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Winner of 2008 NAME Children's Book Award
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Why Monkeys Live in Trees
and Other Stories from Benin
by Raouf Mama
"Raouf Mama's splendid collection, Why Monkeys Live in Trees, dazzled, delighted, and transported me to faraway Africa. And when I arrived there, amongst the princes, tricksters, and talking animals, I found myself. 'The human race is one color--the color of blood,' Mama reminds us. The stories he retells illustrate that message with vivid beauty."--Wally Lamb
(View all blurbs.)
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This is a book for both young and old lovers of folklore. Why Monkeys Live in Trees and Other Stories from Benin is a rich tapestry of oral tales that come from a wide range of Beninese ethnic groups. They include trickster tales as well as sacred tales, involving the greatest and meanest of mankind. These ageless stories remind us of the power of love, the perils of greed and pride, and the redemptive virtues of courage, humility, and kindness.
The Western African Republic of Benin is gifted with a great folk tale tradition, one of the richest in the world. As pieces of oral literature and cultural history, these tales shed light on some of the values and beliefs as well as the customs and traditions of the people of Benin.
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