Children’s Books

"Storytelling is the best means of communication between people of different cultures… Stories help us to accept each other’s differences and to be kind to nature."

While he was growing up, Wagué’s grandmother would tell stories in the dark of night that seemed so real, he felt as though he was one of the elements in the story. “It truly made me see trees speak, shrubs move - dogs, elephants, logs, rocks, water, dirt, sun, moon, stars- all moving and speaking like humans. Even after my Western education in a French school, my basic understanding of life is still from this traditional education of mankind that my grandparents taught me again and again.”

I Lost my Tooth in Africa

Written by Penda Diakité, illustrated by Baba Wagué Diakité

Amina has a Wiggly Tooth. More than anything, she hopes it will come out while she’s visiting her family in Mali, West Africa. That way, she can put her tooth under a gourd, and the African tooth fairy will exchange it for a chicken! Will Amina lose her tooth before it’s time to return to America?

Vibrant ceramic-tile illustrations by the author’s father, Coretta Scott King Honor Book artist Baba Wagué Diakité, are infused with the rich culture of his native Mali. Here is a story filled with the warmth and love of a close-knit family who lives on two continents.

The Magic Gourd

Written and illustrated by Baba Wagué Diakité

When Rabbit rescues Chameleon form a thorny bush, his kindness is rewarded tenfold with a most amazing gift: a magic gourd that fills itself with anything its owner desires.
"Ee ko dee!" cries Rabbit, unable to believe his good luck. For there has been drought and famine, and now he can feed his hungry family - and his neighbors, too.

But very soon, words gets out to Mansa Jugu, a greedy king, who steals Rabbit’s gift to make gold and riches for hiumself. How Rabbit recovers his gourd and teaches the greedy king an important lesson about generosity and friendship makes for an inspiring story about the true meaning of wealth.

Coretta Scott King Award honoree Baba Wagué Diakité has created dazzling jewel-tone ceramic art and bordered with mud cloth designs that punctuate the narrative of the story. Through this lively teaching tale, Wagué shares the wisdom and rich culture of his native Mali.

  • NCTE Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts
  • CCBC Choices 2004
  • Library of Congress Children’s Africana Book Award Honor Book
  • Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
  • Publishers Weekly (starred review)

The Hatseller and the Monkeys

Written and illustrated by Baba Wagué Diakité

When BaMusa doesn’t eat breakfast before he travels to a festival to sell his hats, strange things begin happening to him.

  • An ALA Notable Children’s Book
  • An IRA Teacher’s Choice
  • ‘Parenting’ Magazine Reading Magic Award
  • Publishers Weekly (starred review)
  • Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Fans of Slobodkina’s Caps for Sale will relish this fresh twist on a hat vendor’s comical skirmish with some clever primates. … Diakité’s use of language is as colorful and unusual as his artwork.” __Publishers Weekly (starred review)

 

 

The Hunterman and the Crocodile

Written and illustrated by Baba Wagué Diakité

There was a time when Bamba the Crocodile begged a passing hunterman for help. "Mook!" said the hunterman. "You crocodiles are very well known for biting people in the river. I will not take the chance."

But he does, and fate takes a most treacherous turn, for the crocodile soon has the man in his clutches. Unfortunately, man has not always been good to the earth, and no one will come to his rescue.

With humor and affection, Wagué masterfully retells a tale that is steeped in the voices and spirits of his ancestors. His bold, ceramic-tile paintings breathe new life and vigor inot tis age-old story.

  • A 1998 Coretta Scott King Honor Book
  • Ana ALA Notable Children’s Bool
  • A Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Blue Ribbon Book

“Stunning primitivist paintings…give a distinctive spin to this folktale about a contest of wits…With its many animal voices, occasional onomatopoeia and clearly delivered message about the importance of respecting nature, this is a natural choice for a read-aloud, likely to entertain as it teaches.” __Publishers Weekly

“…a dramatic tale worthy of story-hour inclusion.” – Kirkus Reviews , pointer review

“…the tale flows easily and beautifully through both the cristp text and exciting pictures.” – School Library Journal

“The narrative style is as rhythmic as the story episodes themselves.” – Bulletin for the Center for Children’s Books