Under the Starfruit Tree: Folktales from Vietnam

Twenty-seven tales culled from North and South Vietnam and translated by native speakers are grouped in four sections: foibles and quirks; tales from the lowlands and the highlands; the spirit world; and food, love and laughter. The telling is graceful, the tone at once serious and lighthearted. Each narration is followed by an afterword that lovingly reveals customs, beliefs and values. The informative notes function exactly as notes should, enlarging concepts as they show readers ways to reread for enrichment. Some of the ideas are sophisticated, like ``tu luyen,'' in which meditation can result in an animal becoming human. A pleasant way to pick up a great deal of exotic flavor about the fishing life, the place of Buddhist karma and Confucian ethics, the many governments that ruled Vietnam over the centuries, and animal symbolism. This book is a handsome success. Ages 7-12. (Nov.)