The Boy Who Swallowed Snakes by Laurence Yep

Yep, L. (1994). The boy who swallowed snakes. New York: Scholastic.




1. What did I like or dislike about the book?

I did not really enjoy this book because it deals with snakes! Not only is the story about snakes, it is about a boy named Little Chou who eats snakes! These are not just any snakes, they are magical ku snakes, which multiply when he eats them, and glow like fireflies. Little Choe and his mother are very poor, but in the end, the snakes bring great riches to them. The snakes in this book do not appeal to me; however, they may to some.

2. What in my life may have influenced my reaction or response to this book?

My uncle terrorized my mother with a dead snake when they were young. From that day on, my mother has had a great fear of snakes. She cannot even stand to look at a comical picture of a snake. I don't have that great a fear of snakes, but do not really enjoy being in their vicinity. I have never touched a snake and hopefully, never will!

3. How would I compare this book to another book or books?

The Boy Who Swallwed Snakes is an original Chinese folktale written by Laurence Yep. The only other Chinese folktale that I have ever read is Tikki Tikki Tembo, retold by Arlene Mosel. A humorous story and catchy rhythm make me enjoy reading Tikki Tikki Tebo. And - NO SNAKES!

4. What new thing did I learn about children's literature in reading this book?

I was taught that folktales originated many years ago and were handed down from one generation to the next. This story was an original folktale that was written by the author in 1994, not a retelling.

5. What oher books has he written?

Mr. Yep is a prolific writer. The Amazon.com website has 61 of his books for sale. According to Amazon.com, Mr. Yep's latest releases are:

City of Fire (2009)
Auntie Tiger (2008)

The Golden Mountain Chronicles is a series of books that Yep authored. He won two Newbery honors with two books in this series: Dragonwings (1977) and Dragon's Gate (1995).