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This tale could be used as a silly story to read aloud to a classroom but could also be used as an example of how actions have trickle-down impacts. You could also use dominoes to show this chain reaction style event as well.

“Zee! Is everyone still angry at me?“

This story is an example of a pourquoi tale that delivers an explanation for many “why“ questions. The title represents the initial why question that is explored throughout the story. The tale then continues on to tell a long tale of the lead-up to explanation of why the mosquito buzzes, explaining it's guilty conscience for causing the stories in the event to occur.

“But because of this the mosquito has a guilty conscience. To this day she goes about whining in people's ears: “ZEEE! Is everyone still angry at me?“ When she does that, she gets an honest answer.“

I would use Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People‘s Ears to build literacy skills and cultural awareness. Students can practice sequencing by retelling the chain of events, explore cause-and-effect relationships, and discuss how folktales explain natural phenomena. The story also opens space for conversations about African storytelling traditions, and students can create their own pourquoi tales to explain something in nature.

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People‘s Ears by Verna Aardema is a pourquoi tale. It‘s considered a pourquoi tale because it comes from the oral storytelling tradition, passed down through generations, and it explains why something in nature is the way it is (in this case, why mosquitoes buzz in people‘s ears). The story uses talking animals, a chain of cause-and-effect events, and ends with a cultural lesson, which are all typical features of pourquoi.

“To this day she goes about whining in people's ears: “Zeee! Is everyone still angry at me?“ When she does that, she gets an honest answer.“

I can use Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People‘s Ears to teach cause and effect, sequencing, and moral lessons. Students can retell the story with puppets or masks, act out the animal chain reaction, or create their own pourquoi tales. I can also connect it to a science lesson on insects or sound. These hands-on and activities that span over different subjects, but integrated, help students engage with both the story and its deeper meanings.

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People‘s Ears by Verna Aardema is a West African pourquoi tale that explains why mosquitoes annoy people. A mosquito tells a lie, causing a chain reaction of events that ends in tragedy. The animals hold a meeting to uncover the truth. This tale fits the pourquoi category because it explains a natural phenomenon through storytelling rooted in cultural tradition and moral lessons.

“Because he had foolishly told a lie, the mosquito now buzzes in people‘s ears to ask, ‘Zeee! Is everyone still angry with me?“

I would use this book when addressing how gossip can be very hurtful and very untrue. It would also be good to explain the tale as an African pourquoi tale“ (a story that explains “why” something is the way it is).

This book was published in 1976 and was awarded a caldacott medal. This is a Pourquoi tale, and comes from traditional oral storytelling in West Africa, retold in written form. There are animal characters with human traits that teach the morals around how gossip, lies, or thoughtless actions can lead to big consequences.

This is a nature fable that explains why the world is the way it is. It teaches the lesson that small things can have a big consequence.

The end of the book has repetitive pages on the chain reaction that caused the owlet to get killed. Kids might have a fun time remembering and reciting the order of events.

A West African folk tale about why mosquitos buzz. It tells of a chain of reactions between different creatures (iguana, python, rabbits, etc). It also touches on taking responsibility.

“So, it was the mosquito
who annoyed the iguana,
who frightened the python,
who scared the rabbit,
wo startled the crow,
who alarmed the monkey,
who killed the owlet-
and now Mother Owl won't wake the sun
so that the day can come.“

“Because of that, mosquitoes buzz in people‘s ears.”

This is a playful African folktale that explains the reason mosquitoes buzz in people's ears. The story follows animal characters whose miscommunications lead to the mosquito's buzzing.

With students, you could use the book to introduce students to African folklore and storytelling traditions. Discuss how different cultures explain natural phenomena through stories.

“But because of this the mosquito has a guilty conscience. To this day she goes about whining in peoples ears: “Zeee! is everyone still mad at me?“

I would use this story when explaining to my class that it is right to own up to your mistakes. This could also be used when explaining why it is important to always tell the truth.

This is a good book for children and really captures the moral of the story in an inviting way

“But because of this the mosquito has a guilty conscience. To this day she goes about whining in peoples ears: “Zeee! is everyone still mad at me?“

I would use this story when explaining to my class that it is right to own up to your mistakes. This could also be used when explaining why it is important to always tell the truth.

