First published in 1899 this classic story goes on enchanting children, and adults.
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Book Description
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Product Description
About the Author
Helen Bannerman wrote Little Black Sambo in 1898 to console her two daughters who were sent away from home.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
ONCE upon a time there was a little black boy, and his name was Little Black Sambo. Read the first page
Front Cover | Excerpt | Back Cover
ONCE upon a time there was a little black boy, and his name was Little Black Sambo. Read the first page
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Concordance
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Front Cover | Excerpt | Back Cover
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
By "hurburgh"
Format:Hardcover
.
Is there a stronger image in children's literature than the angry tigers that grab each other's tails, run around the palm tree, faster and faster until they melt into a big pool of butter?
The tigers intimidated the little boy (who just happens to be called Sambo) into handing over his beautiful new clothes. He is the smart hero in this classic story.
The real lesson in this tale is shown in the fate of the tigers. Their greed and arrogance leads to an argument over "who is the grandest" when dressed in Sambo's clothes. They get so angry with each other that they forget why they are fighting but just go on getting angrier until they chase each other into oblivion. We see avarice, leading to pride, aggression, and ultimately to destruction. This is a profound lesson for all of us.
The big jar of melted butter (ex-tiger) that Sambo's dad collected from under the palm tree let Mom cook up a big pile of pancakes to feed all the family.
The only criticism that can be levelled of this book is "tigerism".
Make sure you get a genuine re-issue of Miss Bannerman's 1921 original classic not one of the bowdlerized (and supposedly sanitized) "updates". The 21 illustrations in the original have a delightfully naïve quality and form an essential part of this book. Look out for other books in the " Wee Books for Wee Folk" series. They will take you back to the more innocent and less complex world known to our grandparents. There was wisdom to be had back then too.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Mrs F.M
Format:Hardcover
I still have my original copy of this book, as I loved it so much, and I am now 68 years old! The original was larger and the colours were so vivid. My poor mother had to read it over and over again, I just couldn't get enough of it. My 2 daughters loved it and now my 6 grand-children are passionate about it, just as I was. I love this pocket version just as much.
I bought the American copy too and was disappointed as the colours were darker and different and the last page was missing where they were all sitting down at the table eating the pancakes.
I bought the American copy too and was disappointed as the colours were darker and different and the last page was missing where they were all sitting down at the table eating the pancakes.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By maryb
Format:Hardcover
I read this book when I was only 4 years old and I am delighted to see that it is still the same. Nothing has changed in all those years. I love this book. I am giving it to my nephew for Christmas. A sparcity of texte, exquisite illustrations (and the crimson soles and crimson linings are still there!)and it is still the same size!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Gialia
Format:Hardcover
Sadly, I bought this book for the child of a friend who was born in the 70s. It was returned to Amazon, as being socially and culturally unaccceptable. Such a heartache, this is a beautiful childs' classic. I love it, and would recommend it to any child. Just be sure the parent isn't so closed-minded as to reject it because the Tamil people in the story are called 'Black'.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
I loved this book as a child and my kids have also loved it. I have a later addition but I am forever looking for the Golden Book version I had when I was little! I see no reason why this book was banned from some schools when everyone I've ever met has loved the story for its contents!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I bought this because It was read to me as a child and I wanted my children to enjoy it too and they have really enjoyed it a lovely story with an amusing end.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Maddi
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Got this for my mum as a surprise, shes been looking for this book for ages , she read it at school as a kid.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A wonderful wonderful story,which takes me far back into my childhood.I have searched for this edition for my two year old son,for i am sure he will enjoy it as much as i did.Do i worry that it will make him a racist ,certainly not.Children learn how to be racist from human behaviour, not from storybooks!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Little black,sambp
Not a politically correct book but such a delight to read. This tells the story of little black sambo and his adventures and uses beautifully coloured illustrations for each... Read more
Published 25 days ago by Daphne Potter
5.0 out of 5 stars
Super
I had this book years ago when I was a child and it enchanted me despite the fact it is a bit gruesome. It filled me with the desire to travel to exotic places. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Bex
1.0 out of 5 stars
An object of curiosity
I found this book literally lying in the street and I thought I could sell it as an object of curiosity; hence, I was very surprised to find it still in print. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Marie
1.0 out of 5 stars
ignorant nonsense
i understand that for some reason casual rascism was acceptable and i can understand people having a nostalgic feeling towards this book if they read it as a child. Read more
Published 9 months ago by sprattlek
5.0 out of 5 stars
childhood memories!!!
I was having a conversation about this PC world we now live in, what you can and can't say anymore for fear of offending someone or other, and it prompted me to recall this book I... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Helena Gray
5.0 out of 5 stars
Little Black Sambo
This was purchased for my sister who as a child would make my mother read the book over and over again. So it was a trip down memory lane.
Published 12 months ago by English Lady
5.0 out of 5 stars
Little Black Sambo
My dad read me this book as a bedtime story each night when I was three to four years old, I just loved listening about Little Black Sambo and his beautiful new clothes. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Ruth Robinson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Memories
Friends were at my home and we happened to be talking abou6t our childhood and books and this particular one was mentioned - it was a mute point whether the tiger got his stripes... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Elizabeth Glenn
5.0 out of 5 stars
little black sambo
great little book used to read it to my son in the 1970's now reading to his son's.had no idea that it was still in print. many thanks.
Published 15 months ago by Misssandra Amcweeney
5.0 out of 5 stars
Little Black Sambo
I remembered this book from my childhood in the 1950s and assumed it would be out of print as it could be perceived as having some non-PC language, in spite of its funny ending. Read more
Published 15 months ago by janet
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