The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet by Carmen Agra Deedy

Yesterday I had the pleasure of re-meeting author Carmen Agra Deedy at a storytelling program at the Auburn Public Library. (I first met her years ago when she visited my children's elementary school.) Mrs. Deedy is a gifted and entertaining storyteller who makes me laugh! After hearing her, I decided to finish reading all of her books.

Today's review is on one of her picture books...The Rooster Who Would not Be Quiet. The story was inspired by Deedy's love for Cuban folklore. (She is a refugee from Cuba who lives in Georgia.) It takes place in the happy, noisy city of La Paz where everyone is always singing, that is until a new mayor silences the town with an ever-increasing number of new rules designed to bring peace and quiet to the town. This is where the rooster comes in. He refuses to stop singing even when, one by one, the happy circumstances that make him sing are taken away.  While young students will enjoy the vibrant illustrations and the surface story, older students will be able to appreciate it as an allegory and may come away with an important life lesson. Deedy's sprinkling of Spanish words throughout the text make it a great choice for a read-aloud.

Mrs. N.