Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears by Verna Aardema

Image

Figure 1. Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears book cover (2019).

Evaluation of Book

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears by Verna Aardema, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon, tells the story of the title: why mosquitoes buzz in people’s ears. It all began when a mosquito told the iguana an exaggerated story about yams. The iguana was so put out by this that he stuck sticks into his ears to block the story. This one act causes a chain of events that ultimately kills an owlet. Mother Owl is so distraught, she does not call up the sun. Now all the animals are worried, and King Lion organizes a trial to find out the truth. Someone must be punished so that the sun can come up again.

Verna Aardema’s plot stands out. It is a story about how the animals of Africa play by the rules of nature. They have a healthy fear of each other; and at the same time, they work together to keep each other safe. When the rabbit bolts out of its hole due to a snake moving in, this is natural because of fear. Plus, when the crow and monkey try to warn the others of danger, this shows how they all willing help each other. Also, when the sun does not come up, this impacts everyone. Therefore, a truce is called so that they can all get to the bottom of the problem. This story also explains nature in a unique way, a common tradition among many groups of people.

The illustrations reinforce the plot for first part of story and the ending. Each event that happens is clearly shown in the pictures. The left side of the page shows what happened, like the mosquito telling the story to the iguana. Then the right side of the page shows the result: Iguana puts sticks in his ears. This happens again and again. The climax is also shown when monkey crashes through the forest, breaking a dead limb that ultimately kills an owlet. These illustrations plus others add to the story, showing what is happening in the text.

At the same time, the illustrations extend the plot. For the trial of the animal that killed the owlet, each animal being questioned by King Lion gets to show what happened in their minds eye through pictures as they retell the events. Mother Owl believes monkey viscously attacked her owlet, bludgeoning it with a stick. And then later, when rabbit is questioned, it fearfully recounts the voracious python that chased it out of its burrow. Also, the faces of the different animals tell part of the story during the trial. For the monkey, he is afraid during the trial, then sad and regretful, then reflective, and then comforts the owl. Other animals also show shock and anger during the trial. These pictures help extend the story.

Response

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears relates to all parents, including me. When a child asks why things are the way they are, we have choices on how to answer. We can try to explain the scientific reason, the religious reason, or make up a story using mother nature as a guide. Therefore, this story agrees with my view of the world, because many stories I read to my son plus movies we watch give the fantastical tales of why things are the way they are today. Also, I enjoyed the text. It told a great story to explain something my son asks me about often. After we read this story, my son wanted to know if this was the truth, meaning in the real world. I asked him what he thought, and he decided it was just a fun story to share with him.

Conclusion

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears by Verna Aardema, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon, is the perfect story for all ages because of the plot and artwork. And if you like things explained with a fun twist, then this is the book for you. I give this book four out of four stars.

Citation

Aardema, V., Dillon, L., & Dillon, D. (1975). Why mosquitoes buzz in people’s ears. New York, NY: A Pied Piper Book.

Willis, C. (2019). Why mosquitoes buzz in people’s ears book cover (photo). Retrieved April 28, 2019 from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FHrnxy9rP4FILP1JzhGDO7p9vgwrtl4F/view?usp=sharing