Can't Scare Me!: with audio recording

by Ashley Bryan

From celebrated Coretta Scott King Award winner Ashley Bryan comes a lavishly rendered cautionary tale of fearlessness and many-headed monsters in this toe-tapping picture book.There was a little boy who knew no fear... Nope, no fear at all. Not even when his grandma warns him of the giants—the two-headed giant and his three-headed brother, that is. So one day, he slips away. He just takes off and leaves his grandma behind. After all, what does he care? He’s got his mangoes and the sunshine and his flute. And he isn’t scared one bit. But our boy isn’t really bad, you know, just wild. And soon he misses his grandma. So he turns around, and runs right into—those monsters. He’s about to discover that he may indeed have something to fear…their terrible, horrible singing voices!

Genres: Picture Books, Music, Childrens, Monsters, Folk Tales, African American, Cultural

40 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 3, 2013

About the author

Ashley Bryan was an illustrator, children's author, and poet.

Ashley Bryan (1923–2022) grew up to the sound of his mother singing from morning to night, and he shared the joy of song with children. A beloved illustrator, he was named a Newbery Honoree for his picture book, Freedom Over Me. He also received the Coretta Scott King—Virginia Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, was a May Hill Arbuthnot lecturer, a Coretta Scott King Award winner, and the recipient of countless other awards and recognitions. His books include Freedom Over Me; Sail Away; Beautiful Blackbird; Beat the Story-Drum, Pum Pum; Let It Shine; Ashley Bryan’s Book of Puppets; and What a Wonderful World. He lived in Islesford, one of the Cranberry Isles off the coast of Maine.

Reviews

[QNPoohBear · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really fun folk tale from the English and French Antilles. The little boy reminds me of my older nephew-no fear! I love that the grandma accepts her boy for who he is and provides him with wisdom and stories. The story is so much fun! The rhyming text and repeated song lyrics help children learn to read. This would be great to listen to if the reader still has an audio playing device or can download it. I'm not sure that parents will enjoy how the naughty boy isn't punished but technically he didn't do anything WRONG- he just displayed a lack of fear. The lively dance party that concludes the adventure is easily imagined inside my head without an audio or visual track. I'm right there dancing along to the boy's flute.

The illustrations are BRIGHT, BOLD and COLORFUL! I don't know anything about the culture of English and French Antilles but I can tell the illustrator put a lot of thought into the illustrations. The boy and his grandmother are brown, his grandmother wears a headwrap and they seem to have an oral culture of singing and storytelling. The monsters are crazy to look at and not scary at all. I think children must enjoy these illustrations.

I plan to give this one to nephew #1 as a present for learning to read a few sight words. Maybe he'll pick up a few more words. The boy is the story is very much like him!

[Rebeca Sanchez · Rating 3 out of 5]

The tale from French and English Antilles, a little boy declares that he's not scared of anything. The trickster finds himself being with his grandmother trying to teach him a lesson of fears. One day, he wanders off on his own and finds himself with some giants "entertained" from the boy's flute playing. As he continues playing his flute, the boy finds himself in big trouble and plans to run away from the evil giants. By the way, he plans his escape he finds that his flute and catchy song is his biggest weapon. The boy uses his flute to escape and he runs away from the giants, and then he finds his way back home. He forgives his grandmother and the rest of his family for being so foolish and learns his lesson.

The picture book was quite simple in its message and the watercolor illustrations this folktale appeals to younger children. As it comes to being relatable, I saw that it almost mimics the cautionary tales that my parents told when I was younger- such as the Weeping Woman and other Spanish tales. I really like how the book was written in the perspective that Ashley took when writing the story, but also creates the message that fear is nothing to be ashamed from.

[Makenzie F · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute story about a young boy that was wild. The parents did not know what to do with him as he was so wild. The parents sent him with grandma who told him stories. The stories had warnings of things that would happen if the boy did not behave. The boy did not believe grandma and he was not scared. Ran into the two headed giant but the boy was not afraid. The giants loved the boy song of how he is not afraid of the giant or what grandma had said. The boy grew closer and closer to the three headed giant and they threw the boy into a sack. The giant took him home and were prepaid to eat him when the boy tricked them and ran home to grandma.

The draws are bright and full of color. The pictures make the characters come to life and act out hte story.

This is a wonderful story. It is a warning tell to small children that they should listen to their elders or they could land themselves in a lot of trouble.

