Gecko's Complaint

May 5, 2003
In an unremarkable retelling of a Balinese folktale, a cast of irritable animals offers lessons in forbearance. Gecko complains to Chief Raden, the lion in charge of the jungle, that the fireflies keep him awake. Raden's investigation reveals the fireflies' nocturnal flashing is a response to Woodpecker's noise, itself a warning about Black Beetle's unsanitary habit of rolling the dung of Water Buffalo. For his part, Water Buffalo offers this odd defense: "Rain makes huge potholes in the jungle path. I leave my dung on the pathway to fill up these holes, making it easier for all to travel." As Raden interrogates Rain, he has an epiphany about Rain's importance to the jungle, then commands the animals, "Quit your complaining! Go home and live in peace with one another!" Painted in what the jacket describes as a traditional Balinese style, the acrylic, pen and ink illustrations seem flat and static. Although intriguingly composed, the jungle scenes suffer from inconsistent draftsmanship. Rabbits sport strangely elongated snouts; Raden's haunches appear unnaturally long and rounded; his mane changes color from spread to spread. Such distractions dilute the already lukewarm message. Ages 6-9.

August 1, 2003
PreS-Gr 2-Kept awake one night by flashing fireflies, Gecko complains to the jungle's lion chief. Raden questions the fireflies in an effort to resolve Gecko's troubles, but the fireflies blame Woodpecker's incessant tapping for their misbehavior, and the cycle continues until Raden finds himself atop the highest peak, questioning the Rain itself. From his mountaintop vantage point, Raden sees the importance of Rain to every jungle creature and recognizes his folly. He returns home to chastise the whiny animals-"Quit your complaining! Go home and live in peace with one another!" Bowler retells this folktale in simple, yet skillful prose. Sukanada's acrylic paint, pen, and ink illustrations show leafy landscapes saturated with color, and have depth and beauty. Unfortunately, this lovely art seems hemmed in by the book's smallish format, and the absence of any notes indicating sources or cultural context limits the book's usefulness for cross-cultural comparison. Although Gecko's Complaint is not an essential purchase, its Balinese roots and accessible story line may sufficiently recommend it to libraries collecting multicultural folktales.-Eve Ortega, Cypress Library, CA

Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.