Lester''s thoughtful preface to his retelling of the Joel
Chandler Harris folktales elucidates the problems inherent in a
project of this sort,which,unfortunately,this volume does not
entirely resolve.Harris''s stories are told in the Gullah
dialect,often thought difficult by modern readers.In an attempt to
preserve the tales,Lester has rewritten them in his own voice,often
with references to"things that are decidedly contemporary,like
shopping malls."Lester calls such references characteristic of
black storytelling and admits they may be jarring.But his retelling
is uneven.For example,in the same story the narrator tells us
formally,"Early one morning,even before Sister Moon had put on her
negligee,Brer Fox was up and moving around,"and then says in
dialect,"Brer rabbit was sho''nuf''mad now."Harris''s Brer Rabbit
comes"pacin''down de roadlippity-clippity,clippity-lippitydez as
sassy ez a jay-bird"while Lester''s comes"strutting along like he
owned the world."This collection is important as a way of
introducing readers to the Harris tales; it also stands alone as a
volume of wonderfully funny folktales.For many purists,though,it
will not replace the original stories.Pinkney''s drawings,both
black-and-white and color,nicely combine realistic detail and
fancy.All ages.
關於作者:
JULIUS LESTER is an award-winning and critically acclaimed
author of books for both adults and children.He has won numerous
awards,including the Coretta Scott King Award,the Nowbery Honor
Medal,the American Library Association Notable Book award,the
Caldecott Honor Book award,and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award,and
was a finalist for the National Book award,the National Jewish Book
Award,and the National Book Critics Award.His novel To Be a Slave
is the the first Newbery Medal Honor Book By a black
author.Mr.Lester llives in Massachusetts with his family.He teaches
at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
目錄:
Introduction by Augusta Baker
How the Animals Came to Earth
How Brer Fox and Brer Dog Became Enemies
"Hold''im Down,Brer Fox"
Brer Rabbit Comes to Dinner
Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby
Brer Rabbit Gets Even
Brer Rabbit and Sister Cow
Brer Wolf Tries to Catch Brer Rabbit
Brer Rabbit Finally Gets Beaten
Mr.Jack Sparrow Meets His End
Brer Rabbit Gets Caught One More Time
The Death of Brer Wolf
Brer Rabbit Tricks Brer Fox Again
Brer Rabbit Eats the Butter
Brer Rabbit Saves His Meat
Brer Rabbit of Brer Lion
Brer Rabbit Takes Care of Brer Tiger
Brer Lion Meets the Creature
The Talking House
Brer Rabbit Gets Beaten Again
Brer Rabbit Tricks Brer Brer
The End of Brer Brer
Brer Fox Gets Tricked Again
Brer Rabbit and the Little Girl
Brer Rabbit Goes Back to Mr.Man''s Garden
Brer Rabbit Hears the Singing
Brer Rabbit''s Riddle
The Moon in the Pond
Why Brer Bear Has No Tail
Wiley Wolf and Riley Rabbit
Brer Rabbit Gets The Money
The Cradle Didn''t Rock
Brer Raabit to the Rescue
The Raabit in the Woods
Brer Wolf Gets the Meat Again
Brer Wplf Gets in More Trouble
Brer Rabbit Tells on Brer Wolf
Brer Rabbit and the Mosquitoes
How Brer Rabbit Became a Scary Monster
Brer Fox,Brer Rabbit,and King Deer''s Daughter
Brer Rabbit Breaks Up the Party
Brer Rabbit Outwits Mr.Man
Brer Wolf,Brer Fox,and the Little Rabbits
Brer Rabbit''s Luck