Why the Oyster Has the Pearl

by Johnette Downing

Overview

A trickster tale about generosity. A long time ago, the Oyster was not only generous and kind; he was also the keeper of all the gems in the world. Whenever any type of creature would come to him in need, the Oyster would share his jewels without hesitation. One day, a very greedy snake hatches a plan to shift the balance of wealth in the sea. But he's in for a surprise when he tests the limits of the Oyster's generosity.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781455614608
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	09/28/2011
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

“Downing has certainly found her niche, serving up New Orleans-flavored tunes.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Children’s singer, arts advocate, and preschool music teacher Johnette Downing, nicknamed the ‘Pied Piper for Louisiana music traditions,’ serves up a mélange of Cajun, Creole, Southern blues, Caribbean, and boogie-woogie influences.”
—EducationWatch, the Grammy Foundation

“This New Orleans native singer/songwriter takes the music of her life—Cajun, zydeco, and jazz—and mixes it into a kid-friendly gumbo.”
—South Florida Parenting magazine

“Downing thinks like a child, but writes like a magician.”
—Julie Kane, former Louisiana Poet Laureate

Johnette Downing uses her love of Louisiana to give her writing a unique kick. Called the “musical ambassador to children” and the “Pied Piper of Louisiana music traditions,” Downing is a musician and author dedicated to sharing her Louisiana roots, music, and books with children. The recipient of twenty-two international awards, Downing has performed concerts and author visits for children, and workshops for educators, in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, Central America, North America, and the Caribbean.

The author of twenty-one children’s books and ten recordings, Downing has garnered rave reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Parents’ Magazine, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Grammy.com, and numerous parenting journals.

Selected by New Orleans Magazine as one of the 2014 Top Female Achievers, and by CityBusiness Magazine as one of the 2008 Women of the Year, Downing, a former early-childhood music teacher, is passionate about combining music and stories to celebrate childhood, culture, and literacy. When not serving her irresistible kid-friendly musical and literary gumbo across the globe, she resides in New Orleans with her husband.