Why the Crawfish Lives in the Mud

By Johnette Downing

From the beloved children’s performer, a “trickster tale jazzed up with Cajun French phrases defined both in the text and in a glossary” (Kirkus Reviews).
 
A long time ago, when Crab and Crawfish were still best friends, Crawfish was feeling particularly lazy—and particularly hungry—as he loafed around the muggy bayou. When Crab arrived with a fish, Crawfish took one listen to his empty belly and decided to trick his good-natured friend.

After Crab realizes Crawfish has made a fool of him again, he isn’t happy, and before he knows it, Crawfish gets exactly what he deserves. A charming tale cautioning children about the consequences of cheating your friends, this colorful picture book from the critically acclaimed Johnette Downing will delight readers of all ages with its timeless and gentle lesson about integrity.

In addition to the entertaining story, lively collage-style illustrations, a glossary of Cajun words and phrases, including entries such as “cher” (dear or friend) and “beaucoup” (much), and a list of crawfish “fun facts” make this book an irresistible read.
 
“A humorous choice for storytimes.” —School Library Journal

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Sep 8, 2009
• ISBN: 9781455614233

Johnette Downing

The recipient of the Louisiana Writer Award, Johnette Downing is a musician, author, illustrator, and poet dedicated to sharing her Louisiana roots with children. The author of thirty books and twelve recordings, Johnette has performed concerts, author visits, and educator workshops on five continents. A former early-childhood music teacher, she is passionate about combining music and stories to celebrate childhood, culture, and literacy. Downing lives in New Orleans, Louisiana and Newburyport, Massachusetts with her husband, Scott. Heather Stanley's illustrations and designs are inspired by animals and the natural wonders of our world. Stanley received a BFA from the University of Southwestern Louisiana and an MFA from Radford University in Virginia. Stanley is the Director of Creative Services at Audubon Nature Institute and uses her talents to educate people about nature and wildlife. This is the third book she has illustrated with Johnette Downing. Stanley was raised in Louisiana and lives near New Orleans with her family.

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Reviews for Why the Crawfish Lives in the Mud

[sdeshotel-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This children's book is about a crawfish who tricks his friend by sending him down the way to catch a big fish. When the crab comes back, he is very angry and scares the crawfish into the mud, which then becomes his home. The tale can be read to prek-middle school students. The illustrations are simple in this book and are easy to recognize.