Silly Mammo: An Ethiopian Tale

Grade 2-4-In this traditional tale, Mammo is so silly that on his first day of work he holds his pay in his hands and loses the coins when he trips. His mother tells him that he should put his wages in his pocket. The next day, he is paid with a bottle of milk by the cattle herder and he does as his mother said, pouring the liquid into his pocket. The rest of the story follows suit until, in the end, he makes the wealthy merchant's daughter laugh, thereby restoring her speech and winning her hand in marriage. An author's note points out the similarity to the "Obedient Jack" tales. The bilingual text is in English and Amharic, Ethiopia's primary language, and includes a glossary. The lack of a pronunciation guide or any notes on Amharic, along with the stiff illustrations and design, makes this an awkward read. The foreground paintings tend to be amateurish, with little variation in the characters' postures, while the backgrounds better capture a sense of place with their soft, fluid illustrations and loose details. Although the book is a unique choice for libraries looking to strengthen their international/bilingual folktale collections, it is not a necessity in most libraries.Genevieve Gallagher, Orange County Public Library, VACopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.