermott has managed to make a story that's interesting and that doesn't talk down to it's audience.

Never-the-less, I have to voice my children's opinions and they weren't enthusiastic. Go figure. Perhaps they'll like it when they are older.

The Accelerated Reading Level is given as 2.6.

The Interest Level is said to be K thru 3rd Grade (although I do wonder if perhaps it might be wrong and the book might interest older children more.)

Pam T~
mom and reviewer at BooksforKids-Reviews.com

Editorial Review:

Wherever Coyote goes you can be sure he’ll find trouble. Now he wants to sing, dance, and fly like the crows, so he begs them to teach him how. The crows agree but soon tire of Coyote’s bragging and boasting. They decide to teach the great trickster a lesson. This time, Coyote has found real trouble!

Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest

Gerald McDermott

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

glorious, sumptuous and respectful 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful.

I get antsy when Native American themes and stories appear in children's books. Too often they reek of cultural misappropriation.

But this beautiful book--gorgeous watercolor backgrounds to the Northwest Native American-style imagery--feels respectful, and does a great telling of a favorite Tlingit Haida tale of how light came into the world.

The illustration of the morphing of the Sky Chief's spoiled grandson back into Raven is particularly effective.And when Raven fills the sky with the sun in his beak, it's very easy to buy into this story as a valid creation myth.

I've now bought three copies of this book for various pre-schoolers I know, and all my grown-up friensd who've seen this book have fallen in love with it, too. This is a definite winner, bound to become as classic in its own way as Robert McCloskey's ``Blueberries for Sal.''

Editorial Review:

Raven, the trickster, wants to give people the gift of light. But can he find out where Sky Chief keeps it? And if he does, will he be able to escape without being discovered? His dream seems impossible, but if anyone can find a way to bring light to the world, wise and clever Raven can!

Arrow to the Sun: A Pueblo Indian Tale (Picture Puffin)

Gerald McDermott

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 18 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Arrow to the Sun : A Pueblo Indian Tale (Picture Puffin) 3 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Children in my classroom didnt enjoy this story but it was worth reading.

Story of trials drawn in a rectangular style 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

To those who pay attention to the myths of various cultures, the fundamental premise of this book comes as no surprise. The Sun, in this case a god to the Pueblo Indians, sends a spark of life down to Earth and impregnates a woman. The child is a boy who is ridiculed by the other boys because he has no father. He then goes on a search for his father and gets no results until he consults the arrow maker.
The arrow maker understands the situation and turns the boy into an arrow. He then shoots him into the sky so that the boy can converse with the Sun. After he claims to be to be the son of the Sun, the boy is given a series of trials, which he passes. He is then returned to the Earth and acknowledged by all as the son of the Sun. There is great rejoicing among the people as they now appreciate who the boy really is.
This is a delightful tale that is illustrated in the style of the Pueblo Indians. The drawings are made using almost exclusively lines drawn at right angles. Most shapes are made from a combination of rectangular figures, yet so well done that it is still possible to detect the emotions of the characters. It is an excellent story for young children, it will teach them something about another culture and that is always a good thing.

Editorial Review:

Explains how the spirit of the Lord of the Sun was brought to the world of men.

Zomo the Rabbit: A Trickster Tale from West Africa

Gerald McDermott

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

He is not big. He is not strong. He is fan-freakin-tastic 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

Is there any higher praise an author/illustrator can receive than to hear a reviewer say, "Well, I never really loved anything else this person did, but I think this book is bloody brilliant"? Probably. But I for one feel that Gerald McDermott (who I've always respected but never felt any real affection for) really hit the nail on the head with this book. "Zomo" has the near impossible task of being both amusing and informative. So many African folktales relayed in children's picture books end up being a little dry and dated. For example, the book "Zomo" most resembles in plot is, "A Story, A Story" by G. Haley. Yet that book is a dour dull creation when compared to this amazing little concoction. This is a book that every child should read at least once in their lives.

As you open the book you see a clever little rabbit all decked out in kinte cloth. The text reads, "Zomo! Zomo the rabbit. He is not big. He is not strong. But he is very clever". When Zomo decides that being clever is not enough and that he wants wisdom as well he quickly requests it from the Sky God. To attain wisdom's secrets, the Sky God commands Zomo to fetch him the scales of Big Fish of the sea, the milk of Wild Cow, and the tooth of Leopard. Zomo immediately sets out to fulfill these tasks. For the fish he plays a catchy tune on his drum, so entrancing the sea dwelling creature that it dances its scales off. The Wild Cow is lured into a tree and, while stuck, Zomo milks it. As for Leopard, some of the slippery scales dropped into slippery milk cause the feline to slip and knock out a tooth. When Zomo presents these items to the Sky God he is instantly told that wisdom consists of courage, good sense, and caution. Zomo has thus far had the first two, but now with three new enemies he should exercise the last for a while.

