From Publishers Weekly
The 1992 winner of France's Goncourt Prize brilliantly retells 12 tales from his home island of Martinique in his first book to be published in the U.S. Included are delightfully coarse and lively folktales incorporating European and African motifs and stories apparently handed down from the time of slavery. In one, "Ti-Jean Horizon," the eponymous hero repeatedly outwits his Beke (white) master, as does Conquering John in African American tales. Others warn of the danger of foolish behavior, as in "Nanie-Rosette the Belly-Slave," of whom the storyteller remarks "Quite a pretty name for a disaster with an abyss for a stomach, a riverbed for a throat... In short, Nanie-Rosette loved to eat, oh yes." Her gluttony leads to her downfall at the hands of a devil. The lyric language here is often bawdy, even in a uniquely Martinique variant of the Cinderella tale. Witty asides enrich these fables and allegories, though their protagonists are poor, enslaved people striving to survive in a politically hostile world. The stories have a contemporary edge that transcends their colonial roots. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From School Library Journal
YA?From his motherland, Martinique, Chamoiseau weaves Creole folktale after folktale into a fine tapestry rich with cultural specificity, yet possessing universal appeal. He calls himself a "wordmaker." And what a wordmaker he is. These stories resonate with references to hunger, prosperity, trickery, and chicanery. From Brer Rabbit to savvy children, the characters hold immense pleasure for readers and will appeal to YAs interested in traditional literature from another voice in the African diaspora.?Michele L. Simms-Burton, Department of English, George Washington University, Washington, DCCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Good things come in small packages. Chamoiseau, whose Texaco won the 1992 Goncourt Prize in France and will soon be published in the United States, vividly re-creates the folk tales that he heard during his youth in Martinique. Each brief folk tale is imbued with colorful images. In one story, "Madame Keleman," an old witch promises food to an impoverished young girl if she guesses her name. Crabs chant the old lady's name to the youngster, which so infuriates the hag that she "hit the ground so hard it opened up like a well-thumbed book of suffering, and snapped shut on her like a book of fate." It is the imagery and quaint language that endow this book with its own special charm. Coverdale's translation captures the essence of a Creole world both imaginary and real. This book will delight children and adults alike.Bob Ivey, Memphis State Univ., Tenn.Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.


New York Times Book Review
Celebrated in Europe, [Chamoiseau] has been compared to modern masters like Joyce and Kafka. . . but his prose is more accurately described as Rabelaisian. . . Erudite. . . Stupendously energetic. . . A powerful artist.


The New York Times
Chamoiseau is a writer of exceptional and original gifts whose prose is saturated with a kind of bemused gorgeousness, fermented in a broth of unexpected juxtapositions.


Los Angeles Times
Chamoiseau's language is a marvel of unexpected connections and casual exuberance. . . Not a word goes astray.


Mirabella
An engaging collection [of] darkly mischievous stories.


Book Description
In this unusual collection of stories and fables, Goncourt prize-winner Patrick Chamoiseau re-creates in truly magical language the stories he heard as a child in Martinique.


Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

ANNOTATION

A stunning retelling of folklore from the French Caribbean by the prize-winning novelist Patrick Chamoiseau. Creole Folktales recreates in truly magical language the stories Chamoiseau heard as a child. These stories are told in a language as savory as the spicy food so lovingly evoked within these pages.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In this unusual collection of stories and fables, Goncourt prize-winner Patrick Chamoiseau re-creates in truly magical language the stories he heard as a child in Martinique.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

The 1992 winner of France's Goncourt Prize brilliantly retells 12 tales from his home island of Martinique in his first book to be published in the U.S. Included are delightfully coarse and lively folktales incorporating European and African motifs and stories apparently handed down from the time of slavery. In one, ``Ti-Jean Horizon,'' the eponymous hero repeatedly outwits his Bk (white) master, as does Conquering John in African American tales. Others warn of the danger of foolish behavior, as in ``Nanie-Rosette the Belly-Slave,'' of whom the storyteller remarks ``Quite a pretty name for a disaster with an abyss for a stomach, a riverbed for a throat... In short, Nanie-Rosette loved to eat, oh yes.'' Her gluttony leads to her downfall at the hands of a devil. The lyric language here is often bawdy, even in a uniquely Martinique variant of the Cinderella tale. Witty asides enrich these fables and allegories, though their protagonists are poor, enslaved people striving to survive in a politically hostile world. The stories have a contemporary edge that transcends their colonial roots. (Feb.)

Library Journal

Good things come in small packages. Chamoiseau, whose Texaco won the 1992 Goncourt Prize in France and will soon be published in the United States, vividly re-creates the folk tales that he heard during his youth in Martinique. Each brief folk tale is imbued with colorful images. In one story, "Madame Klman," an old witch promises food to an impoverished young girl if she guesses her name. Crabs chant the old lady's name to the youngster, which so infuriates the hag that she "hit the ground so hard it opened up like a well-thumbed book of suffering, and snapped shut on her like a book of fate." It is the imagery and quaint language that endow this book with its own special charm. Coverdale's translation captures the essence of a Creole world both imaginary and real. This book will delight children and adults alike.-Bob Ivey, Memphis State Univ., Tenn.

School Library Journal