How the Guinea Fowl Got Her Spots: A Sawahili Tale of Friendship (Carolrhoda Picture Books)
In this traditional Swahili folktale, Guinea Fowl twice saves her friend Cow from Lion. In return, Cow sprinkles milk over the formerly all-black guinea fowl, disguising her from the lion and allowing her to easily hide in the grasses. Guinea Fowl is almost foolhardy in her brave and loving attempts at protecting her friend; Cow expresses her concern on a more intellectual level. Tales that value friendship are easy to promote, especially when the characters express their caring in both thought and deed. Equally enjoyable are Knutson's scratchboard illustrations, which perfectly match the content and tone of the story. Although heavy black lines dominate the stark white pages, watercolor highlights add visual interest while retaining a primitive and earthy feel. The placement of the drawings and the exquisite design create a harmony that makes this a strikingly handsome addition to folktale collections. --Regina Pauly, Burlington County Library, Mt. Holly, NJCopyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.