Book Description
for Mee-An and the Magic Serpent by Baba Wagué Diakité
From The United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY)
Mee-An has many suitors, but she is searching for a man with no flaws. Mee-An’s sister, Assa, tries to help by turning herself into a fly and buzzing about the marketplace to find the perfect man. Unfortunately, a serpent overhears the young men of the village talking about Mee-An and her quest for a perfect man, so he decides to turn himself into such a man to marry her. The serpent is able to trick Mee-An and marry her, and afterward, Mee-An and her sister return to his home. When the sisters finally discover the truth, they flee with the help of a heron that carries them back to their home. Mee-An is eventually able to find love by overlooking imperfections. 2008 USBBY Outstanding International Books List. nlh