Submitted by Catherine from Charlotte Hall!
“The Pied Piper of Hamlin” is a story that is familiar to most. The gloomy tale teaches a lesson of honesty and the importance of keeping one’s word. However, its dark theme and plot makes it one that many children will find scary. The Steel Pan Man of Harlem by Colin Bootman teaches the same lessons with a much lighter touch. Set in Harlem, rather than the German countryside, the mysterious man, gifted with the ability to drive away the rats, hails from the Caribbean, and it’s a steel drum rather than a pipe that makes the magical music. With beautiful water color illustrations that are as much a part of the story as the text, Bootman updates this tale with a new twist: the ending, so dark and frightening in the original, is made funny instead. Rather than every child in town being led to their doom, only the cruel mayor is made to dance away from the town. If you are looking for a lesson on honesty, or simply an updated version of this classic tale, The Steel Pan Man of Harlem will be a great choice. See this book listed in our catalog
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