Abiyoyo:

Based on a South African Lullaby and Folk Story

About This Book

In this book based on a South African lullaby and folktale, a fearsome giant, Abiyoyo, suddenly appears in a small South African town, causing the people to run for their lives. Nothing can stop the giant except for the sound of a little boy's ukulele — a sound that enchants the giant, but a sound that up until now none of the boy's fellow townspeople could stand to hear.

The boy's father also has a special gift: he can wave a magic wand and make things disappear, a talent the townspeople have found equally annoying. But now, the previously banished boy and his father are suddenly heroes, as they work together to get rid of Abiyoyo for good. The song that accompanies this thrilling and witty tale is a Pete Seeger classic.

Praise for Abiyoyo

"A boy and his father are banished because the father, a magician, has a habit of making things vanish. But when the monster Abiyoyo appears...the boy plays a song on his ukulele to make the monster dance; then the father makes Abiyoyo disappear, and all is forgiven. The charm of this...lies in Seeger's wry understatement coupled with Hays' outstanding illustrations.". — Kirkus Reviews