I think what I loved best about this book was Zomo himself. This is a remarkable thing too. Too often the cocky hero of a tale (especially a trickster tale) is too brash and self-important to garner any real love from the reader. But Zomo's different. He's sprightly and a joy to follow. From the geometric patterns of his face to the energetic dancing of his little black furry feet, he's a pure pleasure to watch. The illustrations themselves are so bright and cheery it puts such similarly colorful stories like, "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" to shame. But best of all is the narration. I've given you the first sentence of the book, but the rest reads just as well. It's catchy and delightfully placed upon each and every page.

Some books you pick up and groan when your kids want you to read them forty or fifty times in a row. Other books you wish they'd ask you sixty or seventy times more. "Zomo" is in the latter category. A fun filled romp with a delightful West African base, the book is one of the best I've ever had the pleasure to peruse. Highly recommended from here to the sky and back.

Editorial Review:

Zomo the rabbit, a trickster from West Africa, wants wisdom. But he must accomplish three apparently impossible tasks before Sky God will give him what he wants. Is he clever enough to do as Sky God asks? “The tale moves along with the swift concision of a good joke, right down to its satisfying punch line.”--Publishers Weekly “Wildly exuberant, full of slapstick and mischief, this version of an enduring Nigerian trickster tale, featuring a clever rabbit, is a storytellerÂ's delight.”--Booklist

Jabuti the Tortoise: A Trickster Tale from the Amazon

Gerald McDermott

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Another installment in Gerald McDermott's wise and whimsical trickster series, Jabutí the Tortoise tells the tale of the Amazon jungle's shiny-shelled mischief-maker. Although Jabutí doesn't come across as the most clever trickster around in this particular retelling (he's duped by that crabby old Vulture and ends up getting bailed out by the King of Heaven), the colorful pipe-player and his songs are clearly well loved. Well, by everybody but his victims, that is: "Jaguar could remember when Jabutí tricked him into chasing his own tail," and "Tapir could remember when Jabutí tricked him into a tug-of-war with Whale." But we do get to learn how Tortoise's shell became cracked, and why Toucan, Macaw, and Hummingbird boast such brilliant colors.

Not the most notable entry in this region-by-region series, but beautiful and boldly colored nonetheless. Kids who aren't immediately hooked by Jabutí's story will likely still get drawn in by McDermott's vibrant colors and straightforward compositions of simply shaped jungle creatures set against a bright pink dawn. (Ages 4 to 8) Paul Hughes

Papagayo: The Mischief Maker

Gerald McDermott

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Our Favorite McDermott Tale 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

McDermott's Papagayo is our favorite of his spectacular books for the 4-8 year olds (we have them all). His illustrations are brilliant, even suitable for framing. Caution may be in order, however, for younger children or those "afraid of the dark" or "monsters". This mythological tale is a bit spooky--we love it!

My favorite book 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 5 people found this review helpful.

This was my favorite book as a child. While moving out of my parent's house a while back, I stumbled across it and re-read it. Whenever I have children of my own, this will be the first thing I read to them.

GREAT FOLK TALE 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This book is super for your Kdgn. or First grade child just learning about folk tales. My son was facinated by the pictures and the story.

Editorial Review:

The mischievous parrot Papagayo spends his days playing in the jungle and disturbing the sleeping night creatures with his raucous cries. But when the ferocious moon-dog begins to devour the moon, only Papagayo knows how to save it. The night creatures learn that heÂ's a good friend to have--even if he is a bit NOISY.

The Stonecutter: A Japanese Folk Tale (Picture Puffin)

Gerald McDermott

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Classroom Help 4 out of 5 stars.
7 of 14 people found this review helpful.

This book has been great to use in my third grade classroom. It has tied in to our Japan unit very well and has been greatly enjoyed by my third graders.

Big Human Lessons in A Little Book... 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Because I teach Humanities classes on various levels, I am always on the lookout for engaging resources that can bring the subjects of myth, legends, and folklore to life. Just browsing, I happened upon this little book, and I must say that it is impressive for the universal messages it conveys about humility, gratitude, envy, temptation, status, power, ambition, and the cycles of these things.

Ambition can take one far--to great heights even, but sometimes it can take one way too far, which the main character, Tasaku discovers. One major theme of the text is "Be careful what you wish for because it may come true, and if it does, there is a moment of choice---how to handle the gift that has been given." Another parallel theme is "with great power comes greater responsibility, especially for one's own actions." Running throughout the tale is the very Taoistic notion of "the Virtue of the Small." The smallest creatures can affect great / significant change--a little piece at a time--if they are just aware of themselves and if they embrace who and what they are. (For more reading about the Virtue of the Small, seek out B. Hoff's The Te of Piglet book.)

