Sebgugugu the Glutton: A Bantu Tale from Rwanda

by Verna Aardema, Nancy L. Clouse (Illustrator)

The author of Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears offers a lively retelling of the traditional African story of Sebgugugu, a poor man who learns a lesson about the consequences of greed. Includes a glossary of African words and pronunciations. Map. Full-color throughout.

Genres: Picture Books, Africa, Childrens, Rwanda

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1993

About the author

A prolific American children's author and teacher, Verna Norberg Aardema Vugteveen - more commonly known as Verna Aardema - was born in 1911 in New Era, Michigan. She was educated at Michigan State University, and taught grade school from 1934-1973. She also worked as a journalist for the Muskegon Chronicle from 1951-1972. In 1960 she published her first book, the collection of stories, Tales from the Story Hat. She went on to write over thirty more books, most of them folkloric retellings. Her picture-book, Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears, won co-illustrators Leo and Diane Dillon a Caldecott Medal. Aardema was married twice, and died in 2000 in Fort Myers, Florida. (source: Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 2 out of 5]

A poor man named Sebgugugu always longs for more in this Bantu folktale from Rwanda, but through his greed and ingratitude, ruins every blessing given to him by Imana, Lord of Rwanda. A glutton who "never listened to his wife," Sebgugugu's story functions as a cautionary tale, warning listeners and readers of the misfortune in store for those who cannot heed a warning, and are never content with what they have...

Originally part of Aardema's 1973 collection, Behind the Back of the Mountain: Black Folktales from Southern Africa , this picture book was something of a disappointment. Atypically, Aardema's narrative left me cold, and Nancy L. Clouse's cut-paper illustrations seemed like crude and unsatisfying imitations of David Wisniewski's inspired artwork. Out of print, and difficult to obtain (I had to use inter-library loan to find a copy), Sebgugugu the Glutton is not among this author's better works.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why, oh why, will men never listen to their wives? Sebgugugu never learns, as his wife repeatedly warns him to leave well enough alone, not to be such a glutton. I've always loved the way Verna Aardema tells her tales because she works in all those clever sound effects, which make her books so appropriate for reading aloud. In fact, I read this one aloud to my cats, who enjoyed it as much as I did. Highly recommended!

[Faloni © · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy Birthday to my favorite lil shnookemz

[Isabel Jarvis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked that straight away this book has a map of Africa and where Rwanda is, as well as a glossary and guide to pronunciation. There is a lot of repetition and messages about greed and obedience and emphasised throughout. I wasn't overly keen on the story itself. If I used this book I would want to also expose children to other narratives of Rwanda so this wasn't their only reference point.

[Forked Radish · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be mandatory reading for all Africans, wherever they abode.