Synopsis As the Rio Afua ferry winds its way up the Amazon, Sean Taylor breathes in tales of the river and the forest. From trickster jaguars and the slowest of sloths to spine-tingling giant serpents, his retellings teem with the mysteries of the rainforest, giving a glimpse into Amazon people's beliefs and way of life.

Review:The Great Snake - Stories from the Amazon is a celebration of the Amazon and the storytelling culture of its people. Taylor's retellings are written in an unadorned style which holds the attention.

Linking the stories is Taylor's narrative of his own journey up the Amazon. These are entertaining paragraphs of travel writing in themselves, and I wasn't surprised to discover that Taylor has worked as a freelance journalist. He is full of infectious wonder at the environment he is travelling through and his descriptions convey an atmosphere in which anything is possible. He introduces the reader to some of the storytellers he meets and slips in amazing observations about the Amazon that should capture children's imagination, whilst also improving their geographical knowledge.

The stories themselves are either comedic, or a blend of wistful sadness, mystery and foreboding. Their nature is such that it is easy to understand why each generation enjoyed passing them onto the next. Many of the stories are open-ended, inviting the listener/reader to believe that the characters still inhabit the local environment. The tales are more than just entertainment; they also serve to create and protect the timelessness of the culture.

The majority of the stories involve the animal kingdom. Revealing of local values is the tale which warns against exploiting the animals and trees for fun or greed, as opposed to using only what is necessary for food or shelter. Furthermore, there is a story in which a certain species, when treated with kindness, mysteriously rewards the human. I also noticed a recurring theme in which the boundary between what is animal and what is human blurred, suggesting that the relationship between animals and humans is seen as symbiotic and therefore respected.

The illustrations complement the text, using bold shapes and blocks of earthy colour. They depict scenes from the narratives, without too much extra detail, so they serve to support the stories rather than distract from them. The patterns found on the skin, fur and shells of wild animals are used to great effect, as is the visual similarity between the coils of a snake and the twists of the river.

I would recommend the book as suitable for reading out loud, although there are several unfamiliar names of local foods/animals/plants etc to be aware of. However, there is a good glossary at the back. Also at the back are further notes from the author about the stories. These are interesting, written in a conversational style and could be enjoyed by the confident child reader as well as the adult.

At the very back is a further note from the author about the on-going destruction of the Amazon rainforest. This section explains that a percentage of the royalties from the book will go towards the Mamirauá Institute for Sustainable Development.

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2008-05-26