The Song of the Teeny-Tiny Mosquito

El canto del mosquito

by Alma Flor Ada

Early one morning a mosquito is swallowed by a frog, who in turn is eaten by a fish, who in turn… This original cumulative tale has a surprise ending that delights all readers. An excellent way to introduce the concept of the food chain, it is a joy to read, to tell, to chant, or to turn into a play.

Author’s Note :  On the back cover of the Big Book which accompanies this book, as well as in the cassette,  I tell the story of having once involuntarily  swallowed a mosquito which flew into my mouth as I spoke. Now, I am concerned about the wisdom of such candid statement, since on a school visit a child told me he had enjoyed hearing that I eat bugs!

My objective on sharing the genesis of this story was to point out that ideas are all around us, and the smallest event can be the origin of a story. I also like to point out how writing allows us to improve reality. My story let me rescue that poor mosquito of long ago.

Reviews : School Library Journal : About Stories for the Telling : A charming series, illustrated with watercolor and pen-and-ink drawings. The stories are told in a humorous style and are enhanced throughout by Ada's gift for language and poetry. El Canto del mosquito / The Song of the Teene Tiny Mosquito. is the droll story of a frog who eats a mosquito and whose song then sounds like that of a mosquito. The frog is eaten by a fish, who then sings like a mosquito, etc. Una extraña vista / Strange Visitors is a humorous counting story of the days of the week in rhyme. Me gustaría  tener… / How Happy I Would Be… . . . lists the various things ``I would like to have . . .'' Again in a counting - book format, the desired items all turn out to be animals involved in unusual activities (e.g. two giraffes reading with glasses). ¿Quién nacerá aquí? / Who’s hatching Here?  ., in contrast to the others, is a science book. Rhyming riddles ask which animal will hatch from different eggs. The eggs are presented in their natural habitats; both illustrations and text hint at the answers.

Illustrated by Viví Escrivá
English translation by Bernice Randall 
Published by Santillana.
Available at : www.delsolbooks.com and 1-888-335-7651.