196 Books: Benin

Why Monkeys Live in Trees by Raouf Mama

Benin is another smaller country, this time in Africa:

Summmmarrrry:

This is a book for both young and old lovers of folklore. Why Monkeys Live in Trees and Other Stories from Benin is a rich tapestry of oral tales that come from a wide range of Beninese ethnic groups. They include trickster tales and sacred tales involving the greatest and meanest of mankind, as well as nature and the world of spirits. These ageless tales remind us of the power of love, the perils of greed and pride, and the redemptive virtues of courage, humility, and kindness.

The Western African Republic of Benin (formerly Dahomey) is gifted with a great folktale tradition, one of the richest in the world. As pieces of oral literature and cultural history, these tales shed light on some of the values and beliefs as well as the customs and traditions of the people of Benin.

So one thing I forgot to mention in my last book post (I think) is that, coming across smaller countries, I don't have nearly as much choice in books. So I might have to go with one that wasn't written by a native of that country, or something that doesn't really sound super interesting. That's how I came across the short stories for the last two books. 

The difference? I loved these! They were more like fables or parables than just short stories. Wait, are fables and parables interchangeable? Hmm...not exactly, but apparently this book had both of them. 
Anyway they were super cute and, even though you don't get to "know" the characters so much, they had lessons at the end so it made it worth it for me. And the drawings were absolutely beautiful. 

Um...I know my "reviews" for these ones are really short, but how do you really go over a bunch of short stories? I don't know, so I won't try. On to the next!