Cajun Children's Stories
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Joie de Vivre! Joy of Life!
Little Pierre: A Cajun Story from Louisiana
Little Pierre: A Cajun Story from Louisiana
Amazon Price: $4.58 (as of 05/30/2012)
Grade 1-4-An enjoyable tale of a Cajun Tom Thumb, perfectly paired with Catrow's lush watercolor paintings. In a classic story of a triumphant underdog, Little Pierre is disparaged as a "runt" by his four older brothers but, of course, he is ultimately the one who figures out how to rescue Marie-Louise and effect the whole group's escape from the Swamp Ogre. San Souci may have done plenty of homework, referring to nearly a dozen sources he cites, but his use of dialect is inconsistent. The illustrations are superlative. Starting with the cover plate, Catrow's dense blending of color evokes the sticky humidity of the swamp scenes, with enough detail buried in the foliage to invite and reward close examination. The whimsical caricatures of Pierre and his brothers effectively portray their personalities and emotional reactions throughout the adventure, and the Swamp Ogre is perfectly disgusting and monstrous.
Three Little Cajun Pigs
Three Little Cajun Pigs
Amazon Price: $8.40 (as of 05/30/2012)
Kindergarten-Grade 3-A hilarious version of the familiar tale. The pigs are named Trosclair, Thibodeaux, and Ulysse (also know as Boo), and their antagonist is Ol' Claude, the alligator of Petite Rouge infamy (Dial, 2001), who finishes off the straw and stick houses with a flap of his tail: 'Oh piggy,' say Claude with dat big gator smile,/'Could I come inside of you house for a while?'/Dat's when Trosclair shout, 'No! I won't let you in;/Not by all dem hairs dat I got on my chin.' The gator is let off easy at the end: he is nursing a burnt tail from an encounter with Ulysse's roux, but is rescued by the pigs from becoming gumbo. Harris's amusing watercolor-and-pencil illustrations mirror the text with %uFFFDn; they are full of funny details that beg to be looked at again and again (the little mouse is also back). Front matter includes a glossary of some Cajun words and a note about the rhyme scheme that facilitates reading the story aloud. Although Cajun variations on folktales are becoming plentiful, this one should not be missed.
Cendrillon: A Cajun Cinderella
Cendrillon
Amazon Price: $10.65 (as of 05/30/2012)
Gr 2-4-This "Cinderella" variant is not to be confused with Robert San Souci's Caribbean retelling with the same title (S & S, 1998). In Collins's version, Cendrillon lives in New Orleans; the ball is held during Mardi Gras; and the prince is Ovey, a rich man's son who has been named King of Mardi Gras (Rex) and who is looking for a bride. The girl's carriage is a cushaw (squash), her horses are crevisses (crawfish), and her shoes are made of mother-of-pearl. Cajun phrases are inserted throughout the narrative with translations and pronunciation guides at the bottom of each page. Collins follows the Disney version of "Cinderella" and includes the superfluous episode in which the animal friends make the young woman's first ball gown, which her stepsisters then destroy.
Petite Rouge (Picture Puffins)
Petite Rouge (Picture Puffins)
Amazon Price: $3.12 (as of 05/30/2012)
Grade 1-3 - A wonderful, sly, and humorous story told in rhyme and illustrated with verve. Artell avoids the temptation to throw in too many unfamiliar words, and places the handful of definitions for the Cajun terms he does use in a glossary at the beginning. The amusing verse scans well; the watercolor-and-pencil illustrations teem with details of Cajun life and add immeasurably to the fun. Petite Rouge is a goose in this version, with a perky cat, TeJean, for a companion. Readers are challenged to find a little mouse that appears in each picture and watches all of the goings-on. Of course, instead of the big bad wolf, there is Claude, "dat ol' gator," who frightens Grand-m%u0160re into a closet and dons her clothing. When Rouge and TeJean notice Grand-m%u0160re's huge teeth and realize they're in trouble, they throw a boudin (sausage) drenched in hot sauce into the villain's mouth, which does the trick. Claude, who thinks he has eaten Petite Rouge, jumps into the swamp to cool off. The last illustration shows him still dressed in Grand-m%u0160re's pajamas, lying by his cypress tree, with signs all around him that say: "Don' feed dis gator." The text explains, "Ol' Claude reckon people/be too hot to eat./He don' know dat de hot sauce/done made all de heat." All in all, a treat from start to finish.
Jolie Blonde and the Three Heberts
Jolie Blonde and the Three Héberts: A Cajun Twist to an Old Tale
Amazon Price: $9.50 (as of 05/30/2012)
Kindergarten-Grade 4 In this version of the story, Goldilocks is called Jolie Blonde (pretty blonde), and the Three Bears are actually three humans the Heberts (pronounced AY-bair)who live on the bayou. Mama Hebert makes gumbo that is left to cool while the family goes for a pirogue (boat) ride, with the predictable results. The text is sprinkled with Cajun expressions that are explained at the bottom of each page. First published with black-and-white illustrations (Blue Heron, 1993; o.p.), this edition is a big improvement, with Sopers colorful drawings in glowing pastels. The appended gumbo recipe is easy enough for any jolie blonde. Of especial interest to Louisiana libraries, this story can also serve as additional material for large collections. It will work well as a one-on-one lesson on Cajun-French words or as a group read-aloud sharing of a unique bit of culture.
