The Cool Ride in the Sky

by Diane Wolkstein, Paul Galdone (Illustrator)

A monkey outwits a deceitful buzzard in this Southern folktale

32 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Diane Wolkstein was a folklorist and author of children's books. She also served as New York City's official storyteller from 1968–1971.

As New York's official storyteller, Wolkstein visited two of the city's parks each weekday, staging hundreds of one-woman storytelling events. After successfully talking her way into the position, she realized "there was no margin for error," she said in a 1992 interview. "I mean, it was a park. [The children would] just go somewhere else if they didn't like it."

She also had a radio show on WNYC, Stories From Many Lands, from 1968 until 1980, and she helped create the Storytelling Center of New York City.

Wolkstein authored two dozen books, primarily collections of folk tales and legends she gathered during research trips. She made many visits to China, Haiti and Africa.

Wolkstein was born in Newark, New Jersey and grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey. Her father Henry was an accountant and her mother Ruth was a librarian. She received a bachelor's degree from Smith College and a master's degree in education from Bank Street College of Education. While living in Paris, she studied mime under Étienne Decroux.

Wolkstein was in Taiwan to research a book of Chinese folk stories when she underwent emergency surgery for a heart condition. She died in the city of Kaohsiung at the age of 70.

Reviews

[Kest Schwartzman · Rating 5 out of 5]

five stars for the illustration of the coy buzzard, all on it's own. Bonus: the story is pretty great, too.

[Two Hearts Homeschool · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paired the book with the version of “Straighten Up and Fly Right” by the Andrews Sisters!

[Janna]

From the author’s note, we find out this fable was based on the tale “Straighten Up and Fly Right,” which was also a song by Nat King Cole. The theme is about behaving and doing what’s fair. The illustrations are very detailed and do a good job helping tell the story. From my experience many of the older books I’ve read have had smaller, less colorful pictures but this book is an exception to that. I think including the song at the end of the story and the information about how Nat King Cole came up with the song was a cool addition. And like most traditional literature, it had a happy ending.

[Shayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a vulture that tricks animals to take rides on his back, so that he can drop them when they are high in the air, to have those animals die, so he can eat them. A monkey sees all this and he outsmarts the vulture.
I like this book because it isn't a happy story in the beginning. But then you learn that the monkey used his brain to make the vulture pay for what he has done to those poor animals.
I would share this book with my children because the would be able to see the creative way in which the monkey outsmarted the vulture. And they would learn how to use their brains in productive ways.

[Saffron Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This rating is for the edition adapted by Diane Wolkstein and illustrated by Paul Galdone.