Now I'm the one who's always going on about 'Don't underestimate the insights & wisdom of children' but I still think this would only be OK with them. It's only OK with me, too. The metaphors that reviewers are seeing in it are in their own minds, I believe.

Otoh, the art is wonderful. I love Michael Hayes' emphasis on diversity - bringing every culture, ethnicity, religion, into this small village... apparently to emphasize that if we all learned the lessons that folklore like this can teach us, we'd live in a more harmonious world. But again, will kids pick up on that?

I didn't have time to listen to the whole CD, but I did find a youtube reading of the book, re' Reading Rainbow, and the song didn't do anything for me.

I do appreciate that there are two author's notes, and two recordings - the 'original' and a more recent one of each. And I like the silly monster... and agree with Seeger that kids should be encouraged to draw their own versions of the monster. ( )

This book is about a kid who can't play the ukulele and his jerk dad who just goes around making people's things disappear with his wand. They get kicked out of the support group for racial stereotypes they call a town, then vanquish a monster, and then are accepted back: "Bring your darn ukelele. We don't care anymore." You'll notice they spell ukulele wrong in this book. ( )

Based on a South African folktale, a young boy and his father manage to outwit a giant (who reminded me rather a lot of Golem) who has risen from the setting sun. The boy has always been clever, and the father, a magician, has a knack for playing tricks on people and making things *poof* into thin air! The tale is told through a song, “Abiyoyo”, which has a lighthearted, almost goofy, lilting rhythm. The illustrations are vivid and feel folksy, with slightly cartoonish features. ( )

An Americanized version of a South African lullaby and folk story, Abiyoyo tells the story of an ostracized father and son who win the town's affection through the defeat of Abiyoyo, a mythical and destructive giant. The book is based on the song by Pete Seeger, which would be a great supplemental activity to go along with this read aloud. Michael Hays' acrylic paintings are dynamic and colorful, with his interpretation of Abiyoyo being the perfect amount of "scary." The characters living in the fictional town are from all different cultures, which I thought was an interesting artistic choice. ( )

This is a favorite book written by an amazing man. The outcasts prove to have worth too in this kind tale. The annoying magic and music that get them kicked out of town, ostracized, end up being valuable in saving the town from the giant beast, Abiyoyo. ( )

This book is a retold South African tale about a little boy and father who are run out of town because the townspeople do not like the boys’ ukulele or the fathers’ magic. A monster, Abiyoyo shows up in town soon after. The boy and his father save the town using magic and music. This story is wonderful to use in the classroom, the story is engaging and includes lots of onomatopoeia and music. There is a Abiyoyo song that the class will love singing along to. This story has themes of acceptance, love, and the importance of music and culture.

This book was also included as a reading rainbow selection and read on the series. ( )

Abiyoyo tells about a boy who plays the ukelele and his magician father. They are both kicked out from their village and his father tells of Abiyoyo, a large monster that eats people. When Abiyoyo attacks, they save their village with music and magic. This story tells about South African culture through folktale and tradition. It also teaches that people should be included and accepted. This story uses music and culture to impact the readers with Onomatopoeia and song. ( )

No one wants to hear the little boy play his ukelele anymore...Clink, clunk, clonk. And no one wants to watch his father make things disappear...Zoop! Zoop! Until the day the fearsome giant Abiyoyo suddenly appears in town, and all the townspeople run for their lives and the lives of their children! Nothing can stop the terrible giant Abiyoyo, nothing, that is, except the enchanting sound of the ukelele and the mysterious power of the magic wand. ( )

This was an interesting traditional South African folk tale retold in a story song format by Pete Seeger. The illustrations were wonderful and dynamic as the feeling of movement is evident in the characters in every illustration. Students would be intrigued by the traditional dress and dwellings depicted in the story and this could lend itself in the classroom to discussions on social studies or geography. The conclusion of the story is delightful with the father and son combining their special talents of music and magic to entice the giant into dancing so frenetically that he falls down and is zapped magically away. The happy resolution of the story would appeal to children especially if the musical element of Abiyoyo's song was added.

I used to be a teacher's assistant in a kindergarten classroom and I chose this book because the children absolutely loved it. I never got the chance to actually read it because the kids mostly listened to it at the listening center. Some used to go around singing "Abiyoyo" and I wanted to see what the book was all about. Without the music playing I feel like I am missing a part of the book entirely. I could just look up a youtube video reading of the book and I just may. ( )

"Abiyoyo" is based on an South African Lullaby and was adapted by an American folk singer. A boy and his father are "ostracized" by there community because they so loved to share their skills with everyone they became annoying. One day a monster, known as Abiyoyo, threatens the town. The boy and his father us their talents to make the monster disappear and the towns' people love them again. "Abiyoyo" could be an interesting way to introduce music into a lesson of acceptance and respect for others. ( )

Abiyoyo is about a father and son that is kicked out of town because they were trouble makers. Then the giant abiyoyo came and was attacking the town. The Father and son used their previously annoying talents to trick and send away the Abiyoyo.
This is a traditional story that teaches that everyone's talents have a place and a time to be useful. ( )

Summary:
This book is a good multiculturalism book. It is based on a South African Lullaby and Folk Story. It is about a boy that loved to play his ukulele. Everyone got annoyed by it and told him to put it up. The boys father was a magician. He could make things disappear. Everyone was getting annoyed by that to. The people told them to leave, so they did. The father was telling his son about a Abiyoyo that came but no one believed it. One morning they woke up and there was a Abiyoyo in their yard. The boy and his father went near him, but all the people were scared. The boy suddenly whips out his ukulele and starts playing a song. The Abiyoyo starts to dance and then falls. The father gets his wand and makes him disappear. The people were excited and let them come back.