Traditional Literature- Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears is a Caldecott Medal-winning book by Verna Aardema. It was published in 1975, this is a story about a mosquito who tells a tale about a farmer's yams that then set off a chain of events. In the story, the animals hold court to figure out who caused this jungle disaster. When the mosquito is found out she begins to buzz in people's ears asking if they are mad at her.

“But because of this the mosquito has a guilty conscience. To this day she goes about whining in peoples ears: “Zeee! is everyone still mad at me?“

“But because of this the mosquito has a guilty conscience. To this day she goes about whining in peoples ears: “Zeee! is everyone still mad at me?“

I would use this story when explaining to my class that it is right to own up to your mistakes. This could also be used when explaining why it is important to always tell the truth.

I would use this story when explaining to my class that it is right to own up to your mistakes. This could also be used when explaining why it is important to always tell the truth.

“But because of this the mosquito has a guilty conscience. To this day she goes about whining in peoples ears: “Zeee! is everyone still mad at me?“

I would use this story when explaining to my class that it is right to own up to your mistakes. This could also be used when explaining why it is important to always tell the truth.

I would use this story when explaining to my class that it is right to own up to your mistakes. This could also be used when explaining why it is important to always tell the truth.

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears is a Caldecott Medal-winning book by Verna Aardema. It was published in 1975, this is a story about a mosquito who tells a tall tale about a farmer's yams that then set off a chain of events. In the story, the animals hold court to figure out who caused this jungle disaster. When the mosquito is found out she begins to buzz in people's ears asking why are mad at her. The illustrations make the animals pop.

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears is a Caldecott Medal-winning book by Verna Aardema. It was published in 1975, this is a story about a mosquito who tells a tall tale about a farmer's yams that then set off a chain of events. In the story, the animals hold court to figure out who caused this jungle disaster. When the mosquito is found out she begins to buzz in people's ears asking if they are mad at her. The illustrations make the animals pop.

“But because of this the mosquito has a guilty conscience. To this day she goes about whining in peoples ears: “Zeee! is everyone still mad at me?“

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears is a Caldecott Medal-winning book by Verna Aardema. It was published in 1975, this is a story about a mosquito who tells a tall tale about a farmer's yams that then set off a chain of events. In the story, the animals hold court to figure out who caused this jungle disaster. When the mosquito is found out she begins to buzz in people's ears asking if they are mad at her. The illustrations make the animals pop.

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears is a Caldecott Medal-winning book by Verna Aardema. It was published in 1975, this is a story about a mosquito who tells a tall tale about a farmer's yams that then set off a chain of events. In the story, the animals hold court to figure out who caused this jungle disaster. When the mosquito is found out she begins to buzz in people's ears asking if they are mad at her. The illustrations make the animals pop.

“But because of this the mosquito has a guilty conscious. To this day she goes about whining in people‘s ears: ‘Zeee! Is everyone still angry at me?‘”

This tall tale involves a sequence of events that all occur due to the one previous. This makes this story fun to follow and engaging for young students, making it a good choice for a read aloud in younger grades.

When an owl loses an owlet, she refuses to call the sun, leading to night lasting far too long. The king of the jungle, the lion calls a meeting to see why the owl has not yet called the sun. It is discovered that the owlet was killed as the final sequence in a series of misunderstandings by several of the forest animals, all started by a mosquito. The book tackles the title question of why mosquitos buzz in peoples ears.

“is everyone still mad at me.... Smack“

This book is a folktale because it explains why something happened. It is similar to the book why the sun and the moon live in the sky. Books that explain why are always folktales. It also talks about traditional African culture.

Why mosquitoes buzz in peoples ears is a traditional African Folktale that has a repetitive theme. A mosquito lied to an iguana who lied to other animals which makes the animals figure out why each one lied. It is a very exciting book with a hilarious ending.

“Meanwhile the mosquito had listened to it all from a nearby bush. She crept under a curly leaf, semm, and was never found and brought before the council“

I enjoyed reading this story because I love the use of animals as free thinkers who are also a part of a community. I could use this in the classroom by introducing children to Pourquoi tales. This could go along with a creative writing activity where students will pick a phenomenon and students will have to write about how it started.

This is an example of Pourquoi tales, this story explains why mosquitoes buzz in people‘s ears. This is an African folktale where the animals of the African safari do the talking. The book goes through a sequence of events of why mosquitoes buzz in humans ears and not animals.

“I would rather be deaf than listen to such nonsense!“ Then he stuck two sticks in his ears and went off.“