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Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears | Verna Aardema
110 posts | 55 read | 3 to read
A Caldecott Medal winner, this retelling of a traditional West African tale reveals how the mosquito developed its annoying habit.
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blurb
Sagei.9

The end of the book has repetitive pages on the chain reaction that caused the owlet to get killed. Kids might have a fun time remembering and reciting the order of events.

review
Sagei.9
Pickpick

A West African folk tale about why mosquitos buzz. It tells of a chain of reactions between different creatures (iguana, python, rabbits, etc). It also touches on taking responsibility.

quote
Sagei.9

“So, it was the mosquito
who annoyed the iguana,
who frightened the python,
who scared the rabbit,
wo startled the crow,
who alarmed the monkey,
who killed the owlet-
and now Mother Owl won't wake the sun
so that the day can come.“

quote
chloecosmo

“Because of that, mosquitoes buzz in people‘s ears.”

review
chloecosmo
Mehso-so

This is a playful African folktale that explains the reason mosquitoes buzz in people's ears. The story follows animal characters whose miscommunications lead to the mosquito's buzzing.

blurb
chloecosmo

With students, you could use the book to introduce students to African folklore and storytelling traditions. Discuss how different cultures explain natural phenomena through stories.

quote
baranskilydia13

“But because of this the mosquito has a guilty conscience. To this day she goes about whining in peoples ears: “Zeee! is everyone still mad at me?“

blurb
baranskilydia13

I would use this story when explaining to my class that it is right to own up to your mistakes. This could also be used when explaining why it is important to always tell the truth.

review
baranskilydia13
Pickpick

This is a good book for children and really captures the moral of the story in an inviting way

quote
madileach

“But because of this the mosquito has a guilty conscience. To this day she goes about whining in peoples ears: “Zeee! is everyone still mad at me?“

blurb
madileach

I would use this story when explaining to my class that it is right to own up to your mistakes. This could also be used when explaining why it is important to always tell the truth.

review
madileach
Pickpick

Traditional Literature- Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears is a Caldecott Medal-winning book by Verna Aardema. It was published in 1975, this is a story about a mosquito who tells a tale about a farmer's yams that then set off a chain of events. In the story, the animals hold court to figure out who caused this jungle disaster. When the mosquito is found out she begins to buzz in people's ears asking if they are mad at her.

quote
gracecal1234

“But because of this the mosquito has a guilty conscience. To this day she goes about whining in peoples ears: “Zeee! is everyone still mad at me?“

quote
madsfisher0531

“But because of this the mosquito has a guilty conscience. To this day she goes about whining in peoples ears: “Zeee! is everyone still mad at me?“

blurb
gracecal1234

I would use this story when explaining to my class that it is right to own up to your mistakes. This could also be used when explaining why it is important to always tell the truth.

blurb
madsfisher0531

I would use this story when explaining to my class that it is right to own up to your mistakes. This could also be used when explaining why it is important to always tell the truth.

quote
Kaylee.Phillips2

“But because of this the mosquito has a guilty conscience. To this day she goes about whining in peoples ears: “Zeee! is everyone still mad at me?“

blurb
Kaylee.Phillips2

I would use this story when explaining to my class that it is right to own up to your mistakes. This could also be used when explaining why it is important to always tell the truth.

blurb
lilliangermaine

I would use this story when explaining to my class that it is right to own up to your mistakes. This could also be used when explaining why it is important to always tell the truth.

review
Kaylee.Phillips2
Pickpick

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears is a Caldecott Medal-winning book by Verna Aardema. It was published in 1975, this is a story about a mosquito who tells a tall tale about a farmer's yams that then set off a chain of events. In the story, the animals hold court to figure out who caused this jungle disaster. When the mosquito is found out she begins to buzz in people's ears asking why are mad at her. The illustrations make the animals pop.

review
gracecal1234
Pickpick

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears is a Caldecott Medal-winning book by Verna Aardema. It was published in 1975, this is a story about a mosquito who tells a tall tale about a farmer's yams that then set off a chain of events. In the story, the animals hold court to figure out who caused this jungle disaster. When the mosquito is found out she begins to buzz in people's ears asking if they are mad at her. The illustrations make the animals pop.

quote
lilliangermaine

“But because of this the mosquito has a guilty conscience. To this day she goes about whining in peoples ears: “Zeee! is everyone still mad at me?“

review
madsfisher0531
Pickpick

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears is a Caldecott Medal-winning book by Verna Aardema. It was published in 1975, this is a story about a mosquito who tells a tall tale about a farmer's yams that then set off a chain of events. In the story, the animals hold court to figure out who caused this jungle disaster. When the mosquito is found out she begins to buzz in people's ears asking if they are mad at her. The illustrations make the animals pop.

review
lilliangermaine
Pickpick

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears is a Caldecott Medal-winning book by Verna Aardema. It was published in 1975, this is a story about a mosquito who tells a tall tale about a farmer's yams that then set off a chain of events. In the story, the animals hold court to figure out who caused this jungle disaster. When the mosquito is found out she begins to buzz in people's ears asking if they are mad at her. The illustrations make the animals pop.

