Tikki Tikki Tembo

Tikki Tikki Tembo

• author:  Arlene Mosel
• illustrator:  Blair Lent
• medium: ink & watercolor
• year of publication: 1968
• publication city:  New York, NY
• publisher:  Holt, Rinehart and Winston
• ISBN:  978-0805006629

Annotation:  This retelling is a cautionary tale from China warning parents of the dangers of giving your children long names.  When two sons are playing by a well, trouble ensues and we find out having a shorter name has its benefits.

Personal Thoughts:  Originally published in 1968, Tikki Tikki Tembo has a classical picturebook feel.  It has a strong setup with two sons, one that is cherished, one that is ignored and their preferential matriarch.  It has an element of danger, with the boys falling into a deep well and their lives at stake.  It also has a simplistic message that giving children excessively long names puts them in harm’s way. 

The early publishing date explains the overly simplistic portrayal of the characters and some might view the story as culturally insensitive.  It reminded me of the 5 Chinese Brothers by Bishop and Wiese.  While not overtly racist, these books are presenting Asian cultures from a purely invented style from Western viewpoints.  Tikki Tikki Tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruche-pip peri pembo doesn’t even sound remotely Asian.  The first six syllables lends to a more African sounding name.  Nevertheless, the story is engaging and supposedly comes from China and it has a lasting appeal.  

***Repetition -Tikki Tikki Tembo’s name is used over and over.

***Alliteration - Tikki Tikki Tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruche-pip peri pembo


***Rhyme - Tikki Tikki Tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruche-pip peri pembo