Cajun Night Before Christmas
Cajun Night Before Christmas (The Night Before Christmas Series)
Amazon Price: $9.01 (as of 05/30/2012)
This Cajun Christmas classic is now available in fullcolor. Take the traditional story of jolly old St. Nicholas, dress him in muskrat from his head to his toes, pile his skiff high with toys, and hitch it to eight friendly flying alligators.
Gator Gumbo: A Spicy-Hot Tale
Gator Gumbo: A Spicy-Hot Tale
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 05/30/2012)
Kindergarten-Grade 3--This is a classic tale of contemptuous characters getting a well-deserved comeuppance, with a few interesting twists to spice up the dish. Poor Monsieur Gator is too old to catch his dinner, a fact that has not escaped his former prey--a possum, an otter, and a skunk. As he barely scrapes by on vegetables, the cruel animals tease him endlessly. Finally, Monsieur Gator decides to cook up some gumbo, "just like Maman used to make," and in a sequence straight out of "The Little Red Hen," he asks his tormentors to help him gather the ingredients. Of course they refuse to participate until the fragrant stew is ready and they gather around hoping for a taste. The wily old predator obliges by tricking them into the pot. Although Lambert's watercolors capture the general mood of the swamp, the absence of anything resembling palmetto fronds or moss-hung cypress trees is telling. Also, anyone who has ever cooked gumbo will immediately recognize that Monsieur Gator's recipe is way off base. Fortunately, the story flows well in spite of these slips and Gator ultimately accomplishes his goal.
Feliciana Feydra LeRoux: A Cajun Tall Tale
Feliciana Feydra LeRoux: A Cajun Tall Tale
Amazon Price: $9.82 (as of 05/30/2012)
Grade 1-4 - Accompanied by wonderfully humorous illustrations, this rousing tall tale captures the joie de vivre of Cajun Louisiana perfectly. Feliciana Feydra LeRoux lives in the heart of Cajun country with her large family, including her grandfather, Grampa Baby, who spoils her rotten. But he doesn't let her go alligator hunting with him and her brothers, although she begs and pleads. So one night Feliciana takes matters into her own hands, sneaks out after the boys in a pirogue, and gets more than she bargained for! This book is an absolutely delightful way to "pass a good time." Smith's watercolor and pen-and-ink cartoons do the story perfect justice and are great fun to boot.
Mimi and Jean-Paul's Cajun Mardi Gras
Mimi and Jean-Paul's Cajun Mardi Gras
Amazon Price: $6.90 (as of 05/30/2012)
Grade 1-3 - A companion to Mimi's First Mardi Gras (Pelican, 1992). This time, the little girl goes to visit her cousin Jean-Paul in the country to experience the unique Courir de Mardi Gras (Mardi Gras Run) celebrated in Cajun country. All of the traditions associated with Fat Tuesday are covered. Sprinkled with Cajun phrases, the text is informative without being dry. The watercolor illustrations colorfully depict the lighthearted goings on, and both art and story convey the flavor of this special day.
Cajun Folktales
Cajun Folktales (American Storytelling)
Amazon Price: $6.92 (as of 05/30/2012)
While the tales of African Americans and Native Americans have been much anthologized, the vibrant oral folk tradition of the Cajun has been more or less neglected by American publishers. This excellent anthology by Reneaux helps plug that inexplicable gap. Reneaux, a noted storyteller and a Cajun herself, retells 27 tales she heard in childhood from relatives or has heard since from fellow Cajuns. Their folklore is as spicy and interesting as their famed food and reflects a variety of flavors and influences. The story of Lapin and his theft of honey from Bouqui, for instance, is a Cajun favorite and is clearly recognizable as one of the contests between Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox. Likewise, the aetiological tale of why alligators hate dogs is reminiscent of Native tradition. The author tells a wide variety of tales--animal stories, ghost stories, fairy stories. One of the best relates the Hansel and Gretel-like story of Catafo and his brothers, who out-smart their devilish host. Another perhaps also familiar one tells of the ghost of the renowned pirate Jean Lafitte trying to free himself of his cursed treasure.
Cajun Alphabet
Cajun Alphabet (Gaston Series)
Amazon Price: $11.89 (as of 05/30/2012)
Short alphabetical rhymes introduce Cajun vocabulary and Cajun culture.
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KonaGirl
Oct 25, 2011 @ 8:41 am | delete
- I never in my wildest would have thought about this topic for books. Great idea and they look like a real fun selection for little ones.
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vallain Sep 12, 2011 @ 9:19 pm | delete
- Now this is just fun... as a former children's librarian, I applaud your selection of picture books for youngsters on this theme. Well done.
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