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Aardema Verna. United States (1911- )Verna Aardema was born on June 6th 1911 in New Era Michigan. She received her B.A. degree from Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences in 1934. Her interest in books began at an early age. Commenting on what motivated her to be a writer, she says "I got to be a writer by default-the fault being that I was a born bookworm in a household that desperately needed mothers little helpers." Aardema started writing children's stories in the 1950's. She specializes in the modernization and adaptation of traditional African folktales. Most of her stories are retold from well known African folktales. Aardema combines humour, magic, and adventure to recreate stories that have themes of heroism and morality. Her stories provide insights to human relationships and attempt to explain nature's mysteries through irony. For more information see:Something about the author. Facts and pictures about authors and illustrator of books for young people Vol 68. Detroit: Gale Research, 1992. Holtze, Sally Homes. Fifth book of Junior Authors. New York: H. W. Wilson Co., 1983. St. James guide to children's writers. 5th Edition. Detroit: St. James Press, 1999. Published StoriesJi-Nongo-Nongo means riddles. New York: Four Wind, 1978. The Vigananee and the tree toad: A Liberian tale. New York: Warene, 1983. Oh, Kojo how could you?: An Ashanti tale. New York: Dial, 1984. Princess gorilla and a new kind of water: A Mpongwe tale. New York: Dial, 1988. Anansi finds a fool. New York: Dial, 1992 Bringing the rain to Kapiti plain: A Nandi tale retold. New York: Dial, 1981. Rabbit makes a monkey of lion: A Swahili tale retold. New York: 1989. Tales from the story hat. New York: Dial, 1960. Half-a-ball-of- Kenki: A Ashanti tale retold. New York: Dial, 1979. Travelling to Tondo: A tale of the Nkundo of Zaire retold. New York: Knopf, 1991. Who's in Rabbits house: A Masai tale retold. New York: Dial, 1977. Why mosquitoes buzz in peoplle's ears: A West African tale retold. New York: Dial, 1975. Bimwili and the Zimwi: A tale from Zanzibar retold. New York: Dial, 1985. What's so funny Ketu? Adapted from Otwe. New York: Dial, 1982. Sebugugugu, the glutton: A Bantu tale from Rwanda. New York: Eerdmans, 1993. Behind the back of the mountain: Black folktales from South Africa. New York: Dial, 1973. Princess Gorilla and a new kind of water. New York: Dial, 1988. A bookworm who hatched. New York: Owen, 1993. Misoso once upon a time tales of Africa. New York: Knopf, 1994. How the Ostrich got its long neck. New York: Dial, 1995. The lonely lioness and the Ostrich chicks. New York: Dial, 1996. Anansi does the impossible. New York: Antheneum, 1997. This for that: A Tongi tale. New York: Dial, 1997. |
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