I would use this with second and third graders. i would like to teach on folk tells and traditional stories.

[Zach Stp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ashley Bryan seems to never miss. This incredible story of a young wild boy shows children the importance of listening to your elders because although it may not seem like it now they are and always will be right. Although the boys grandmother warns him not to stray far because of the 2 and 3 headed monsters, he has no fear and decides to go out on his own and stray away from his grandmother. After realizing that he misses his family he starts to head back when he runs into the monsters. These monsters are different however, and ill leave you with that. Always listen to your parents kids!

[❂ Ann ❂ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Coretta Scott King Award winner, Ashley Bryan, brings us this colorful trickster tale with a musical twist. From the lore of the French and English Antilles, it tells a tale of a spirited young boy who doesn’t fear anything, not even many-headed giants. Grandma leads him to the shade to tell him her stories, to soothe and to aid but he slips the first chance he gets, eating mangos and playing his flute. When the sun goes down, he bumps into the giants his Grandma warns him about. But he turns out to be more terrified of their singing voice than of their monstrosity. Each page is painted in vibrant tempera and watercolor.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a boy who was not scared of anything. His grandmother warned him of so many things like the two-headed giants. He doesn't believe any of the stories his grandmother tells him even though she has more wisdom than the young child. he even he runs away to go out on his own he realizes he missed his family and decided to head back home. I love how the font changes so much I believe it adds so much character to the story along with the illustrations. it has some rhyme to add even more fun to the scary yet fun story.

[Kaylee Randall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story about a fearless boy who is not afraid of anything and he learns otherwise. The boy doesn't listen to his grandmas warnings. This could teach children to always obey and listen to your elders. I really enjoyed the rhythmic story. The illustrations are also very bright and colorful! A great tale!

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 2 out of 5]

Has lots of echos of The Gingerbread Man, but is completely different.
Has some bits from Jack and the Beanstalk, but is completely different.

Not a fan of the illustrations or the random font size changes.

Not sure what kids are supposed to get out of the story.

[Byancah Oliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

Over all I had pleasure in reading the book but a few things I bothered me. Some of the rhymes Bryan used seemed forced. The three headed monster seemed more goofy the scary. But also the message the book gave off that parents know best but that's not always the case.

[Lyrical Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story for teaching rhythm, the text has a great beat. It's fun and scary, with a clever protagonist like all great folklore tales.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

As evidenced on the cover, Bryan's illustrations are vivid and bright. It's a fun story, but, even at the end, I wasn't sure what the point was.

[Jeimy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was cute, but merely okay. Mr. Bryan's colorful illustrations make the book worth it.

[Nancy Palmer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry, not a fan.

[Angela]

Text to self: This little boy reminds me of my oldest daughter; she loves scary stories and shows. I don't understand it, because I don't like scary things, but my husband thinks it's great. He lets her watch and read things that I think are too scary, and I try to dissuade both of them. Most of the time she is unaffected by things that I think are very frightening, but just like this little boy in the story, every once in awhile she gets more than she bargained for. And just like the boy in the story, it's not long before she's ready for more.

Questions:
1. Can you tell three "scary" things that the little boy encountered?
2. Describe what happened before the little boy returned home to his grandmother, frightened.
3. If you were the grandparent, what kind of story would you tell your grandchild who had no fear? Why?
4. What was the most exciting part of this story? Why?
5. Would it be better if the little boy never wanted to do anything scary again?
6. What do you predict will happen now that the little boy did find something that scared him a little?


Professional Review: (2013, Sept. 1). Booklist. http://www.titlewave.com/search?SID=8...

(Note: I did not read the version with the audio recording, but it's the only version that was listed here.)

