Book Summary: This book starts with Mosquito telling Iguana a lie which starts a chain reaction including: Python, Rabbit, Crow, Monkey, and Owl. Monkey falls on one of Owl's owlets and kills the baby. Mother Owl is so sad about the loss of her baby that she doesn't call for the sun to rise and night time goes on and on. King Lion calls a meeting of the animals to get to the bottom of what is going on and each animal tells why their part of what they did and why. The entire mess is traced back to Mosquito lying to Iguana and the animals want justice. Mosquito was too big of a chicken to go to the meeting and now spends the rest of his life buzzing in people's ears asking if they're angry at him. This is ultimately met with a "KPAO" when the person slaps him.
APA Reference: Aardema, Verna. (1975). Why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears. New York, NY: Puffin Books.
Impressions: My overall impression was that I wanted more justice for Mother Owl. I felt like the situation was never fully resolved. I loved how the author used descriptive sound words to show movement: "mek, badamin, kili wili, etc..." These words added a lot of character to the book and helped make it unique. Of course, this is a Caldecott winning book for illustrations and I can see why. The illustrations add as much character as the actual text does.
Professional Review: This tale from Africa is another of those cumulative goose chases except that instead of pursuing an object, the game here is fixing the blame for an overlong night. As King Lion summarizes the chain of events after it's all straightened out, ""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 that the day can come."" Not one of your indispensable kernels of folk wisdom, but it is the kind of brisk go-round that can pick up a lagging story hour group. And though the stunning illustrations are not our favorite Dillons--they don't generate much life or involvement--their crisp cut paper look commands attention.
[Review of Why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears] Kirkus Reviews. (1975). Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/verna-aardema-4/why-mosquitoes-buzz-in-peoples-ears/
[Review of Why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears] Kirkus Reviews. (1975). Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/verna-aardema-4/why-mosquitoes-buzz-in-peoples-ears/
Library Uses: This would be great to make a display for texts showcasing stories from different parts of the world. It would be amazing to support curriculum with a cause and effect lesson. Another idea would be to talk about gossip and the chain reaction it causes as it spreads. The kids could even play the telephone secret game where they whisper the secret from one student to another and see if it stays the same.