The images of The Stone-Cutter prove to be more symbolic shapes than specific details--all rendered in bold colors that look somewhat like expressive "brush" paintings--though I believe they are actually a form of collage. The illustrations truly compliment the curious story rather than detract, and they are unusual enough to capture the interests and imaginations of young people--teaching them to "look" into the pictures rather than just "see" them. Looking vs. seeing makes an excellent foundation-building lesson for the study of visual arts, maps, geography, science, sensory details for composition, etc.

This book contains many useful "lesson-oriented" concepts for resourceful teachers and parents to develop their own presentations and activities from, for a variety of ages and stages:

1. Folktales & Storytelling
2. Multicultural concepts and appreciation: Japanese
3. Reading & Vocabulary (brief word list: examples of book's vocabulary / level--chisel, hewed, palaces, preceded, aloft, magnificent, procession, envied, transform, fragrant, withered, parched, obscured, obeyed, trembled); sensory signaling words
4. universal themes
5. Visual Design & Critical Thinking
6. Personal Choices, Temptation, Ambition, Self-centered behavior; Corruption of Power
7. Responsibility & Personal Actions
8. Consequences & Remorse
9. Philosophy & The Virtue of the Small
10. For teens and college students: the story can be related to modern views about fame, fortune, notoriety, quests for power, loss of humanity and humility along the climb to success
11. For workforce training and team-building, this story can be used to illustrate attitudes toward work, the negative sides of ambition, the abuse of power, etc.

With the right guide and / or teacher to steer the learning, this book can be a hugh slice of enrichment--no matter which of the above concepts is emphasized.

Editorial Review:

Relates the consequences of a stonecutter's foolish longing for power.

Tim O'Toole and the Wee Folk (Picture Puffins)

Gerald McDermott

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Leaping Lephrucauns 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

Tim O' Toole is a fantasy tale about a poor man who goes to find work in the town. When Tim takes a rest he discovers a festive group of wee folk. Tim being a wise fellow indeed he threatens the weefolk
to hand over thier treasure and they'll be safe . The weefolk disagree and they give Tim a goose that lays golden eggs. The weefolk warn Tim not to tell a soul. When Tim goes and tells his neighbors , the Magoons.Knowing the great tresures of cherish they steal the goose. When Tim comes crying to the lepracauns they give him a magical tablecloth.Once again the samething happens. Will Tim get his cherished itams back, buy the book to see. The main cahracters are Tim, his wife Kate,the Magoons, and the weefolk. The lesson is becareful who you trust.

Editorial Review:

When the evil McGoons trick Tim O'Toole out of his fortune, he teams up with his benefactors, the Little People, to regain his treasure. McDermott's illustrated books (including Caldecott winner Arrow to the Sun) and animated films have earned him international recognition. Full-color illustrations throughout.

Creation

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

The opposite of war isn't peace. It's Creation. 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

Open "Creation" to the first full-page double spread. It is the rare children's book that instantly greets you with a pure black page. The word CREATION stands out like granite against the dark. Reading through the story, author Gerald McDermott has drawn this telling primarily from Genesis 1:1 through 2:3 of the Hebrew Bible. Mentioning this in an opening author's note he goes on to explain how he used handmade mulberry-bark paper to create the beautifully colored papers found within.

The book is an unapologetic recreation of the Creation story, told in the Judeo-Christian tradition. The narration is from the point of view of God, it seems. The opening reads, "I was before time. I was everywhere. There was nothing. I was there. My spirit moved over the deep. I floated in darkness". The text by and large continues in this vein. The narrator separates light from darkness and out of the sea brings forth the earth. In the end, man and woman are created and the final parting shot is of a single human baby floating in a circle of red with the words, "I am all this. All this I am". There is no fall in this picture book. No serpent and no tree of life. As such, it is a surprisingly satisfying retelling.

The text is good, yes yes. But the pictures... oh the pictures. My gut reaction is something along the lines of, "McDermott wuz ROBBED of a Caldecott. Robbed I sayz!". This is an incredibly lovely concoction. Colorful doesn't even begin to describe it. From the deep greens and blues of the seas brimming with creatures to the bright and colorful birds of the sky, one is easily blown away by the depth of the artwork. Those parents uncomfortable with reading a Christian based story to their little ones, take heart. You could easily show how this book is a tight encapsulation of evolution as well.

McDermott has this to say of his book: "As in all of my work, Creation is an outer expression of the inner reality that connects every human soul". Enough said.

Editorial Review:

In the beginning there was nothing, only darkness. Then came light, water, earth, sun, moon, and stars. Creatures swam in the sea, crawled in the grass, and moved over the land. Man and Woman were created to be the keepers of this beauty. All this was a gift to them. Rich in color, shapes, and textures, Gerald McDermott's meditation on the creation story from Genesis is a gift to readers of all ages. Parents, educators, and art collectors will welcome this glorious celebration of the creative spirit and of life itself.