In this wonderful West African folktale, Shadusa believes he is by far the best man in town. And why not? He carries two antelope at once and everyone in town knows they’ve never seen anyone better. He strides about town proclaiming his is the Master Man and challenges anyone to beat him. Then Shadusa’s wife Shettu meets a stranger at the well whose baby is better than Shadusa by far, and he’s only a baby. Curious and looking to make her husband be less of a braggart, Shettu asks about this mighty child. It turns out the baby’s father is the source of that strength, another “Master Man.” Has Shadusa met his match? This vibrant tale booms across the page with evocative language and artwork of cut paper that breaks out of its panels and disrupts the story, just like Shadusa. A great tale to read out loud, to be sure, and maybe you can have your try at carrying an antelope or two.
Master Man: A Tall Tale of Nigeria
ISBN: 0688137849
By Aaron Shepard
Art by David Wisniewski
Harper Collins, 2001