Personal Reaction:
This book was pretty weird. I have never heard of this African folk tale before but they say the lullaby is popular. But I would read this to my classroom because it is discussing the multiculturalism in it and its a cool story.

Classroom Extensions:
1. Have them make up their own story and read it to the classroom.
2. Read this when discussing the African multicultural and listen to the lullaby on cd.

I thought Abiyoyo was a great book. I liked the book because the author used onomatopoeia and incorporated excellent illustrations. I enjoyed the use of onomatopoeia because it added animation and excitement to the story. The author used phrases like, “Zoop!” and “Ztt,ztt,ztt” in order to convey the sounds that the father’s magic wand was making. The illustrations were great as well. They were drawn with careful detail and precision. My favorite is the image of the father doing magic to make a woman’s glass disappear. The author drew the sparks coming from the wand so that you could actually see the magic happening. The overall message I got from this book is that there’s a hero in all of us and we need to believe in ourselves. ( )

A boy and his father are kicked out of their village. The boy plays a ukulele and his father has a magic wand. Abiyoyo comes to town and everyone is scared. The plays plays him a song and the father makes him disappear. They are welcomed back in the village.

This book is a book about a father whom are ostracized from town until they lead away a giant terrorizing the towns people. This is a great story because it teaches children to be accepting of others and that we can all be helpful to each other. It would be good in a classroom of preschoolers through first grade.

Yet ANOTHER story that my preschoolers love, and I'm glad that they are so interested in this traditional tale. The story teaches children to be accepting of others and that we can all be helpful to each other.

One interesting element in this book is the illustrator, Michael Hays, interpretation of characters and inclusion of multi-races, varying ethnocentric backgrounds, and societal class representation in the storyline. Many children/families might see themselves in this story - or may not being as most are dressed in traditional/formal wear of their heritage.

Summary: This is a tale of a boy and his father whom are ostracized from town until they lead away a giant terrorizing the towns people.

Personal Reaction:
I hae read this story to my classes for years and enjoy it but it not a story that really sticks out to me.

Class Extention :
Set up Abiyoyo theme in creative play
put ukuleles in the music center ( )

Summary:
A young boy within the book plays the ukulele, and his father is a magician. Since the boy's ukulele was too loud for the town folk, and because his father's magic tricks made everyone's belongings disappear they were ostracized from the town. Soon the giant Abiyoyo appears in town scaring all of the town folk. The boy begins to play his ukulele to distract the giant, and the father makes him disappear. The boy and his father save the day!

Personal Reaction:
Abiyoyo does not distinctly talk about different cultures, yet the pictures show the culture, which I loved. The story was cute with a sweet sing along for kids to enjoy.

Classroom Extension Ideas:
Abiyoyo could be used to teach children to love everyone as they are. The little boy and his father being ostracized from the town because of their talents teaches children to accept and love others for their uniqueness.

This book is an African folktale about a father who is a magician and his son who plays the ukalaylee. The are ostracized from their village until they save everyone from the monster Abiyoyo. This is a great book for teaching kids about different cultures or teaching them about accepting people's differences. ( )

Summary - A lively folktale about a boy and his father being run out of town because their mischief making. Later they come back and rescue the town from a giant that threatens to eat them up.
Critique - This book is a good example of a folktale because it has a good and bad characters, and the story begins with once upon a time.
Genre - Folktale
Media - oil painting
Theme - this is a classic tale of good and evil.

Abiyoyo is a very interesting African folk tale about a boy with a ukulele, who annoys the village people with his playing, and his father, the magician who is always playing tricks on people. The village people force the boy and his father to leave until one day Abiyoyo the giant comes to the village causing chaos for the residents. The boy plays his ukulele making the giant dance and lose his balance and when he falls his father uses his magic to make Abiyoyo disappear. The village is so happy that they welcome the pair back into the village.

This book was very interesting to me. I've never had the opportunity to read any African folk tales and found this story to be very exciting. It shows how we should be accepting of everyone even though they may have a quirk that annoys us.

A great way to celebrate this story would be with a magician who was able to perform disappearing acts among other magic tricks. It would also be a wonderful opporunity to introduce children to the ukulele, maybe finding someone who could play the instrument to come perform for the class and giving the students the chance to try.

Pete Seeger adapted this African folktale about a boy who loved to play ukulele and his father who was a magician. The townspeople didn't like magic tricks the boy's father would play and they were soon kicked out of town. Then one day a big, cloud-like creature was wondering about the town terrifying everyone, it was then that the boy and his father elected to attempt to take care of the creature. Children would enjoy singing the single song, Abiyoyo and can get some syllable practice while listening and singing in the story.

Pete Seeger does a great job of retelling this folk tale. The boy plays his ukelele and sings much to the annoyance of the people around him. His father plays magic tricks on people that aren't very nice, so the townspeople collectively oust the two from town. One day the giant Abiyoyo shows up, and the townspeople are helpless. The boy plays his ukelele and sings 'Abiyoyo' and the giant dances until he's tired and falls down. At this point the father uses his magic and makes the giant disappear. The townspeople welcome them back and everybody sings the song to celebrate. ( )