Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears facts for kids
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| Author | Verna Aardema |
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| Illustrator | Leo and Diane Dillon |
| Country | United States |
| Genre | Children's picture book |
| Publisher | Dial Books |
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Publication date
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1975 |
| ISBN | 0-8037-6089-2 |
| OCLC | 1094805 |
| [398.2] E | |
| LC Class | PZ8.1.A213 Wh |
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears: A West African Tale is a popular picture book from 1975. It was written by Verna Aardema and illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. This book tells an old African legend. It is a special kind of story called a cumulative tale. This means the story builds up, with each event causing the next one.
The book is also an origin story. It explains why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears. In the tale, a mosquito tells a lie to a lizard. This lie starts a long chain of events. One animal frightens another, and this causes a big panic. Sadly, an owlet dies because of this panic. The owlet's mother, the owl, is too sad to wake the sun.
All the animals hold a meeting to find out who is responsible. They discover the mosquito started all the trouble. But the mosquito hides to avoid punishment. That's why, the story says, mosquitoes still buzz in people's ears. They are always asking if everyone is still angry at them.
The beautiful pictures in the book were made using special art tools. The artists used watercolor airbrush, pastels, and India ink. They also used a technique with friskets and vellum to create unique shapes.
The book won a very important award called the Caldecott Medal in 1976. This award is given to the artist of the most outstanding American picture book for children. Leo and Diane Dillon won it for their amazing illustrations. They even won the Caldecott Medal two years in a row! Their second win was for the book Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions.
Understanding Cause and Effect
This story is a great way to learn about "cause and effect." A cause is something that makes something else happen. An effect is what happens because of that cause.
How the Story Shows Cause and Effect
The mosquito's lie is the first cause in the story. This lie has many effects. It makes the lizard put sticks in its ears. This then frightens another animal. Each animal's action becomes a cause for the next animal's reaction.
This chain of events continues until the owlet dies. The owlet's death is a sad effect of the mosquito's lie. Teachers often use this book to show students how one action can lead to many other things happening. It helps kids understand how events are connected.
The Book in Other Media
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears was made into an animated short film in 1984. The famous actor James Earl Jones narrated the story.
| Awards | ||
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| Preceded by Arrow to the Sun |
Caldecott Medal recipient 1976 |
Succeeded by Ashanti to Zulu |
