Forest Singer

Pygmies make up the cast of this picture book, perhaps more interesting for its setting than for its execution. Like the other Pygmies, young Mabuti loves to sing--but his friends tease him about his voice, and even the monkeys object when he practices. Determined to improve, the boy wanders through the forest, performing for the crocodiles, hippos, cranes and so on. At last he hones his voice and, mimicking the sounds of a leopard, plays a trick on the children who have been laughing at him. Sikundar's (The Ivory Claw) pacing is a little slack, and details about Pygmy practices feel grafted onto the story. But, paired with debut illustrator Astill's realistic views of the lush vegetation and wildlife of the western Ugandan backdrop, the story--which concludes with a concise, informative afterword--shapes a credible portrait of a nomadic culture not known to many young American readers. Ages 4-8. (Aug.)