Traveling to Tondo
The story's main character, a civet, was an animal unfamiliar to him so a trip to the local zoo was a necessary preliminary. The tale recounts the civet's journey to Tondo to claim a bride. As friends join him, he accommodates their needs to stop along the way; ultimately these delays cost him his bride. Captivated by the sound and rhythm of Aardema's text, Will placed the story deep in a lush rain forest. He used a palette of rich earthtones and kept the view primarily at ground level. Not to lose the story's movement, Will occasionally lifted the perspective to bird's eye and kept a small parade of silhouetted characters moving across the white space of each page. The result is a vision that captures both the short-sightedness of the foolish friends and the larger sense of African nature and lore. Reviews Illus. in full color. "Bowane, the cat, has asked for the hand of a beautiful feline and is returning to his future wife's village with a basket of copper and trinkets. On the way, he invites one friend after another to accompany him. But delays stall the wedding party--for years--and when the entourage finally reaches Tondo, they are not welcome. This satisfying tale owes its success to a clean, straightforward telling and beautiful illustrations. Perfect for reading aloud, this is a traveling tale for all collections."--(starred) School Library Journal.
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When Will was invited to produce the artwork to accompany Traveling to Tondo, an African folktale retold by Vera Aardema, he was both thrilled and apprehensive. He began by immersing himself in the art and literature of central Africa.
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