Some audiobooks are recording of books being read aloud. Others are performances in their own right. African Folk Tales, new from ABC Audio, is definitely a performance.

Written and told by Simon M'zungu, the four tales on the CD are retellings of traditional African folktales and are interspersed with traditional songs.

The stories on offer include The Wise Judgement of Gava the Jackal, How Kamba the Tortoise Cracked His Shell, Toga the Zebra Meets Mambo Shumba, the King Lion and Tsuro and Gudo Attend Each Other's Parties. Each tale focusses on a different animal character and delivers a moral or lesson.

This CD would be an excellent tool for classroom use - especially for units on folktales, storytelling or cultural diversity. It also makes entertaining private listening.

African Folktales, written and told by Simon M'zungu
ABC Audio, 2004