[KarenMLISt · Rating 2 out of 5]

No audio recording but after reading this, I decided I couldn't use it for a storytime readaloud. I asked the preK teacher for her opinion and she had the same first impression I did - no way! The cover looks appealing for preK-Gr2 but the consensus in our library is that it's just too freaky. Something about the 3-headed giant coaxing the boy up his body, closer and closer, then kidnapping him...and the climax is "It terrified the little boy. AHA! He NOW knew FEAR!" (text in book looks just like that.) The boy is apparently "terrified" of the singing because "the giant massacred the song" but I'm just barely recovering from the fact that he's been thrown in a sack! Next the giant wants to eat him and his cook prepares to boil him. The illustration of the cook is scarier than the 3-headed giant - and she (who looks like a he) shows up on too too many pages.
After reading professional reviews about this book (positive), perhaps it would be okay to summarize the origin of the folktale and the point - that fear can be useful - before reading it aloud. Better yet, have the audio recording so the musical part comes through better. Without knowing anything about it, however, the book without any audio starts to feel creepy, or upsetting, or just plain confusing. This book just didn't work for my librarian needs.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This trickster tale from the French and English Antilles might be one with which many children and parents can relate. Despite his grandmother's admonitions for caution and her stories of giants, one with two heads and one with three, her grandson seems to know no fear. As he wanders off one day and plays his flute, he comes upon both of the creatures about whom he has been warned. The three-headed giant tricks him into coming closer and closer, traps him, and plans to eat him later. But this little boy really is fearless and tricks the cook into opening the sack into which he has been placed so that he can sing and play his flute more freely. Needless to say, he runs away, having learned his lesson. Or has he? The color-drenched tempera and watercolor illustrations complement this cautionary tale perfectly.

[Taylor Railey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can't scare me by Ashley Bryan had a wonderful message. More importantly the illustrations were incredible. The vibrant colors really intrigued my eyes and flowed with the musical words throughout the book. The detail in each and every picture on every page was outstanding. I loved the look of the little boy and the grandma and was happy to see that they weren't distorted like many other children's books are. I like how the bright colors filled the page from corner to corner and their were no white spaces on the pages. I would really recommend this to a child particularly a boy who enjoys stories about monsters. Also this is a good book to read to teach a lesson about listening! It had a great message while being very entertaining.

[Cierra Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a funny animated book about a boy who is absolutely fearless. His mother warns him of dangerous creatures but he isn't scared by them. He gets in a really tricky situation but then finds his way out of it by tricking them and then coming home. This i a book with lots of make believe characters which I think a lot of kids will enjoy the imagination behind it. The artwork has bright, happy colors and is a very joyful. I would read this when discussing imagination or anything creative.

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful illustrations, great rhythm for reading aloud, fun twist on a trickster tale. Although it isn't too scary, it struck me that there was a lot of text on each page.

I was a little bothered by the changes in font size throughout the book. It didn't add to my understanding or reading, but seemed to be based on when the layout needed the room. I'm wondering if anyone else notices this.

[Serina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very colorful. I was curious to see if it was scary. Welp, its no more scary than any typical monster story. If your child watches Monsters Inc. they would love this book. Appealing to young African-American children, a little boy takes his flute and plays all over. Kids should enjoy his spunk and cleverness of outwitting the monsters.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a longer, sing-songy book about legends of giants in Africa. The little boy in the story starts out as not being scared at all, and he ultimately learns otherwise! It is a very colorful, musical story with lots of repetition and beautiful pictures.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a little boy who is a little crazy and loves adventure! He leaves his grandmother behind and realizes he needs her so he comes back! This is a great book to show kids they need to be kept safely in a parents arms!

[Jodie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trickster tale about a boy who is fearless and he does not listen to his grandma. He runs off and meets monsters who capture him through trickery, but through some trickery of his own is able to escape.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A trickster tale about a boy with no fear who outwits not just a two-headed giant, but a three-headed giant as well! Musical refrains make for a fun read aloud. Vibrant tempera and watercolor artwork. PreK-2.

[NYC Reads 365 · Rating 5 out of 5]

"This brave little boy doesn't heed Granny's warning and ends up face-to-face with a Giant Two-Headed and Giant Three-Headed monster. This cautionary tale of fearlessness is presented in loose brushstrokes of bright colors, reflecting the tropical hues of the West Indian landscape."

[Juliana Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

The boy doesn't heed grandma's warning about the two-headed and three-headed giants. And when he gets caught he tricks his captor and escapes singing his song and playing his flute. But in the end, he does admit to maybe being afraid of a four-headed giant.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little boy who wasn't afraid of anything learned that there may be something to be afraid of after all, but what it is is an unexpected thing. This is a trickster tale from the French and English Antilles.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful, vibrantly illustrated trickster story based on English and French Antilles folklore, and not too scary to share with younger children.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

A trickster tale with a musical focus.

[Ame · Rating 5 out of 5]

The giants are so colorful! The song is so catchy! This book rules!