Why Lapin's ears are long: and other tales from the Louisiana bayou

Gr. 4^-6, younger for reading aloud. With cartoonlike illustrations that fill up and sometimes explode off the page, these three entertaining pourquoi folktales from Cajun country show rabbit in his glory as a trickster character. Compere Lapin may not be big or strong, but he is definitely clever enough to trick others into giving him what he wants. Being good at being bad is what he enjoys most. The antics of Doucet's Louisiana rabbit parallel those of both Br'er Rabbit of the American South and Sungura of East Africa, but children may also have fun comparing Lapin's tricks to the adventures of their personal trickster favorites, such as Anansi, the coyote, and Kancil the Malaysian mouse deer. The author includes a glossary and the names of five collectors of south Louisiana's folktales. --Karen Morgan

Later known as Br'er Rabbit, Compère Lapin stars in this collection of stories from the first stop on the famously sassy bunny's literary immigration from Africa to Louisiana. Doucet (Le Hoogie Boogie Songbook), an adopted Louisianan, clearly relishes her flavorful region, slinging about humorous colloquialisms with great joy. "Everybody's stomach was stuffed fuller than politician's pockets," she quips while lacing her characters' speech with French words and creative, bayou-style syntax. The three stories showcase the rabbit's cunning ways: two of them explain Lapin's long-eared and short-tailed appearance, and the last tells how the hare gets hitched, much to the horror of his fiancé's father. Catrow (She's Wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head!) accentuates the text's humor with his angular, zanily exaggerated cartoon style, while managing to make Compère Lapin all the more endearing. Ages 5-up. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

K-Gr 4‘Doucet has done a first-rate job adapting these three Creole-Cajun folktales. All involve Compère Lapin, a tricky rabbit counterpart to Br'er Rabbit. The stories flow smoothly and have a natural south Louisiana cadence, making them excellent choices for storytelling and reading aloud. Catrow has created a memorable protagonist: a cocky, bright-eyed rabbit with enormous ears. The other animals are also drawn in a lively, colorful cartoon style with plenty of humor and character‘perfect complements to the narrative. An introduction places Compère Lapin in the spectrum of American folklore and lists the original collectors of the tales. This book offers a slice of folklore from a unique culture. Perhaps more of these tales will be published, for "rumor has it...that Lapin's still conjuring up tricks and giving dee-mon-stree-ations of Trouble all up and down that Louisiana bayou."‘Judith Constantinides, East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Fiction: NF Age: K-3 Here comes Br'er Rabbit with a Cajun accent. Doucet's extravagant descriptive prose, preposterous characterizations, and hilarious use of the vernacular join to create a totally satisfying literary experience. Catrow's pop-art illustrations, in all their verging-on-garish color and exaggeration, will appeal to young audiences. A brief introduction traces the origin of these trickster tales from the Creoles and the Cajuns back to the slaves from western Africa. Glos. Horn Rating: Superior, well above average. Reviewed by: nv (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Why Lapin's Ears Are Long (64 pp.; $18.95; PLB $19.99; Sept. 1997; 0-531-30041-2; PLB 0-531-33041-9): CompŠre Lapin (a.k.a., Bre'r Rabbit) is the trickster rabbit of West Africa whose exploits, translated to Louisiana in the holds of slave ships, became the stuff of Creole and Cajun folktales. Here are three of his adventures, in which he acquires: long ears, courtesy of Madame Tortue, snapping turtle and would-be conjure woman; a short tail, courtesy of CompŠre Alligator, who fails to appreciate Lapin's efforts to acquaint him with Trouble; and a doe-eyed bride, Ma'amselle Bijou Deer. Rendered in a folksy storyteller's voice, sprinkled with colloquialisms and French idioms (the glossary and notes are helpful), and enlivened with bouncy green, yellow, and brown ink-and-watercolor illustrations, these tales are sauce piquante for story hours. (glossary) (Picture book/folklore. 6-10)

Gr. 4^-6, younger for reading aloud. With cartoonlike illustrations that fill up and sometimes explode off the page, these three entertaining pourquoi folktales from Cajun country show rabbit in his glory as a trickster character. Compere Lapin may not be big or strong, but he is definitely clever enough to trick others into giving him what he wants. Being good at being bad is what he enjoys most. The antics of Doucet's Louisiana rabbit parallel those of both Br'er Rabbit of the American South and Sungura of East Africa, but children may also have fun comparing Lapin's tricks to the adventures of their personal trickster favorites, such as Anansi, the coyote, and Kancil the Malaysian mouse deer. The author includes a glossary and the names of five collectors of south Louisiana's folktales. ((Reviewed Aug. 1997)) Copyright 2000 Booklist Reviews

Later known as Br'er Rabbit, Compère Lapin stars in this collection of stories from the first stop on the famously sassy bunny's literary immigration from Africa to Louisiana. Doucet (Le Hoogie Boogie Songbook), an adopted Louisianan, clearly relishes her flavorful region, slinging about humorous colloquialisms with great joy. "Everybody's stomach was stuffed fuller than politician's pockets," she quips while lacing her characters' speech with French words and creative, bayou-style syntax. The three stories showcase the rabbit's cunning ways: two of them explain Lapin's long-eared and short-tailed appearance, and the last tells how the hare gets hitched, much to the horror of his fiancé's father. Catrow (She's Wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head!) accentuates the text's humor with his angular, zanily exaggerated cartoon style, while managing to make Compère Lapin all the more endearing. Ages 5-up. (Sept.) Copyright 1998 Publishers Weekly Reviews

Doucet has done a first-rate job adapting these three Creole-Cajun folktales. All involve Compère Lapin, a tricky rabbit counterpart to Br'er Rabbit. The stories flow smoothly and have a natural south Louisiana cadence, making them excellent choices for storytelling and reading aloud. Catrow has created a memorable protagonist: a cocky, bright-eyed rabbit with enormous ears. The other animals are also drawn in a lively, colorful cartoon style with plenty of humor and character perfect complements to the narrative. An introduction places Compère Lapin in the spectrum of American folklore and lists the original collectors of the tales. This book offers a slice of folklore from a unique culture. Perhaps more of these tales will be published, for "rumor has it...that Lapin's still conjuring up tricks and giving dee-mon-stree-ations of Trouble all up and down that Louisiana bayou." Judith Constantinides, East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA Copyright 1998 School Library Journal Reviews