The Hatseller and the Monkeys By: Baba Wague Diakite- Multicultural

The Hatseller and the Monkeys By: Baba Wague Diakite
Multicultural

This book was about a man name BaMusa who had a happy life selling hats. The hat selling business was past on from generation to generation and BaMusa loved it; he would make the hats by hand out of rice. Once he makes the hats he piles them all on top of his head and walk through the town singing and selling hats. Everyone in the town knows BaMusa and the kids love to walk and sing with him. One day BaMusa was getting ready to go to a great festival in a neighboring town to sell his hats. BaMusa woke up that morning and was so excited he forgot to eat breakfast, so on the way to the festival BaMusa got really tired and he decided to rest under a shade mango tree. While BaMusa was resting the monkeys that were in the tree took all of his hats and were playing with them. When BaMusa woke up all of his hats were gone so he thought someone had stole them from him. He began to panic and then he heard the monkeys in the tree. BaMusa was doing things to get the monkeys to throw is hats down, but the monkeys only did what he did. Finally he got all of his hats back and he continued to the neighboring town to the festival.

The way you could use this book in the classroom is when talking about family traditions. Many students have family traditions and with the diverse background the students have in the classes now, there are going to be a variety of traditions. Also, depending on what grade you use this book for you can talk about things that is past down from generation to generation; things such as jewelry, clothes, and etc. Of course this book could also go in the classroom library or in students reading center bags.