Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears![]() |
About This BookIn this West African folk tale, retold by Verna Aardema, a mosquito brags to an iguana that he spied a farmer digging yams as big as mosquitoes. The iguana scoffs at such a notion and refuses to listen to any more nonsense. Grumbling, he puts sticks in his ears and scuttles off through the reeds and sets off a chain reaction among myriad animals inhabiting the same landscape. The iguana offends a friendly python, who shoots down a rabbit hole and terrifies a rabbit. Seeing the rabbit scares a crow overhead, who spreads an alarm that danger is near. When a monkey reacts to the alarm, an owlet is killed, which sets off a wave of grieving in the mother owl so profound that she is unable to wake the sun each day with her hooting. The nights grow longer, and when the King Lion calls a meeting to get to the bottom of the situation, the chain of events is traced back to the source of all the trouble, the pesky mosquito. Finding the culprit satisfies the mother owl, who calls the sun back again. But, alas, the mosquito is forever plagued with a guilty conscience, compelling him forever to be a pest. The vibrant neo-primitive illustrations, which earned this title a Caldecott medal in 1976, enhance and embellish the tale. This is a timeless story sure to charm a wide range of readers and listeners. |
Cause and effectThis story is a resource for teachers to teach the skill cause and effect: "A cause is something that makes something else happen; An effect is what happens as a result of the cause" The idea that the mosquito is to blame for the unfortunate death of the owlet is an example of cause and effect. The actions from the other animals also offers several more examples of cause and effect as each animal does something that causes the next animal to do something. This chain of events finally causes the owlet to die. Teachers can use this text to show students how actions (causes) make other things happen (effect). |
About the Authors or Illustrators |
Diane DillonBornGlendale, CA, US Current HomeBrooklyn, NY |
During more than four decades of illustrating children's books, two-time Caldecott Medalists Leo and Diane Dillon have received nearly every award and honor in this genre. They have illustrated scores of books written by others, and they have written two titles, Rap a Tap Tap: Here's Bojangles, Think of That! and the Coretta Scott King honor book Jazz on a Saturday Night. of our favorites," state the Dillons, "but there are many more great musicians we didn't have room for in the book, but would have loved to include. We started with the idea and the text first, but after the art was done the text was altered to fit better with the images. Our editor was part of that process. The art was done in gouache, which is great for a graphic technique of flat shape and color." Leo in Brooklyn, New York, and Diane near Los Angeles, California. When they met at Parsons School of Design in New York City in 1954, each already aspired to a life of art. Meeting first through each other's artwork, each immediately recognized the talent and mastery of the other. Over the years, their competitive friendship evolved into a lasting marriage and artistic partnership. "In terms of our art, it is virtually impossible to consider us separately," say the Dillons. "On every project we undertake, we hash out ideas together. In 1997 we celebrated our 40th anniversary and in 1997 we completed our 40th book which is "To Everything There is a Season." illustrations for prints, book jackets, textbooks, album covers, and of course children's books. Among their many honors, they have received two Caldecott Medals - for Ashanti to Zulu and Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears - four New York Times Best Illustrated Awards, four Boston Globe/Horn Book Awards, two Coretta Scott King Awards, three Coretta Scott King Honors, and the Society of Illustrators Gold Medal. "The first is all people, whatever the culture or race, experience the same things in living on this planet. We all have a lot in common," state the Dillons. "It is our beliefs that divide us. We have little control over what life brings us but we can change our thoughts. The second statement is that since the beginning of history, people have expressed themselves graphically in wonderful and unique ways. Art in its many forms has survived to inform us of lives long gone. Art inspires, lifts our sprit, and brings beauty to our lives. We wish to pay homage to it and the people that created it." Leo and Diane Dillon have one son, Lee, who is also a talented painter, sculptor, and jewelry craftsman. They live in New York City |
Leo Dillon
BornBrooklyn, NY, US |
During more than four decades of illustrating children's books, two-time Caldecott Medalists Leo and Diane Dillon have received nearly every award and honor in this genre. They have illustrated scores of books written by others, and they have written two titles, Rap a Tap Tap: Here's Bojangles, Think of That! and the Coretta Scott King honor book Jazz on a Saturday Night. of our favorites," state the Dillons, "but there are many more great musicians we didn't have room for in the book, but would have loved to include. We started with the idea and the text first, but after the art was done the text was altered to fit better with the images. Our editor was part of that process. The art was done in gouache, which is great for a graphic technique of flat shape and color." Leo in Brooklyn, New York, and Diane near Los Angeles, California. When they met at Parsons School of Design in New York City in 1954, each already aspired to a life of art. Meeting first through each other's artwork, each immediately recognized the talent and mastery of the other. Over the years, their competitive friendship evolved into a lasting marriage and artistic partnership. "In terms of our art, it is virtually impossible to consider us separately," say the Dillons. "On every project we undertake, we hash out ideas together. In 1997 we celebrated our 40th anniversary and in 1997 we completed our 40th book which is "To Everything There is a Season." illustrations for prints, book jackets, textbooks, album covers, and of course children's books. Among their many honors, they have received two Caldecott Medals - for Ashanti to Zulu and Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears - four New York Times Best Illustrated Awards, four Boston Globe/Horn Book Awards, two Coretta Scott King Awards, three Coretta Scott King Honors, and the Society of Illustrators Gold Medal. is all people, whatever the culture or race, experience the same things in living on this planet. We all have a lot in common," state the Dillons. "It is our beliefs that divide us. We have little control over what life brings us but we can change our thoughts. The second statement is that since the beginning of history, people have expressed themselves graphically in wonderful and unique ways. Art in its many forms has survived to inform us of lives long gone. Art inspires, lifts our sprit, and brings beauty to our lives. We wish to pay homage to it and the people that created it." Leo and Diane Dillon have one son, Lee, who is also a talented painter, sculptor, and jewelry craftsman. They live in New York City |
video clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iklvgV3M4z8 |
Cultural diversity![]() |
Cultural diversity is the quality of diverse or different cultures, as opposed to monoculture, the global monoculture, or a homogenization of cultures, akin to cultural decay. The phrase cultural diversity can also refer to having different cultures respect each other's differences. The phrase "cultural diversity" is also sometimes used to mean the variety of human societies or cultures in a specific region, or in the world as a whole. Globalization is often said to have a negative effect on the world's cultural diversity. |
Social diversity |
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QUICK ANSWERSocial diversity is all of the ways that people within a single culture are set apart from each other. Elements of social diversity can include ethnicity, lifestyle, religion, language, tastes and preferences.
In general, ideas of social diversity are expanding, in part because global interaction and communication are becoming easier and more common. Worldwide, the standard of living is generally improving too. Scholars believe that there is a correlation between healthier lifestyles and the willingness of people to accept diversity as a positive element within culture. The more people are exposed to certain elements of culture, the more likely those elements are to be absorbed into it. |