How The Guinea Fowl Got Her Spots by Barbara Knutson

She keeps the look simple, but it’s highly effective.

It’s heartening to see the smaller person win, especially for children who often feel like the little guy.Īs both author and illustrator, Knutson knows just what details are needed in her dynamic woodcut-like illustrations. They all feature an underdog type who uses brains to compete against bigger, stronger enemies. Unlike most of the guinea pigs in the Andes who do get eaten for dinner, Cuy goes free. Tío Antonio, drooling over “love and roast chicken,” falls for Cuy’s trap. As he expected, the idea entices the hungry fox. He tells the fox that he has a big problem-the farmer’s daughter wants to marry him but she eats roast chicken every day, an idea that repulses Cuy. It looks like the end for Cuy, but when the fox comes along, Cuy thinks fast once again. He ties him to a tree, planning to eat him for dinner the next day. Cuy works hard all day but then eats all night until the farmer catches him. He puts on a hat and poncho and volunteers to help a farmer with his alfalfa fields. When the sky doesn’t fall, the fox is determined to get little Cuy, but this unusual critter stays one step ahead of his opponent.Ĭuy, being a clever guinea pig, has big plans. But this quick-thinking South American trickster convinces the fox that the sky is falling. And apparently, high in the Andes Mountains, there is a guinea pig that can outwit a fox.įrom the first page, Cuy the Guinea Pig is faced with danger. There are Irish stories about mischievous leprechauns.

The Native Americans have the wily coyote.

A Trickster Tale from the Andes Mountains

How The Guinea Fowl Got Her Spots by Barbara Knutson