A wild chase of animals and people is set into motion when a fisherman blows a horn made from a conch.*
Soon a cat, a dog, a mosquito, a frog, a boy, and his mother are following one another to the fish market, all summoned by the “whoot toot toot!” of the conch.
This, like other cumulative stories, is great for reading aloud, or re-telling, or acting out, whether with a felt board, puppets, or with a group of children. I have shared it in story time and it held the attention of a wide span of ages. The younger children are engaged by the rhyming text and the opportunity to make animal noises, while the older children are excited to remember and predict the pattern of the story.
*Using the conch shell as a trumpet is a traditional way to communicate, among other messages, that the fisherman is coming in to harbor with his catch. For more information, watch this video.
The details for this Caribbean children’s book:
- Island: not specified in text
- Author: Phillis and David Gershator have a connection to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
- Illustrator: Mim Green and Phillis Gershator
- Language: English
- Recommended for: toddlers (1-3), younger children (3-6), older children(6+).
- Find more information on the author’s website.
Caribbean Children's Books 