Who Is King? Ten Magical Stories from Africa

Naidoo, who previously teamed up with Grobler for Aesop’s Fables (2010), retells 10 traditional stories from throughout Africa, which include morality stories, trickster tales, and origin stories about animals. In a story from Kenya, readers learn why Hippo has no hair and prefers being near water (it involves a visit with his former friend Fire), and in a somewhat grim Shona tale from Zimbabwe, a woman whose children died of hunger employs a “Mouse-Child” to help with housework. Grobler’s scraggly watercolor-and-ink images give the animals distinctive, almost human faces (as Naidoo describes them in a note to readers: “They are at times foolish or wise, mischievous or kind, jealous or generous. They make mistakes and sometimes have to be very brave to get out of trouble”), bringing a lively presence to the pages. Ages 5–9. (Apr.)