The Hatseller and the Monkeys: A West African Folktale

by Baba Wagué Diakité

Book Overview

One day, BaMusa sets out for a festival to sell his hats. But when he falls asleep under a mango tree, some mischievous monkeys take them...Charming storyline, cleverly executed theme, inviting... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0590960717
• ISBN13: 9780590960717
• Release Date: January 2000
• Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.24 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Monkey See, Monkey Do - a review of "The Hatseller and the Monkeys" by Diakite

Strongly stylized art and a little background about the hatseller is what makes this book standout. The author discusses how BaMusa (the hatseller) learned to make hats and caps from rice stalks when he was a boy. It also gives the name of some of the hats and how they differ in style because they are intended for different purposes. There are the wide brimmed dibiri hats and the embroidered fugulan caps. In addition, the author emphasizes how important breakfast is to clear thinking and having a good day: "an empty satchel can not stand." Four Stars. Strongly stylized art. Good Read-aloud. Additional background information about the hatseller makes this book standout.

A lesson from the monkeys

This is a West African variation of a wonderful old folk tale. An ambitious hatseller encounters a tree full of curious, clever and comical monkeys who not only steal his hats and make fun of him but also teach him the best way to start each day! The text is lyrical, with some African words and expressions, and the illustrations are colorful and lively. A fun read-aloud.