Tikki Tikki Tembo

By: Arlene Mosel, Blair Lent

Narrated by: Marcia Gay Harden

This humorous retelling of a favorite folktale recounts how the Chinese came to give their children short names. This perfect read-aloud storybook is one adults and children will enjoy sharing together again and again.When the eldest son fell in the well and most of the time getting help was spent pronouncing the name of the one in trouble, the Chinese, according to legend, decided to give all their children short names.

Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo is the name of a mother's first, and most honored, son. It means, "the most wonderful thing in the whole wide world!"

©1968 Arlene Mosel; (P)2009 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“Just right for storytelling and tongue-twisting repeating, and . . . for reading aloud.” —Kirkus Reviews

“This old folktale of what happens when the boy falls into a well...should make excellent read-aloud material....Bright, active, and delightfully expressive.” —School Library Journal

“On spacious, uncluttered pages the artist has extended the story with wonderfully droll ink-and-wash drawings that combine imaginative beauty with a true Chinese spirit.” —The Horn Book

awesome book

inspirational to not have a super long name like tikki rikki tembonoshaw rembo ffkkflflff,djfmfm

Awesome listen

Just like my aunt read to me as a child. Great listen for parents to have to read alone with the book

Tikki Tembo gets an A+

Love this story and found the audio book captivating; used it with my Kindergartners and PreSchoolers as part of a listening exercise and they ask to hear it again and again.