quote
bkloppman

“But because of this the mosquito has a guilty conscious. To this day she goes about whining in people‘s ears: ‘Zeee! Is everyone still angry at me?‘”

blurb
bkloppman

This tall tale involves a sequence of events that all occur due to the one previous. This makes this story fun to follow and engaging for young students, making it a good choice for a read aloud in younger grades.

review
bkloppman
Pickpick

When an owl loses an owlet, she refuses to call the sun, leading to night lasting far too long. The king of the jungle, the lion calls a meeting to see why the owl has not yet called the sun. It is discovered that the owlet was killed as the final sequence in a series of misunderstandings by several of the forest animals, all started by a mosquito. The book tackles the title question of why mosquitos buzz in peoples ears.

quote
sophiekinnett

“is everyone still mad at me.... Smack“

blurb
sophiekinnett

This book is a folktale because it explains why something happened. It is similar to the book why the sun and the moon live in the sky. Books that explain why are always folktales. It also talks about traditional African culture.

review
sophiekinnett
Pickpick

Why mosquitoes buzz in peoples ears is a traditional African Folktale that has a repetitive theme. A mosquito lied to an iguana who lied to other animals which makes the animals figure out why each one lied. It is a very exciting book with a hilarious ending.

quote
mariaacuff

“Meanwhile the mosquito had listened to it all from a nearby bush. She crept under a curly leaf, semm, and was never found and brought before the council“

blurb
mariaacuff

I enjoyed reading this story because I love the use of animals as free thinkers who are also a part of a community. I could use this in the classroom by introducing children to Pourquoi tales. This could go along with a creative writing activity where students will pick a phenomenon and students will have to write about how it started.

review
mariaacuff
Pickpick

This is an example of Pourquoi tales, this story explains why mosquitoes buzz in people‘s ears. This is an African folktale where the animals of the African safari do the talking. The book goes through a sequence of events of why mosquitoes buzz in humans ears and not animals.

quote
Macey_Mitchell

“I would rather be deaf than listen to such nonsense!“ Then he stuck two sticks in his ears and went off.“

blurb
Macey_Mitchell

This story could be utilized in an early education classroom to incorporate culture as well teach a lesson on inferences, and how they are logical guesses and not facts. Throughout the story the characters make inferences based on another character's actions. The problem in the story is that the inferences the characters make about each other's behaviors is wrong. These misunderstandings cause a great problem that the characters have to solve.

review
Macey_Mitchell
Pickpick

This story aligns with various types of traditional literature as it possesses aspects of a folktale, a cumulative story, and a pourquoi tale. The story originated from the African culture, and it tells the story as to why Mosquitoes buzz in people's ears. The answer to that is to ask if everyone is still angry with them after the tragedy that occurred that was ultimately their fault. The story is told through the interactions of various animals.

quote
noradickens
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blurb
noradickens

This book would be used in various ways in the classroom as it teaches students the importance of being honest. This story has great repetition and highlights how there are consequences to lying and how it affects others.

review
noradickens
Pickpick

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears by Verna Aardema is a traditional African folktale. This story focuses on a mosquito who lied to an iguana which leads to a line of panic. This book is wonderfully illustrated and follows the tale as to the reason mosquitoes buzz in people's ears.

quote
laurenkiernan

“So, it was the mosquito who annoyed the iguana, who frightened the python, who scared the rabbit, who startled the crow, who alarmed the monkey, who killed the owlet- and now mother owl won't wake the sun so the day can come.“

quote
mcappel

“The big snake raised his head and said, 'Good morning Iguana'“

“The Iguana did not answer but lumbered on, bobbing his head, badarrin badarrin“

quote
Abbylippert

“So, it was the crow who alarmed the monkey, who killed the owlet- and now Mother Owl won't wake the sun so that the day can come.“

blurb
laurenkiernan

I would use this in the classroom as a way to teach a lesson about how one person's actions can affect others and how if something is not truthful it can also affect others as well. Students will enjoy it because the colors used in the story keep their attention, also the story itself as that repetitive element that also keeps them engaged.

blurb
mcappel

This is a good story to use in the classroom when trying to teach the lesson that you can't always believe everything you see or hear. It is also good to discuss how traditions can be passed down.

blurb
Abbylippert

I would use this book in the classroom to discuss the importance of traditional literature and ancient storytelling. I would also discuss how this book teaches how one individual's actions can have an impact on other individuals' actions and how inferences can be made based off of one action or a sequence of actions.

review
mcappel
Pickpick

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears by Verna Aardema is a traditional African folktale because it is a retelling of a traditional story that has been past down for many generations. It teaches the lesson of how sometimes what you hear or perceive may not always be true.

review
laurenkiernan
Mehso-so

This is a traditional African folk tale because it is a story that has been passed down from generation to generation and teaches a lesson. It can also be categorized under a pourquoi tale because it answers a 'why' question.

quote
sarahosterle

“So sad, so sad, so sad“ I like this quote because it is an example of repetition in the story.

blurb
sarahosterle

I really enjoyed this story and it was really easy to follow. This story falls in both Pourquoi and cumulative tales. I think that this is a great book to read in a classroom when talking about different cultures.

review
Abbylippert
Pickpick

This book is a traditional African folktale that uses cumulative tales of repetition to tell the story. For example, three words that describe how an animal sounds or moves, as well as the repeated sequence of events of the animals actions and what caused those actions to take place. This was done to try to figure out how and why the owl wouldn't cry out for the sun.