Tikki Tikki Tembo (1968)

by Arlene Mosel

Other authors: Blair Lent (Illustrator)

Members	Reviews	Popularity	Average rating	Mentions
5,239	150	2,216	(4.03)	25
When the eldest son fell in the well and most of the time getting help was spent pronouncing the name of the one in trouble, the Chinese, according to legend, decided to give all their children short names.

all members

▾Members

Recently added by

happychappy, aesowls, Kelly_Wood, HLOURIC, selcath, songofmyheart4evr02, sashasmommy, bguisber13, sdarby

▾Tags

▾LibraryThing Recommendations

▾Member recommendations

00
Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China by Ed Young (gilberts)

▾Lists

Best children's picture books (54)

Favorite Picture Books (121)

Best Sellers / Popular 1968 (8)

» 9 more

A Child's Book Tour of China (7)

1970s (156)

Mensa for Kids Excellence in Reading Award Program (Grades K-3) (47)

Early Picture Books (47)

Books Read in 2022 (4,783)

Under The Chinaberry Tree (51)

Necessary & Exquisite (21)

EGBERTINA'S List of childhood books worthy of merit or unspeakable delight (81)

Geek Dad Read to Your Kids List (57)

▾Will you like it?

▾Conversations (About links)

No current Talk conversations about this book.

» See also 25 mentions

▾Member reviews

date ▼ | votes

Showing 1-5 of 150 (next | show all)

This is a classic picture book about two sons, one with a very long name and one with a short name.
I think that a secure cover should be installed on the deep well in this folktale. (

)

Grandma_B | Sep 3, 2024 |

This is a great book that has some beautiful illustrations in. Students and young children love to read this book due to the nature of beat and rhythm of saying Tikki Tikki Tembo's full name multiple times throughout the story. I remember reading this story growing up and absolutely loving it. I am a bit unsure of how it aged though as I am unsure of it's cultural appropriateness. Something that would be interesting to look more into. But it will be a name I always remember! (

)

kdahl2022 | Jan 23, 2024 |

Reading level: pk-2
Awards: Boston Globe Horn Book Award

tagravel | Dec 9, 2023 |

Originally published: 1968
Genres: Children's literature, Fiction
Winner of the 1968 Boston Globe - Horn Book Award for Picture Books

laurendavis | Dec 7, 2023 |

IRL: Kindergarten - Second
Awards: American Library Association Notable Book
Boston Globe-Horn Book Award

kpcox02 | Dec 4, 2023 |

date ▼ | votes

Showing 1-5 of 150 (next | show all)

▾Published reviews

1 review

add a review

thingScore unrated

I hope that people realize that "Tikki Tikki Tembo" contains very INCORRECT information about Chinese culture...What's even more disturbing is that the introduction written inside the book jacket made the story sound like a real folklore.

Below the review is a discussion of both the review and the book.

(URL missing because it had been changed by a spammer.)

added by MarthaJeanne | editChild_Lit, Shwu-yi Leu (Oct 2, 1998)

▾Other authors

» Add other authors (3 possible)

Author name	Role	Type of author	Work?	Status
Arlene Mosel	—	primary author	all editions	calculated
Lent, Blair	Illustrator	secondary author	all editions	confirmed

▾Series and work relationships

▾Awards and Honors

Awards

Boston Globe–Horn Book Award (Winner – Picture Book – 1968)

Flicker Tale Award (Nominee – Picture Books – 1987)

Notable Lists

The Kindergarten Canon: The 100 Best Children’s Books

Library of Congress Children's Literature Center Children's Books (Picture and Picture-Story Books – 1968)

Read Aloud Indiana Book Award (Primary – 1991)

view history

▾Common Knowledge

You must log in to edit Common Knowledge data.

For more help see the Common Knowledge help page.

Canonical title

Tikki Tikki Tembo

Original title

Alternative titles

Original publication date

1968

People/Characters

Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo

Chang

Important places

China

Important events

Related movies

Epigraph

Dedication

First words

Once, upon a time, a long, long time ago, it was the custom of all the fathers and mothers in China to give their first and honored sons great long long names.

Quotations

Her second son she called Chang, which meant "little or nothing." But her first and honored son, she called Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo, which meant "the most wonderful thing in the whole wide world!"

"Unfortunate Son, surely the evil spirits have bewitched your tongue. Speak your brother's name with reverence."

Last words

(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

Blurbers

Original language

Canonical DDC/MDS

Canonical LCC

▾References

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English (2)

File:Cover of Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel.jpg

Tikki Tikki Tembo

▾Book descriptions

When the eldest son fell in the well and most of the time getting help was spent pronouncing the name of the one in trouble, the Chinese, according to legend, decided to give all their children short names.

▾Library descriptions

No library descriptions found.

▾LibraryThing members' description

Book description

Haiku summary