- Paperback: 40 pages
- Publisher: Puffin; Reprint edition (Aug 10 2000)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0140562885
- ISBN-13: 978-0140562880
- Product Dimensions: 25.4 x 26.7 x 0.4 cm
- Shipping Weight: 200 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
-
Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#469,695 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #90 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Lions, Tigers & Leopards > Fiction
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
In the original story by Helen Bannerman, Little Black Sambo must tread carefully, lest his clothes be stolen from him by a gang of tigers. Today, it is the teller of the tale who must tread carefully, lest the forces of political correctness attack, charging racism. Because of the names she chose for her characters, the book has become a symbol of intolerance in the century since it was written. Strip away race, however, and the tale underneath is both simple and affecting. To make it more palatable to modern readers, Julius Lester has recast the tale in a "Southern black storytelling voice."
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From Publishers Weekly
Troubled by the racist trappings?the characters' names and the stereotypical illustrations?of The Story of Little Black Sambo, but drawn nonetheless to its hero and its humor, Lester and Pinkney set out to reinvent the tale. Their interpretation is more freewheeling than Fred Marcellino's (see The Story of Little Babaji, above), and they departs frequently and ingeniously from Bannerman's version. The new book's protagonist is simply Sam; the setting is the land of Sam-sam-sa-mara, where everyone is named Sam?a touch that not only defuses any echoes of the original hero's derogatory name, but allows for many wonderfully absurd exchanges ("Sam looked at Sam. Sam shrugged. Sam shrugged back...."). Using the lively Southern black voice of his Uncle Remus retellings, Lester creates a savvy, comically streetwise hero who quickly learns to anticipate the tigers' muggings (" 'You know the routine,' said the Tiger. Sam nodded and took off his pants. 'Take 'em.' ") while losing none of his own sass. Pinkney's lavish illustrations?a feast of figures, color, expressions and detail?pick up and run with the expansive mood of the text. A hip and hilarious retelling that marries the essence of the original with an innovative vision of its own. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
Once upon a time there was a place called Sam-sam-sa-mara, where the animals and the people lived and worked together like they didn't know they weren't supposed to. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Once upon a time there was a place called Sam-sam-sa-mara, where the animals and the people lived and worked together like they didn't know they weren't supposed to. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
good storytelling, good illustrations,
By
This review is from: Sam and the Tigers: A Retelling of 'Little Black Sambo' (Paperback)
I feared a sanitized, bowdlerized version. Nope. It's just plain good storytelling, vivid and flavorful language, and good illustrations. It doesn't really matter where you stand on the controversy over LBS. This here is a good book.
4.0 out of 5 stars
buying anyway,
By
This review is from: Sam and the Tigers: A Retelling of 'Little Black Sambo' (Paperback)
I'm a teacher, and was delighted to see a poster for this in my school library. I've wanted to read this to kids for a long time. I too loved Sambo and the Tigers as a child.....and yes as an adult recognize it's probably not very happy making for African Americans (that wasn't the first title I remember, and I can't bring myself to write the condescending original title). So I am deeply grateful to Lester and Pinkney for retelling the story a bit, and plan to buy it sight unseen, based on their reputations (a little Eubonics adds flabor if you asks me). As well, I am so deeply grateful to Lester and Pinkney for keeping the stories and legends of the South alive as they have. It's not a "politically correct" issue..... it's a literary heritage shared by *all* peoples of the South; Black, White and Red, Gullah, Cherokee, African....etc. Keep up the good work!
1.0 out of 5 stars
Good content - bad grammar,
By A Customer
This review is from: Sam and the Tigers: A New Telling of Little Black Sambo (Hardcover)
Recently, I bought this book for my three year old daughter. After reading it once I was very disappointed and vowed to send it back. The story is great and the illustrations are wonderful. Unfortunately, the book is full of bad grammar. The author states that he wanted to preserve the way stories were told in the Old South. There is never a good reason to perpetuate bad grammar especially in children's books.That said, my daughter loves the story and requests it often. We read a gramatically correct version of it to her.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
Most recent customer reviews |
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
