Brer Rabbit

The Last Tales of Uncle Remus, as retold by Julius Lester, is a compilation of the final adventures of Berr Rabbit and his friends. Lester's use of colorful language and amusing paradox draws readers into the fantasy world of talking animals that bring understanding to why things are- the way they are- in the world around us. The brief stories are quick in action and in their resolution keeping the attention of the readers. The stories are written like they would be told through oral storytelling, with much dialogue. These stories would be great for a bed time story or a unit on pourquoi stories. The limited illustrations could be viewed as a downfall. Overall, the quality and story structure of The Last Tale of Uncle Remus is representative of traditional folklore and a must have in library collections.

Age Appropriate: 3rd grade and up
Do to the lack of pictures, these stories would be better for older children as they require readers to primarily rely on listening skills and the ability to use their imagination to create a mental image of the elements within the story. ( )