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42nd out of 44 books
—
6 voters
Jungle Drums
by
Graeme Base
“Every year the Other Animals hold a Grand Parade with prizes for the most beautiful. The Warthogs don’t even bother entering — mud wrestling isn’t on the program.”
From the creator of the beloved illustrated classic, The Waterhole, comes a story about finding inner beauty, and learning that our wishes are not always fulfilled in ways we expect.
Ngiri Mdogo is the smallest...more
From the creator of the beloved illustrated classic, The Waterhole, comes a story about finding inner beauty, and learning that our wishes are not always fulfilled in ways we expect.
Ngiri Mdogo is the smallest...more
Hardcover, 40 pages
Published
September 1st 2004
by Harry N. Abrams
(first published January 1st 2004)
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Jungle Drums by Graeme Base is very cute. The pictures are essential to the story and do a fantastic job of telling the story. The messages portrayed in this book are to accept and enjoy yourself the way you are, bullying hurts others feelings, and be careful what you wish for. This book has so many lessons you can teach children.
For teachers who may want to read this to a class, this book also uses very good adjectives.I would use this book when introducing adjectives.
Another fun thing about...more
For teachers who may want to read this to a class, this book also uses very good adjectives.I would use this book when introducing adjectives.
Another fun thing about...more
When Ngiri Mdogo, the smallest warthog in Africa, is tired of being picked on by all the other warthogs he crosses the river to where all the animals with stunning spots, striking stripes, impressive horns, curly trunks, graceful necks, and gorgeous plumage live. Hoping to make new friends he is only more disappointed when they make fun of him for not only being small, but plain as well. When the wise wildebeest Nyumbu finds Ngiri crying, he complains of all the teasing. Nyumbu gives him a set o...more
Sam really liked this one. The smallest warthog in Africa is tired of being teased by his bigger relatives and the beautiful Other Animals (a zebra, elephant, giraffe, rhino, cheetah, and a crested crane). An old wildebeest gives the warthog some magic drums, which he uses to wish for a change. The next morning, the markings of the Other Animals are gone, leaving them a dull brown. Meanwhile, the other warthogs wake up with new, beautiful markings. The smallest warthog sees that this is not real...more
Jan 27, 2009
Jack Kirby and the X-man
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Shelves:
childrens,
fiction,
author-australia,
library_book,
setting-africa,
childrens-picture-book,
2009,
2000s
The thing I remember loving about Animalia and Eleventh Hour from my childhood was the really detailed intricate illustrations that cleverly added to the written plot. I remember staring for hours finding all of the details in the illustrations, linking the illustrations to the written plot – and finding all the unexpected elements.
This book didn’t live up to those (perhaps inflated) memories. The illustrations are spectacular by any standards – Graeme is a true illustrative genius. But the book...more
This book didn’t live up to those (perhaps inflated) memories. The illustrations are spectacular by any standards – Graeme is a true illustrative genius. But the book...more
Promotes understanding of physical size, appearance, and touches on teasing and bullying through the eyes of a small warthog. I especially liked the large, colorful pictures that drew the reader into the story. The Swahili pronunciation guide at the end of the book was an added bonus. Hopefully kids who read the book will begin to understand the importance of liking and being kind to everyone, not just people who look like us, or live in a certain place. You could also do a nice interactive acti...more
What I love about this picture book is 1) the integration of Swahili, 2) the illustrations and 3) a story which was so wonderful and convincing by the end I believed it was a folk tale and not original. But, it was original (maybe inspired from other traditional tales), and as usual the author incorporates wonderful hidden treats for inquisitive children to find. This would be a bit more appropriate for early stage readers, 5ish, as the story has plenty of depth and words which will be both sigh...more
Little Ngiri is the smallest warthog in Africa and is teased by the bigger warthogs, as well as, by the other more beautiful animals. He acquires a set of magic drums in hopes of changing himself but something unexpected happens.
Graeme Base's story promotes self-worth, in addition to the "be careful what you wish for" message. In true Base style, there are hidden elements on each page for readers to find.
Graeme Base's story promotes self-worth, in addition to the "be careful what you wish for" message. In true Base style, there are hidden elements on each page for readers to find.
I love the illustrations in this story but the theme is a bit heavy-handed: everyone's unique and should be seen a special. A warthog is teased because he's so ugly. He asks the advice of a wildebeest who gives him some magic drums which transform the warthogs into striped, speckled, and colorful creatures and turn all the other animals grey and drab.
