Synopses & Reviews
Mbeku the tortoise is proud of his magnificent, shiny shell - maybe too proud. Because he is so handsome, the greedy tortoise feels he can demand the biggest share of everything. When the birds are invited to a feast in Skyland, Mbeku is determined to go with them. The tortoise even convinces the birds to help him and soon he had magnificent wings of his own. When Mbeku repays the birds with treachery, he learns he is not the only one who can play tricks. With his spirited retelling of a traditional take from the Igbo people of Nigeria, Tololwa M. Mollel brings the crafty tortoise's schemes to a satisfying and lighthearted comeuppance.
About the Author
Mollel is an Arusha Maasai who grew up in Tanzania and later at the University of Alberta. He is winner of Alberta's R. Ross Annet Award, and a Canadian Library Association Honour Book.Tololwa Mollel is a Tanzanian-born storyteller, dramatist, and author of over fifteen children's books, including My Rows and Piles of Coins and Rhinos for Lunch and Elephants for Supper! Tololwa has won numerous awards and honors. For many years he has combined his storytelling, writing, and dramatic skills to work for children of all ages in Tanzania, Canada, and the United States.Barbara Spurll is best known for her renderings of animals with attitude. Besides her award-winning work on the Emma series, Barbara's artwork enlivens many other books for children, including Mooki and the Too Proud Peacock, The Flying Tortoise, and Rhinos for Lunch and Elephants for Supper! Born in England, Barbara now lives in Toronto, Ontario.