Review: Great oral history preserved
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 18, 2013
"Why Newly Born Babies Can't Talk and Other Stories (Children Books) (Tales by Twilight)" by King Samuel Benson is the second book by this talented writer in his series of African folk tales retold for a more modern audience.Short and poignant they are `legend'-like explanations about oddities of the world, such as why is a Tortoise bald? Why can't babies talk? Why do pigs rummage through garbage? The short stories, based on good night stories as told to the author by members of his own family, are warm and witty, amusing and to this reader very original. In times where children's books tend to go paranormal and the way of super powers a collection like this is like a breath of fresh air. Even more rewarding since it is the air of ancestral culture and heritage that must not be forgotten, particularly African culture that relies so heavily on oral history without much being written down.Most importantly for the reader is to know however that these stories are highly enjoyable for their own sake, funny and clever, and they make for excellent bed time stories. Offering surprising answers to the questions posed and being neither scary nor difficult to understand, they are wonderful stories to share with the next generation.Benson did a great job at grouping these stories together and updating them in a style that preserves their originality and simplicity. Call me a big child, but I really look forward to the next in the series.