The amazing detail and sheer fun of the illustrations bring this book from a four to a five star experience. Ultimately this is a story about accepting others for who they are, but Mr. Base adds another level of learning though the use of hidden imagery throughout. This gives the book a secondary look-and-find feel, and encourages multiple reads.
This is a cute book about accepting different talents. The pictures are amazing and there are little things to find hidden in the pictures. James liked me to bounce him up and down and pat his lap when the little wart hog was playing the drums. "Boom ba Boom Boom" I borrowed it from the library and it was a nice change from the books that we own.
It is quit long but a wonderful story, with the colorful illustrations that could be used for story time with older kids
Tired of being teased, Ngiri, the smallest warthog in Africa, uses a set of magic drums to make wishes, but he is not careful enough and makes the rift between the Warthogs and the beautiful Other Beasts even worse.
Tired of being teased, Ngiri, the smallest warthog in Africa, uses a set of magic drums to make wishes, but he is not careful enough and makes the rift between the Warthogs and the beautiful Other Beasts even worse.
Fantastic illustrations and a humorous tale about being happy with who you are make this a great story to read aloud to children. It's also fun to sit and stare at the pictures to see how all the animals have changed (including the dragonfly, snake, chameleon and others) and to find the silhouette of the wildebeest on each page.
Graeme Base is Australian, which means I love him no matter what. However, the creator of the acclaimed book Anamalia falls a little short of his own excellence with this overly wordy tale with pictures that are equally a bit too busy. Perhaps a good tale for older elementary - and I do mean third, fourth grade.
My four year old son and I adore this book. It's illustration and many layers have kept him captivated, so much so that we have read it every night for the last month. There is so much to learn and enjoy from this book and like all good books it takes you on a fantastical journey with a lovely moral to learn.
Love the way Graeme Base combines all the different animal markings--on the WRONG animals! He does it over and over again throughout the entire book; his creativity never fails to astound me. Don't understand what I mean? Guess you'll just have to read "Jungle Drums" and find out! ;-)
Aug 25, 2011
Audra Harbert
added it
Very cute, but a little weird. Where was the author going with transformations beyond the transer of spots and stripes. The art work was charming. I probably spent a hald hour looking for the wildebeest on everypage! I alos liked the moral of "be careful what you wish for".
A warthog is teased because he is small. So a wise wildebeest gives him magical bongoes that provide him with wishes. He wishes that the other animals change appearance with hilarious results.......
The illustrations are very nice and there is a lot to look at in them.
The illustrations are very nice and there is a lot to look at in them.
Here's one I like a lot more than my son ever will. I chose it because it was sticking out just so from the library shelf and the cover art was pretty spectacular. The art inside, just as good and better. The story, very nice about accepting who you are told in the context of jungle animals including warthogs and the "other animals" which are all the animals you think of when you think jungle animals. Everyone wants to be colorful and spotted and beautiful like them, but don't realize that it me...more
I love his books. The paintings are so spectacular. The only problem is they say there are hidden pictures but I have never been able to see hidden pictures well so I always look and look in vain.
Wonderful book!!! A cool new way for kids to see that sometimes it's better to not be like everyone else. Beautiful illustrations as well. This will be one I will try and remember to buy for friends.
I thought this book was great for showing kids why it's important to accept others for who they are and to see the beauty in all.
We all have beauty, even if you happen to be a warthog. This is a good story as well as fabulous art.
Beautiful book. The illustrations are amazing. Will be good to use if discussing individual worth.
Another work of Art with a life learning lesson. Very clever and definitely a favorite!
Great book that teaches that difference can be good. Love the illustrations.
Beautiful illustrations! I want to own this book!
Funny illustrations of jungle animals switching features.
Ngiri Mdogo is the smallest warthog in Africa; all the other warthogs make fun of his size and all the other beautiful animals in Africa makes fun of him too because he is not as beautiful like them. Ngiri runs into the wildebeest who is the oldest and wisest animal in Africa; she gives him a set of drums that will make his wishes come true, but not in the way he would expect. After a couple of wishes he changed how all the others looked, but he stayed the same. I suggest for early elementary, k...more
Beautiful pictures. Good message as well.
nice about not being jealous or prejudgiced.
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Graeme Rowland Base is a successful Australian author and artist of picture books that have been sold internationally. He is perhaps best known for his second book, Animalia published in 1986, and third book The Eleventh Hour which was released in 1989.
He was born in England but moved to Australia with his family at the age of eight and has lived there ever since. He attended Box Hill High School...more
More about Graeme Base...
He was born in England but moved to Australia with his family at the age of eight and has lived there ever since. He attended Box Hill High School...more
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Jan 31, 2011 01:34pm